Mentioned by Eater Chicago
Chicago’s New Michelin Stars for 2021
"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Le Bouchon (@bouchonchicago)"
"Restaurants French Rush & Division. You didn't think this upscale French restaurant in the Gold Coast would skimp on desserts, did you?. At Margeaux Brasserie, the last course is a show, with options like a giant chocolate macaron stuffed with fresh raspberries and milk chocolate crémeux or the banana tarte tatin with warm citrus caramel that's poured tableside."
"Three floors above the lobby of the swank Waldorf Astoria is restaurateur Michael Mina's ode to 1920s-era Paris. Classic Parisian bistro fare (escargot, steak frites, duck breast) gets a contemporary spin. Foie gras comes as parfait with preserved cherries and cornichons."
"Restaurants French North Center. Robert et Fils sends us time-traveling into the depths of chef-owner Rob Shaner's childhood, when his late father's job took the family to Paris when Shaner was a teenager. In addition to falling in love with the food and culture, father and son (Bob and Rob) dropped their American names in favor of the more French-sounding Robert."
"Fortunately, you don’t have to take a 10-hour flight to get a French croissant. Bonjour Café Bakery is the perfect place to grab a chocolate croissant on the go or sit, relax, and enjoy a warm quiche. This cafe has both indoor and outdoor seating, making this the perfect place to enjoy warm weather with fresh pastries."
"For when you want a pastry to go with your coffee, the Bonjour Cafe should be your top pick. Unsurprisingly from the shop’s name, this French-style bakery has a changing seasonal selection of fresh baked goods. They range from rose-flavored macarons, eclairs, and croissants."
"France comes to Hyde Park thanks to this upscale eatery located in a South Side strip mall. Chef and owner Mary Mastricola’s menu promotes seasonality and diners can look forward to rabbit pate, trout grenobloise, lavender-honey roasted chicken, and an all-French wine list. Early birds will also get the best bang for their buck as a three-course prix fixe special, priced at $38 per person, is offered daily between 5 p.m."
"Located in Hyde Park near the University of Chicago campus, la petite folie serves traditional, classically prepared and artfully plated French food. The quaint atmosphere belies its shopping plaza locale but the free and easy parking is a plus. Duck (including the duck breast salad) consistently gets high ratings among regular diners as do the lovely pastries."
"Le Macaron found on West Armitage Avenue invites guests to experience the best of French cuisine. The coffee shop’s website describes its macarons as the perfect delicacy, original and elegant, and we think they’re 100% correct. Le Macaron does offer some really fun flavors alongside the more traditional choices, though: including bubblegum, violet cassis, gingerbread, and strawberry key lime."
"Known simply as the Midway, this mile-long natural stretch on the South Side connects the east end's Washington Park to Jackson Park on the west. Once the site of amusements during the 1893 Columbian World's Exposition (AKA World's Fair), the Midway is flanked by Hyde Park's noted gothic architecture, particularly the University of Chicago campus, and tree-lined boulevards, as well as outfitted with an ice skating rink and other facilities to keep folks visiting year-round."
"A Lincoln Park summer staple, the line at Annette’s Italian Ice is consistently longer than at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams down the street. Although they’re most famous for vegan-friendly house-made Italian ice, they also serve fat-free frozen yogurt and traditional ice cream by Ashby’s Sterling. Flavors and toppings are scrawled on a white board to choose from."
"Annette’s is a takeout window in Lincoln Park that does both Italian ice and ice cream. We prefer the Italian ice at Mario’s, but we like that you can also get ice cream at Annette’s. It’s a perfect neighborhood spot - the kind of place you might stroll by while walking your dog."
"This Lincoln Park staple only opens their outdoor window in the summer, so don’t miss out. While it has all your childhood favorite ice creams flavors, the Italian ice is the real star here. No bad flavors can be found here."