The aroma of grilled kabobs and the sight of platters heaped with falafel, chicken, hummus and olives proved intoxicating for New York Times food writers, who named Al Bawadi Grill, with Niles and Bridgeview locations, one of that newspaper’s top 25 Chicago restaurants.
Most of the 25 eateries named by the Times are located in the city of Chicago, with just Al Bawadi (including both its locations), Kim’s Uncle Pizza in Westmont, Uncle John’s Bar-B-Que in Homewood, Johnnie’s Beef in Elmwood Park and Superdawg in Wheeling (and the original location a stone’s throw from Niles) representing the suburbs–plus one other outlying find, Tortas Frontera, a Chef Rick Bayless outpost at O’Hare International Airport.
Former Chicago Tribune food writer Kevin Pang, writing in the New York Times, said Al Bawadi “transports you to a sumptuous Bedouin tent — ceilings draped with colorful fabric, the waft of grilled meats ever-present.” 7216 West 87th Street, Bridgeview; 708-599-1999; or 8501 West Dempster Street, Niles; 847-957-1999; albawadigrill.com
He opined that Kim’s Uncle Pizza is “the Platonic ideal of Chicago tavern-style pizza” due to its crackly crust, flavorful tomato sauce and juicy Italian sausage. 207 N. Cass Ave., Westmont, (630) 963-1900, unclepizzawestmont.com
The sausage and giardiniera tavern-style pizza at Kim’s Uncle Pizza in Westmont. Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune
Of the much-loved hot dog emporium Superdawg, where you eat in your car trying not to get French fry grease on the steering wheel, Pang wrote that it’s “frozen in 1950s charm” and described the two iconic, giant-sized hot dog statues, Maurie and Flaurie, which stand on the roof. They represent the founders, who started serving the dressed-up franks in 1948, according to the website. 6363 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago; 773-763-0660, or 333 South Milwaukee Avenue, Wheeling; 847-459-1900; superdawg.com
Pang has praise for Uncle John’s, saying pitmaster Aja Kennebrew is keeping alive the tradition of South Side Chicago bar-b-que, brought north during the Great Migration and requiring constant tending of the cooking fire. 17947 South Halsted Street, Homewood; 708-960-4612; unclejohnsbbq.com
Positing that eating a drippingly juicy Johnnie’s Beef while sitting on your car hood might be one of the most truly Chicago things to do, even though it’s in Elmwood Park, Pang says the flavorful sandwich was truly local until “The Bear” spread its fame. 7500 West North Avenue, Elmwood Park; 708-452-6000; facebook.com/people/Johnnies-Beef
An Italian beef sandwich at Johnnie’s Beef in Elmwood Park. Nick Kindelsperger / Chicago Tribune
“Expectations-defying” is the term Pang employs for Tortas Frontera, which he notes offers a crunchy, melty choriqueso sandwich and the same tortilla soup found at Chicago Chef Rick Bayless’ other operations, Frontera Grill and Topolobambo. Inside Terminals 1, 3, 5 at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, 10000 West O’Hare Avenue, Chicago; rickbayless.com
The Chicago restaurants on the list range from the reliables which consistently make “best of” lists, such as Avec and Oriole, to newer arrivals like Maxwell’s Trading, Asador Bastien and Warlord.
