Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants in Chicago
When you think of Chicago, you may envision bustling streets and an expansive city skyline. But the Windy City is closer to Illinois agriculture than you might imagine. Chicago boasts a number of farm-to-table restaurants featuring seasonal dishes prepared with ingredients grown and raised on local Illinois farms. So after you’ve tried the deep-dish pizza, Polish sausages and Chicago-style hot dogs, get a taste of Illinois at one of these top farm-to-table restaurants in Chicago.
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1. Gather
4539 N. Lincoln Ave.
Gather is a New American-style restaurant in Lincoln Square with a background that makes it stand out from the crowd. This savvy dining destination was born from the dream of four partners who wanted to create neighborhood gathering places that would give patrons an excuse to celebrate everyday occasions with good food made from locally sourced ingredients.
With an emphasis on seasonal menus and cooked-from-scratch plates, it didn’t take long before this hopping restaurant became a neighborhood favorite. Their chef receives ingredients from local farms in the morning and crafts inspired dishes such as pan-seared arctic char and crispy mustard spaetzle.
They even host monthly farm dinners highlighting the local produce and the guests of honor – the farmers themselves.
See more: How a Chicago Chef Transitioned From Big-City Cooking to Rural Growing
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2. Avec
615 W. Randolph Street
With a cozy and minimalist interior and communal seating, Avec is the place to go if you want to enjoy a unique dining experience with creative meals inspired by Mediterranean and Midwestern flavors. Guests can choose from a variety of shared dishes made with Midwestern ingredients from local purveyors. Then, pair them with one of the 100-plus bottles of wine from a list that celebrates small boutique vineyards across France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
Even though wine is at the heart of the restaurant’s creation, its daily menu leaves nothing to be desired. From small and large plates featuring everything from fried duck eggs and braised lamb neck to desserts like pomegranate custard and chocolate babka, you can’t go wrong with anything you order at Avec.
See more: Top 5 Farm-to-Table Dining Experiences in NYC
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3. Smyth
177 N. Ada Street #101
Eater National declared Smyth to have “the finest seasonal tasting menu in Chicago.” While the food definitely plays a huge part in that honor, we think it might also have something to do with the atmosphere. Owners John and Karen Shields want their Michelin-starred restaurant to stand out as a place that not only provides beautiful farm-to-table meals but also creates lasting memories.
Smyth sources many of its menu ingredients from the owner’s 20-acre farm. That means the menu is always rotating to feature the available produce in new and refreshing ways. You might find beef with sprouted wheat on the menu one day and a yogurt parfait with pickled ground cherries a few days later. The owners even source their chickens and eggs from their personal flock and the honey and syrup from their own beehives and maple trees.
See more: Windy City Wine: The Story Behind One of Illinois’ First Urban Wineries
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4. The Publican
837 W. Fulton Market
When you hear the phrase farm-to-table, it probably doesn’t conjure up images of modern-day American beer halls. But that’s precisely what’s on at The Publican in the Fulton Market District. Prepare to be surrounded by people from all walks of life when you visit this buzzing destination. The restaurant offers everything from oysters and pork to an impressive beer list that includes local Illinois brews and beers from far-reaching locations like Bavaria and Belgium.
As delicious as the beer may be, don’t skimp on ordering from the menu while you’re here. The Publican offers Midwest dishes that feature items from more than 10 different farms in the area to create a long list of offerings from barbecued carrots with creamy herb dressing from Henry Brockman in Congerville to dry-aged sirloin from Slagel Family Farm in Fairbury.
See more: 6 Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants in Los Angeles
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5. Lula Cafe
2537 N. Kedzie Blvd.
Celebrated as a forerunner of the farm-to-table restaurant movement in Chicago, Lula Cafe got its start as a small storefront in 1999. Over two decades later, the restaurant and its seasonally driven dishes have gained national attention and quite a local following. Head Chef Jason Hammel has even been nominated twice as a finalist for James Beard Best Chef Great Lakes.
Lula’s serves casual yet sophisticated brunch and dinner menus featuring locally and sustainably sourced ingredients ranging from farm-raised meats and eggs to cornmeal ground at a local mill. And with plenty of adventurous options for vegetarians and vegans on the menu too, this is one farm-to-table restaurant in Chicago you do not want to miss.