Chicago is undoubtedly a food city, and a recent ranking solidifies that fact.
The New York Times (NYT) released its prestigious 2026 Restaurant List Tuesday, and two local eateries made the cut.
Here’s a look behind the list.
Creepies
Creepies in Fulton Market is the first Chicago-area establishment to make the Times’ 2026 Restaurant List.
Chefs David and Anna Posey launched Creepies in August of 2025, with the goal of taking the classic French bistro concept to new heights.
The NYT applauds Creepies’ time-honored approach to roast chicken, while also celebrating its avant-garde and undeniably Chicago dishes like giardiniera-infused mussels.
Creepies has seen a flurry of additional critical acclaim since its inception, including nods from OpenTable and Bon Appétit.
Kouklas Greek Eatery
Next on the 2026 Restaurant List is Kouklas Greek Eatery in suburban Niles.
As NYT food reporter Brett Anderson puts it, the modern tapas-style restaurant “makes a compelling case that we should be eating better Greek food.”
Noteworthy dishes include wood-fired oysters and octopus, spicy feta dip, and traditional souvlaki skewers.
To downtown Chicagoans, Niles might as well be on the opposite side of the globe—but the NYT promises a trip to Kouklas is worth the journey.
View the full ranking here.
