Chicago Magazine Names the Best New Restaurants

CHICAGO, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- In the past year, we have seen a four-star chef peddling tortas, a three-star chef turning tacos, and a two-star chef doing Korean meatball sandwiches. Meanwhile, kitchen soldiers you've never heard of shoot for the stars—and reach them—in new upscale restaurants. Has everything turned upside down?

The May issue of Chicago magazine, which hits newsstands Thursday, highlights the year's 21 best new restaurants. This group may represent Chicago's most diverse roster yet, including establishments that produce everything from a grilled dry-aged sirloin to pork kebabs in Pilsen. The takeaway? In Chicago, good food comes in all shapes, sizes and tax brackets.

"If you think you've already had the best of everything in town, these places might convince you otherwise," says Richard Babcock, the editor of Chicago. "If you're more interested in the oldies, check out our list of the top 40 Chicago restaurants ever. Some may make you nostalgic, and some may surprise you."

This month's issue also features The Long Fall. Christopher Kelly operated in the top circle of the Blagojevich administration, using his tough-guy style and disdain for rules to raise piles of money for the governor. Then the Feds got on Kelly's trail. Last September, he swallowed a deadly mixture of pills and poison. "Tell them they won," he said with his dying breath. Discover what happened to this 51-year-old fundraising machine.

Elsewhere in the May issue of Chicago:

• Style: It's springtime! How does your garden grow? Courtesy of a design-savvy family in the western suburbs, we foresee that ours will grow stylishly.
• Sports: Doug Glanville, the former Cubs outfielder with the Ivy League pedigree, is playing a new position: author of a thinking man's book on baseball.

Chicago editor Richard Babcock, managing editor Shane Tritsch, and other members of the magazine staff are available for on-air interviews about stories in the May issue. Contact Kate Mersman at 312-222-3165 to schedule an interview.

About Chicago magazine

Chicago magazine is the largest monthly city magazine in the country, with a circulation of more than 155,000. In addition, the company publishes several other titles, including Chicago Home+Garden and Chicago FASHION magazines. Chicago magazine has been honored with many awards, including, in 2004, the most prestigious -- the Ellie award for General Excellence in its circulation category, bestowed by the American Society of Magazine Editors.

About Chicago Tribune Media Group

Chicago Tribune Media Group publishes the Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Tribune as well as related print and interactive media serving Chicagoland like RedEye, Hoy, Triblocal, TheMash, chicagotribune.com, triblocal.com and metromix.com.

SOURCE Chicago Tribune Media Group