Best Fine Dining in Darien

"Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas’s three-Michelin-starred avant garde fine dining institution is one of the world’s best restaurants. During the pandemic, the restaurant’s elegant dining room has morphed to a control center for pickup orders. The menu changes from beef Wellington, to sushi, to more avant-garde options."

"Since opening in 2005, the Lincoln Park restaurant has distinguished itself as a premier dining destination. Winning the coveted three stars from Michelin, Alinea is only one of 14 U.S. restaurants to earn this ranking. But the awards don’t stop there."

"Believe the hype and secure tickets—yes, tickets—well in advance. Chicago's most exciting restaurant demands an adventurous spirit and a serious...Read More"

"This swanky outdoor dining spot is in the heart of the Magnificent Mile. Located in the five-star Peninsula Chicago hotel near attractions like the John Hancock building, this Cantonese dim sum restaurant has been voted the no. 1 Chinese restaurant in Chicago by Zagat Survey and boasts some of the best skyline views. OpenTable reviewers love the expanded outdoor rooftop dining area, while TripAdvisor diners highly recommend the Peking duck and craft cocktails."

"Rooftop restaurants Chicago, Shanghai Terrace | Photocredit: www.peninsula.com/. Set 4 floors up at the five star hotel The Peninsula Chicago, Shanghai Terrace is a offers both a lovely rooftop terrace and a great Chinese restaurant. >Here you find an indoor restaurant with a 1930s supper club décor, and a stylish decorated terrace with dining tables, cabanas and comfy lounge sofas along with cool views of the downtown sky scrapers."

"In the upscale Peninsula Hotel in Downtown Chicago, you'll find a gourmet dim sum restaurant with roaring ‘30s supper club décor and a blend of Shanghainese and Cantonese dishes. This Zagat-listed pearl of an eatery blends old world elegance with new world sensibilities for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Shanghai Terrace is one of the best restaurants in Chicago for atmosphere and fine dining."

"Granted, it’s not that easy to spot the entrance to Oriole on the alley-side ground floor of a defunct glue factory in the West Loop. But once you realize your GPS is correct, and you see the discreet sign on the black-painted brick, you’re in for a treat. There’s the cinematic entrance to the den-like restaurant via a former freight elevator door."

"Oriole remains closed while the restaurant undergoes renovations, but it retains its two stars in 2021. When the doors reopen, get here for its renowned tasting menus."

"Restaurants Eclectic West Loop. To dine at Grant Achatz’s followup to Alinea is a rare—and rarefied—opportunity to submit yourself to a very specific vision of what great dining might look like. That vision changes every three months, from French fare to Italian staples to modern plates that don’t even look like food."

"If you want to feel like you’ve secured tickets for the last rocket ship leaving Earth, consider making a reservation at Next. This place is owned by the Alinea folks, but unlike Alinea, Next has three different themed tasting meals every year (e.g. Ancient Rome, Hollywood, and Alinea 2005-2010, because why not). Tickets tend to sell out as soon as they’re released."

"Restaurants Steakhouse River North. This steakhouse chain's Marina City digs—a Chicago River fixture since 1998—sports all the classics, from prime-aged meat cuts to creamed spinach and truffled mac and cheese. Head to the restaurant's covered patio area for peak river views, or grab a table near the interior's floor-to-ceiling windows."

"James Beard Award-winning chefJonathon Sawyer’s globally inspired restaurant in the newly renovated Four Seasons Hotel provides all the reasons to get up on a weekend morning. Kickstart your Saturday or Sunday with a glorious bowl of Steel-Cut Oats with Brûléed Banana and cinnamon-peanut brittle or go decadent with the Breakfast Bolognese with a poached egg and crispy breadcrumbs. I’m intrigued by the Teeny Tiny Croissant Cereal served with house-made horchata, but who am I kidding?"

"Navy Pier sure is touristy, but its location jutting out nearly a mile into the lake gives it some stunning vistas back across the water toward the skyline. Of the many places to eat at Navy Pier, none is better than Riva, a fine-dining restaurant with a seafood-driven menu. The food is superb, and the views are million-dollar."

"Kitchen 17 is a casual, laid-back vegan café in Lakeview that focuses on house-made seitan-based vegetarian and vegan fare in a friendly, inviting setting. The cozy restaurant offers a menu of simple yet delicious food ranging from nachos, hummus and toasted pita bread, artichoke dips, and hearty burgers with a variety of toppings to gyros, barbecue sandwiches, Philly cheesesteaks (sans the steak), and refried black beans. A weekly selection of mouthwatering desserts includes cupcakes, freshly baked cakes and homemade fudge for a sweet ending to your meal."

"Fancy Plants Cafe was founded by Kevin Schuder, who started as Kitchen 17’s coffee-and-pastry barista. He found Fancy Plants Cafe, which offers coffee, tea, pastries, gluten-free pastries, sauces, greens, and a fancy five-course dinner option on weekends (Saturday and Sunday). Kitchen 17 is a BYOB eatery where guests can enjoy a vegetarian dessert of Middle Eastern and American dishes."

"This completely vegan spot serves up some serious comfort food alternatives with their housemade spicy seitan. Check out their vegan pizza options with your choice of New York-style crust or Chicago-style deep dish to finally put the "best pizza" debate to rest."

"Outstanding Mediterranean and Lebanese food consistently comes from the kitchen of this longtime Andersonville favorite. The large menu includes a mix of meat and vegetarian options (vegan options too). Roast lamb with couscous, Moroccan chicken with apricots, and Mediterranean eggplant are just a few of the goodies that await."

"At Demera, no one will scold you for eating with your hands. That’s because Ethiopian cuisine is typically eaten by using your hands to scoop up vegetables and lentils with a spongy and porous flatbread called injera. Get a sampling of the bright, colorful dishes, which include split red lentils, slow-cooked collard greens, split yellow peas and sautéed garden beets."

"A crown jewel of the city's culinary scene and a must-visit for anyone who's craving traditional Ethopian eats. Why we love it: With more than a decade of experience under its belt, most Chicagoans know Demera on a first-name basis. Owner Tigist Reda is backed by years of watching and helping the women in her family cook."

"Demera Ethiopian Restaurant offers traditional Ethiopian cuisine in a cozy and casual environment. Located in the Uptown neighborhood, diners can enjoy a great selection of African..."

"Tucked away at the edge of Lincoln Park that juts out into Lake Michigan, the Montrose Bird Sanctuary is a 15-acre wooded respite that features a few peaceful mulch-covered hiking trails to stroll through. What was once a site of Army barracks from the ’50s to the ’70s is now one of the best places in the area to spot a few of the tens of thousands of migratory birds from more than 300 different species that reportedly stop for some green space along their trek along the lake. Within the sanctuary, a 150-yard stretch of honeysuckle bushes has been nicknamed “The Magic Hedge,” because it attracts an especially high number of migratory birds."

"UptownThis more laid-back section of Montrose Beach is both a dune habitat and a bird sanctuary, as well as one of the best spots for trail hiking in the city with killer skyline views. If that’s not enough, there’s also a beach bar. And a damn fine beach bar at that."