Best bagels

New York Bagel and Bialy 

Runner-up: Chicago Bagel Authority

Best bakery

Lost Larson 

Runner-up: Dinkel’s

Best bang for your buck

Sultan’s Market 

Runner-up: Taste of Lebanon

Best banh mi

Nhu Lan Bakery 

Runner-up: Ba Le

Best barbecue

Smoque 

Runner-up: Green Street Smoked Meats

Best barista (tie)

Kayla Griffin 

Kiki Kuamo’o

Runner-up: Jordan Reinhardt

Best bartender

Mike Vanderbilt 

Runner-up: Courtland Green

Best beer garden

Hopleaf 

Runner-up: Metropolitan Brewing

Best beer shop

Beer Temple 

Runner-up: Binny’s

Best bread

Publican Quality Bread 

Runner-up: Lost Larson

Best burger

Small Cheval 

Runner-up: Au Cheval

Best butcher shop

Paulina Meat Market 

Runner-up: Gene’s Sausage Shop

Best cannabis chef

Mindy Segal 

Runner-up: Manny Mendoza

Best Caribbean restaurant

Irazu 

Runner-up: Jibaritos y Mas

Best carryout or delivery cocktails

Lost Lake 

Runner-up: Victor Bar

Best cheesemonger

Beautiful Rind 

Runner-up: Stamper Cheese Company

Best chef

Stephanie Izard 

Runner-up: Rick Bayless

Best Chinese restaurant

Sun Wah BBQ 

Runner-up: Lao Sze Chuan

Best Chinese takeout or delivery (tie)

Friendship Chinese 

Sun Wah BBQ

Runner-up: House of Wah Sun

Best cocktail

Violet Hour 

Runner-up: Scofflaw

Best coffee roaster

Dark Matter 

Runner-up: Metropolis

Best coffee shop

Beans & Bagels 

Runner-up: Afro Joe’s Coffee & Tea

Best cooking classes

The Chopping Block 

Runner-up: The Wooden Spoon

Best desserts

Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits 

Runner-up: Margie’s Candies

Best doughnuts

Stan’s 

Runner-up: Do-Rite

Best falafel

Sultan’s Market 

Runners-up: Pita Inn, Taste Of Lebanon

Best farmers market

Logan Square Farmers Market 

Runner-up: Green City Market

Best food relief effort

Greater Chicago Food Depository 

Runner-up: Love Fridge

Best food truck

DönerMen 

Runner-up: The Fat Shallot

Best fried chicken shack

Honey Butter Fried Chicken 

Runner-up: Harold’s

Best gluten-free pizza

Spacca Napoli 

Runner-up: Lou Malnati’s

Best gourmet market

Gene’s Sausage Shop 

Runner-up: Eataly

Best Greek restaurant

Greek Islands 

Runner-up: Athenian Room

Best home garden supply

Gethsemane Garden Center 

Runner-up: Adams & Son & Daughter Gardens

Best hot dog

Superdawg 

Runner-up: Gene & Jude’s

Best ice cream

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams 

Runner-up: Margie’s Candies

Best Indian restaurant

The Spice Room 

Runner-up: Ghareeb Nawaz

Best Italian beef sandwich

Portillo’s 

Runner-up: Al’s #1 Italian Beef

Best Italian restaurant

Monteverde 

Runner-up: Piccolo Sogno

Best Korean restaurant

San Soo Gab San 

Runner-up: Cho Sun Ok

Best liquor store

Binny’s 

Runner-up: Andersonville Wine and Spirits

Best local beer

Half Acre 

Runner-up: Revolution

Best local brewery

Half Acre 

Runner-up: Marz

Best local distillery

Koval 

Runner-up: CH Distillery

Best local farmer

Mick Klug Farm 

Runner-up: Nichols Farm & Orchard

Best local food product

Upton’s Naturals 

Runner-up: Bike a Bee Honey

Best local grocer

The Dill Pickle Food Co-op 

Runner-up: HarvesTime Foods

Best local spirit

Koval 

Runner-up: Jeppson’s Malört

Best meal kits

Alinea at Home 

Runner-up: Logan Oyster Socials

Best Mexican restaurant

Mi Tocaya 

Runner-up: Cafe El Tapatio

Best Middle Eastern restaurant

Sultan’s Market 

Runner-up: Middle East Bakery & Grocery

Best new food trend

Cocktails to go 

Runner-up: Plant based

Best new pop-up

Snackie Chan 

Runner-up: Paper Plane Pizza

Best online cooking instruction

The Chopping Block 

Runner-up: The Korean Vegan

Best outdoor dining

Handlebar 

Runner-up: Aba

Best overall restaurant

Lula Cafe 

Runner-up: The Warbler

Best paleteria

La Michoacana 

Runners-up: Lindo Michoacan Paleteria, Paleteria las Delicias de Michoacan

Best pandemic pivot from a restaurant

Lula 

Runner-up: Big Kids

Best pierogi

Kasia’s 

Runner-up: Gene’s Sausage Shop

Best pizza

Pequod’s 

Runner-up: Spacca Napoli

Best pizza by the slice

Dimo’s 

Runner-up: Dante’s

Best pizza delivery

Lou Malnati’s 

Runner-up: Pete’s Pizza

Best place worth a wait

Lula Cafe 

Runner-up: Au Cheval

Best Polish restaurant

Staropolska Restaurant 

Runner-up: Red Apple Buffet

Best preserves

Rare Bird Preserves 

Runner-up: Southport Grocery and Cafe

Best quesabirria or birria de res tacos

Birrieria Zaragoza 

Runners-up: Birria Ta-Ta-Tacos, Tacotlan

Best ramen

Wasabi 

Runner-up: Furious Spoon

Best restaurant group

Lettuce Entertain You

Runner-up: Boka Restaurant Group

Best sandwich

JP Graziano 

Runner-up: Jerry’s

Best seafood restaurant

Lowcountry 

Runner-up: Lawrence Fish Market

Best socially distanced dining

Parson’s Chicken and Fish 

Runner-up: Eris Brewery and Ciderhouse

Best soul food restaurant

Luella’s 

Runner-up: Soul Vegetarian

Best soup

Ramen-san 

Runner-up: Soupbox

Best sourdough

Publican Quality Bread 

Runner-up: Bungalow by Middle Brow

Best steak house

Tango Sur 

Runner-up: Gibsons

Best sushi

Lawrence Fish Market 

Runner-up: Gorilla Sushi

Best taqueria

Taqueria Chingon 

Runner-up: L’Patron

Best Thai restaurant

Opart Thai 

Runner-up: Sticky Rice

Best up-and-coming chef

Halee Raff 

Runner-up: Arshiya Farheen

Best urban farm

Urban Growers Collective 

Runner-up: The Urban Canopy

Best vegan restaurant

Kale My Name 

Runner-up: Urban Vegan

Best vegetarian restaurant

Chicago Diner 

Runner-up: Handlebar

Best Vietnamese restaurant

Pho 888 

Runner-up: HaiSous

Best wine bar

Webster’s 

Runner-up: Volo

Best wine list

Webster’s Wine Bar 

Runner-up: Rootstock

Best wine shop

All Together Now 

Runner-up: Vin Chicago

Best of Chicago 2021 is
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Refer to the closed final ballot to see all the categories and finalists that were voted on.