Chicago, home to some of the best food the US has to offer, can now proudly claim a spot among the top 100 restaurants globally as well: Michelin-starred destination Smyth was just named the 90th most delicious eatery across the planet.
Chicago has great food made in even greater restaurants
A city with around 100 neighborhoods, Chicago has a variety of restaurants to match every taste, occasion, and budget. According to the state website, there are currently over 7,300 restaurants in the Windy City, and some of them really put our city on the map of the greatest food connoisseurs in the world, Smyth being one of the best such places.
It’s ranking comes courtesy of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants (the organization dropped its 51-100 list right here) and includes Smyth, from chefs John Shields and Karen Urie Shields, as a new entry, the only Chicago representative on the latter half of the top 100. The organization released its top 50 slate on June 5th.
The presentation that goes with this top 100 placement is stellar, and, if you did not yet try their food, you might want to look for a reservation.
Nearly all of Smyth’s produce comes from just 20 miles away
Food experts say that, for chef John Shields and his pastry chef and partner Karen, Smyth is a distillation of two decades of experience at the forefront of the Chicago dining scene. Today, the duo meld modern techniques with ancient ones, with many dishes cooked or finished over an open-fire grill. Nearly all of Smyth’s produce comes from just 20 miles away, on a plot of land simply called The Farm, where they grow more than 200 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs.
Being recognized as one of the best restaurants in the world has made the team happy, as expected.
“I often think about how our approach to hospitality stands out from other restaurants throughout Chicago and the world,” said Christopher Gerber, General Manager and Partner at Smyth, in an official statement. “I can best describe our service as technically proficient and purposefully perfect, but riding alongside that is the more important rail of empathy, listening, validating and ultimately fulfilling guests’ needs.”
What sets Smyth apart from the rest
Last November, the MICHELIN Guide announced the newest Three MICHELIN Star spot in the United States. Chicago’s Smyth joined less than one percent of restaurants globally to have received the illustrious distinction. You have to taste the food to really understand what sets Smyth apart from the rest, but click here to find out what Michelin inspectors had to say and also discover their favorite dish from Smyth here.
And if you need some nicely crafted words to sell the place to you, on that occasion, Kat Odell explained what the best of US dining is to her, and Smyth was right there at the top of her choices. “When I consider the restaurants that, to me, represent the pinnacle of dining in the U.S., just a few places—with especially memorable dishes—come to mind. San Francisco chef Corey Lee of Benu and his red chili oil-glazed caviar remains embedded in my memories, as do the ethereal, tissue paper-thin dumpling skins that bundle chef Trevor Moran’s seasoned potpourri of unctuous free-range pork at Nashville’s tiny Locust. Not necessarily wed to a specific dish (but maybe if I had to choose, I’d call out the salted licorice-cured egg yolk dessert), but up there amongst my tops is—and has been since my first meal there five years ago—chef John Shields’ Smyth, the sort of Nordic, sort of Japanese, ingredient-driven, fermentation-rich restaurant he runs in Chicago with his wife and pastry chef Karen Urie Shields.”
All you need to know about making a reservation
As we all know, great food is not easy to find, and even more difficult to have on a regular basis. Smyth uses locally sourced and self grown fresh produce and that pays off. But their success also means you will have to plan ahead to be able to dine there, since prices are to be considered, as well as availability. So, we looked to see what one needs to do in order to be able to enjoy a meal in one of the best restaurants in the city.
- This menu is priced at $325 per person. The deposit of $100 per person holds your reservation and will be applied fully to your bill at the conclusion of your meal, but does not include any beverage, service charge, taxes, or gratuities.
- A 20% service charge is added to all checks. This is not a tip or gratuity. Please allow 2-2.5 hours for this experience.
- The restaurant offers three different wine pairing options which you may select in advance or upon arrival the evening of your reservation in addition to a full wine list.
- While the restaurant does its best to accommodate all dietary needs and food allergies, they are unable to safely accommodate allergies to all seafood, sunflower oil allergies and vegan diets
- Reservation for parties of 2 to 6
- $100 deposit per person
For any additional questions, email info@smythandtheloyalist.com with queries.
