Cecina Grill Restaurant Chicago Pilsen Neighborhood Cecina, the traditional steak of Guerrero, is salt-dried, then rehydrated and grilled, with deliciously toothy and succulent results. Other representative foods from Guerrero here include a guajillo-spiked chicken soup in a bright-red broth with fresh squash and carrot. This place is swimming with seafood: fried smelts were especially tasty spritzed with lime, and ceviche was helium light. My dining partner had grilled seafood with gently charred chunks of octopus, shrimp, and, alas, krab in a light sauce. Less routine menu items include quail, game hen, and bull’s testicles. The tortillas at La Cecina are handcrafted, and we enjoyed quesadillas with requeson, Mexico’s answer to ricotta, and fish (minced and fried in the tortilla). No booze is served, but there are healthful beverages including a fresh-squeezed concoction of mixed veggies and fruits and a milk shake of mamey, a starchy, honey-tinged tropical fruit. Chicago’s restaurant scene. But while they may be few, this September’s star openings are perfect for the transition to the cooler weather: a bakery space, pizza, and savory and spicy Mexican food we can’t wait to cozy up with between all those long-awaited autumnal activities. Much like last month, September brings all-new spots from Chicago favorites and standbys, and each brings a unique new feel. But Eat Seeker isn’t just about the latest hot spots. After we roundup the cream of the latest crop, we breakdown the best restaurants in Chicago, period — the ones that made this city the dining destination that it is today. Old and new, here’s where to eat in Chicago right now.
One of Chicago’s highly anticipated restaurant projects comes from chef Carlos Gaytán, who was the first Mexican chef to win a Michelin star for Mexique in 2013. Tzuco is just the first of three spaces to occupy 720 North State Street and is by far the most expansive. Tzuco comes from the name of Gaytán’s hometown, Huitzuco, in Guerrero, Mexico. The menu is a mix of Gaytán’s own culinary experience, blending French and Mexican cooking in dishes like a French onion soup with Chihuahua cheese, and costillas de res (beef short ribs) with a parsnip puree. Fans can look forward to a bakery and fine dining restaurant joining Tzuco in the coming months.
Chicago is no stranger to the pizza and beer combo, and now there’s another spot to get an upscale version of the college favorite. Roebuck Pizza, from the group behind DryHop Brewers and Corridor Brewery & Provisions, is taking their formula of a cozy space, reliable food, and a solid drink lineup and putting it all with pizza. Neapolitan pizza is the star here, with classics like a marinara and margarita mixed with a newcomer white wine lemon cream and mushroom pie. Although the restaurant is a brewery, with easy sippers like a lager, hefeweizen, and pilsner on the menu, there’s a longer cocktail menu. Who says pizza can’t go with cocktails, too.
Sure, the Bakery at Fat Rice has been open for a while, but it recently got a new menu with way more expansive food options and longer hours, so those who can’t get into Fat Rice can stop by and have a meal and grab an egg tart (or 12 if you order ahead) to go. The Bakery and Café also brought on head chef Ashley Robinson (Spiaggia) to head up the new expanded menu, which includes dishes like an egg white frittata and an “everything” bun with smoked salmon and cream cheese. And for even more fun, guests can order sangria or a mimosa to go with their café indulgences.
Committed to locally sourced ingredients since the ’90s
This OG Logan Square favorite was embracing the farm-to-table philosophy long before it was cool, and has remained one of the North Side’s most in-demand weekend brunch destinations since opening in 1999. The menu is subject to change depending on the seasonal availability of certain ingredients, but “The Royale” breakfast sandwich, which is currently made with turkey leg confit, Gruyere cheese, braised bacon, parsley salad, and a sunny-side egg on sourdough, is a sure thing.