CHICAGO — Twenty-five restaurants around the city were awarded stars Tuesday by the Michelin Guide, the most ever in the influential travel company's four-year history of evaluating Chicago's cuisine.
Among the recipients of a single star were five first-timers on the list: Pilsen's EL Ideas, Lincoln Square's Elizabeth, The Lobby in River North's Peninsula Chicago hotel, North Pond in Lincoln Park and Senza in Lakeview.
Grace in the West Loop garnered a higher two-star rating in its first year on the list.
Three other restaurants got two stars: the Trump Tower's Sixteen, which won a single star last year; L20 in Lincoln Park; and Graham Elliot, which will close its River North doors after dinner on New Year's Eve.
Alinea in Lincoln Park was awarded three stars, the organization's top designation.
The full list of winners, with a description of Michelin Guide criteria:
Three stars (Exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey)
• Alinea (Lincoln Park)
Two stars (Excellent cuisine, worth a detour)
• Grace (West Loop)
• Graham Elliot (River North)
• L2O (Lincoln Park)
• Sixteen (River North)
One star (A very good restaurant in its category)
• Acadia (South Loop)
• Blackbird (West Loop)
• Boka (Lincoln Park)
• EL Ideas (Pilsen)
• Elizabeth (Lincoln Square)
• Everest (The Loop)
• Goosefoot (Lincoln Square)
• The Lobby (River North)
• Longman & Eagle (Logan Square)
• Mexique (West Town)
• Moto (West Loop)
• NAHA (River North)
• North Pond (Lincoln Park)
• Schwa (West Town)
• Senza (Lakeview)
• Sepia (West Loop)
• Spiaggia (Gold Coast)
• Takashi (Bucktown)
• Topolobampo (River North)
• Tru (Streeterville)
