Mentioned by The Infatuation
The Best Chicago Restaurants For A Special Occasion - Chicago
"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by Le Bouchon (@bouchonchicago)"
"Celebrity chef Michael Mina made his Chicago debut over the summer inside the Waldorf Astoria. His sultry brasserie combines 1920s glam with traditional fare for lavish dining experience. Nibble on duck wings à l'orange and escargots à la bordelaise or indulge in a pristine shellfish tower."
"The extra-light macarons served at Pierrot Gourmet can only be described as very moreish. The European-style bakery and cafe found on East Superior Street inside the Peninsula Hotel, which also boasts a terrace eatery, just like theseother great bars and restaurants with rooftops in Chicago. Pierrot Gourmet is home to a range of fabulous baked goods, including macarons, which are said to pair perfectly with a specialty coffee or a glass of wine."
"Fancy and intricate French dishes are always a pleasure but sometimes all you need is a cup of coffee, a croissant, and prime views. This all-day café inside the Peninsula offers a casual setting that’s ripe for people-watching in the heart of downtown. Though the menu includes items like tarte flambée, boeuf bourguignon, and duck cassoulet, the restaurant’s bakery is its biggest standout."
"It’s part of the Chicago Peninsula hotel and offers authentic Parisian vibes. They have both indoor seating as well as an outdoor patio, adorned with flowers, located in a prime people watching spot in the city. It is incredibly charming."
"Cafe Marie-Jeanne does double duty, serving as a candle-lit setting for first Tinder dates and 10th-anniversary dinners by night, and opening up to locals in search of excellent coffee and French pastries by day. Chef Michael Simmons' zero-fuss approach to fine dining works in both occasions—but for brunch, you can't go wrong with smoked and cured fish or (if it's available) the Chicago-style lobster roll, a cheeky take on the city's hot dog. After stuffing a brioche bun with wood-smoked lobster coated with a paprika-and-coriander spiced aioli, Simmons "drags it through the garden," adding his take on the iconic toppings: shishito peppers, yellow mustard, diced onion, pickled cucumber spears."
"Café Marie-Jeanne's mostly a la carte breakfast menu means you can mix and match smoked brisket with oatmeal with caviar toast with grits and not feel a bit of guilt about it!. A breakfast sandwich and larger dishes like omelets and smoked chicken are also available."
"It’s Paris vibes all the way at Mon Ami Gabi, a classic French bistro in Lincoln Park from Lettuce Entertain You, the group behind a myriad of Chicago favorites such as Summer House and Stella Barra. Feast on dishes such as escargot, filet mignon au poivre, and trout almondine under the restaurant’s spacious, covered patio. Save room for the seasonally inspired sorbet for a cool and light end of the meal."
"There's no question that there is just something inherently romantic about France. That is why Mon Ami Gabi shines as one of the best romantic restaurants in Chicago, offering depe..."
"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."
"Launched by a husband and wife duo, Sweet Spot Macarons was the first business to bring a macaron truck to Chicago, and maybe, as claimed, the world. Each macaron has a flaky shell holding together a chewy center of flavor. Now, the pair will even take requests on where they travel to next via their email address, hello@sweetspotmacarons.com."
"Break the cake mold and dream beyond the traditional sheet cake with one-dimension designs. Having served as Executive Pastry Chef at downtown hotels and winning or placing in several design competitions, Chef Peter Rios’ Alliance Bakery is ready to show you that if you can think it, he can bake it. Besides his three-dimensional edible works of art, Chef shows off skills he picked up training in Paris with his European-inspired pastries and desserts."
"From whimsical custom cakes (Narwhal cake, anyone? How about a 3-D Ninja Turtle?) and fruit tarts to macarons and kouign amann, the creativity at this lauded sweets emporium knows no bounds. Be sure to pair your sugar high with a caffeine jolt, courtesy of the bakery's full espresso bar. Sign up here for our daily Chicago email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun in town."
"If you’re looking for the perfect wedding cake, consider Alliance Bakery & Cafe in Chicago. Their team will work with you to select the ideal combination of fillings, flavors, and designs to suit your specific wedding vision. In addition to (or in lieu of) a wedding cake, they offer a variety of mini desserts, French and American, to create a mouthwatering sweet table."
"Multiple LocationsHeritage Outpost admits readily on their website that a combination bike-shop-slash-coffee-shop doesn’t make as much sense as, say, a combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell. But once you head in, everything starts to make sense. Relaxing with some coffee or tea while watching repair technicians expertly fix a bike is incredibly satisfying."
"Who would’ve thought bikes and coffee made such a perfect pair?. Heritage outpost combines a bicycle shop and a cafe all in one lofty space. An opportune location for photography, it’s a great little spot in uptown to relax and grab a coffee."
"West LoopWhile the pandemic has undoubtedly left its ugly mark on traditional fine dining, Alinea Group mastermind chef Grant Achatz has kept his penchant for executing feats of molecular gastronomy brilliance alive and well over at this long running West Loop cocktail bar-slash-innovation hub. Snag a reservation and settle in for a la carte creations or an intricate three-course tour of top shelf tipples engineered to tickle the imagination alongside a host of creative bar bites. (Batched and bottled to-go options are also available.)How to book: Reserve and order take-out via Tock."
"A funhouse of modern potables, Aviary’s cocktail craft is unparalleled. Whether they're serving a margarita with ice cubes made with Fresno chile juice, or a Manhattan encapsulated in a frozen sphere cracked tableside with a custom-designed "slingshot," mixologists don’t create drinks as much as liquid performance art. The kitchen chefs work some magic, too, and can be serving tiny complementary bites like a sea-salt-flecked dark chocolate candy bar filled with whipped foie gras nougat."
"People rave about: Cool But Rude Latte Ginger and Curry Sauce Latte ($4.50). It wouldn’t be a trip to Wicker Park for breakfast or lunch without a quirky cup of coffee. Admittedly, Wicker Park is my favorite funky neighborhood in Chicago because of its #idgaf vibe."
"Restaurants Coffee shops Wicker Park. To get Wicker Park excited about another coffee shop, you’d have to do something pretty crazy. Like, say, install a DeLorean in the front of the store."
"The Wormhole Coffee is one of the best-reviewed coffee shops in Chicago. It’s located in Wicker Park. The interior has this relaxed retro vibe going on."
"I mentioned Butterdough in my post about places to eat in Chicago, but I’m listing it again because their coffee is excellent. One of their most popular options is the Cafe con Leche with their homemade cafe de olla syrup. I recommend getting it with regular milk, not their oat milk because the oat didn’t work with this drink at all."
"Kicking it old school, you slice and bake the chocolate chip dough roll ($6) to yield a dozen cookies. Brothers Lalo and Uva Leon opened their bakery last summer in the McKinley Park neighborhood, where they’re still making wildly popular croissants. Check their Instagram stories for the daily changing availability or just call."