Japanese-imported A5 wagyu served in a housemade tortilla at Cariño’s Late-Night Taco Omakase
The Michelin Awards were announced last night in New York, and one Chicago dining establishment is a newcomer.
Cariño, the Latin-inspired Uptown eatery from co-owners chef Norman Fenton and Karen Young, has received its first Michelin star. Honored for its inventive tasting menu and Fenton’s “distinct, ambitious” celebration of Mexican and Central American cuisine, the one-year-old eatery received acclaim for dishes like its huitlacoche ravioli with fried corn silk, queso truffle quesadilla and lamb tartare tostada.
Chef Grant Achatz’s Lincoln Park fine dining spot Alinea and John Shields and Karen Urie Shields’ Fulton Market mainstay Smyth remain the sole Windy City restaurants with three Michelin stars. Chef Curtis Duffy and Michael Muser’s luxe institution Ever and chef Noah Sandoval’s high-end New American eatery Oriole have each retained two Michelin stars. South Loop brewpub Moody Tongue, which has held two Michelin stars since 2021, now holds one star.
See also: Every Michelin-Star Restaurant In Chicago
For the second year, Logan Square Italian spot Daisies was awarded a Michelin “Green Star,” a stand-alone distinction that honors restaurants’ sustainable practices and ethical and environmental standards.
Cappelletti at Daisies
Fourteen local establishments have retained one Michelin star, including Galit, Indienne, Kasama, Mako, Moody Tongue, Next, Schwa, Sepia, Topolobampo, Atelier, Boka, EL Ideas, Elske and Esmé.
Scott Stroemer, bar director of Galit, was honored with the Michelin Sommelier Award. At the same time, chef Josh Mummert of Kumiko was awarded one of three 2024 Young Chef Awards for his “strong sense of care and attention to detail.”
Chefs Tim Flores and Genie Kwon of Kasama received the Outstanding Service Award for the pair’s “winning combination of professional polish and down-to-earth friendliness.”
See also: The Hottest New Restaurants In Chicago
Photography by: Photo of Taco Omakase at Cariño courtesy of Kelly Sandos; photo of Cappelletti at Daisies courtesy of brand
