My 5 Favorite Eats of 2025

To know me is to hear me talk endlessly about food in Chicago. Tell me what neighborhood you live in and hear me rattle off 2-100 restaurants you must eat at. I even created a Chicago food guide, which you can flip through here. Yes, I know it needs updating, but there are still some absolute gems in it. And since I haven’t had time to overhaul the guide (it’s been a busy year!), I thought I’d just throw together a list of my favorite eats of 2025. 

Making this list was all at once the hardest and easiest thing I’ve ever done. Hard because I ate a lot of good food in Chicago this year. Easy because the best bites just won’t leave my brain. 

Here are my 5 favorite meals of 2025… plus a little bonus cuz I can’t help it.

1. Omakase at Kyoten Next Door

I’ve done a lot of Omakase in Chicago, and this is the best there is. It is 16 courses of nigiri and every bite is the best bite ever. But it’s not just the food that makes this place so special. It’s the experience: ten seats, chefs working right in front of you, and the chance to really engage with them. I’ve been to the original Kyoten too, which has more courses and includes more than just nigiri, but in my experience, Next Door is a better meal and a better value. (And my fiance agrees; he brought me to Next Door the night we got engaged!)

2. Breakfast Sandwich at Loaf Lounge

This might seem simple, but the breakfast sandwich here is life-changing. Is that hyperbolic? Go eat this sandwich and let me know. I did not know English muffins were supposed to taste like this. If you REALLY wanna do it up like a pro, ask them to put a hashbrown in the sandwich. And get their Oatmeal Cream Pie on the side. You’ll thank me later.

3. Cauliflower Soup at Avec

I don’t even know if this is on the regular menu — I had it at an event — but it might be the best soup I’ve ever had. Avec nails everything they do, so you can’t go wrong there, but this soup! I can’t stop thinking about it.

4. Halloumi with Hot Honey & Shawarma-Spiced Skirt Steak Frites at Ema

I love everything coming out of the kitchen at Ema (and sister restaurant, Aba), especially their pita and hummus. But at the top of my list: their halloumi with hot honey (sweet, savory, perfect) and their take on steak frites. The shawarma spice is SO GOOD and just a perfect way to elevate an already perfect dish. 

5. Soup Dumplings at Serious Sanji (Northbrook)

Shout out to my new life in the burbs! I’ve been hunting for the perfect soup dumplings since I first tried them in China in 2014. Duck Duck Goat had my favorites for a while, until Serious Sanji came to town. These are LEGIT. Warm, comforting, tasty… every bite/slurp hits. Pro Tip: get their scallion pancakes and one of their many boba options. They’re all authentic and delicious. 

6. (Bonus!) Wagyu Steak Tartare at Swift & Sons

I said five, but I can’t leave this off. I used to obsess over the steak tartare at Bavette’s, often popping in there just to get that and a glass of bubbles. And that one still ranks high for me, but the Wagyu tartare at Swift & Sons entered my life (and my belly) and stole the top spot last year. It is perfectly seasoned and just melts in your mouth. Even if you don’t opt for the tableside magic (which, duh, we did), this tartare is…magical.