Every year, Bon Appétit embarks on a search to discover restaurants that challenge the norms by focusing on community and creativity. In an age where adults are spending less, Gen Z’s drinking habits are shifting significantly towards sobriety, and menus have begun to feel safe and predictable, it was essential for them to find restaurants that help evolve modern American cuisine.
One restaurant in Chicago made this list—remarkably, it is a French one.
“Classic French bistros can sometimes feel staid; in the best cases, they are welcoming and warm, while in the worst cases, they may come across as boring or cliché.”
What makes Creepies charming is that it ventures into new territory beyond common stereotypes.
“Longtime Chicago chefs David and Anna Posey opened the restaurant last summer next door to their Michelin-starred Elske; chef de cuisine Tayler Ploshehanski runs the kitchen here, marrying rigorous Parisian technique with Midwestern soul (and a soupçon of humor). “
Inside Creepies, the Chicago spot subverting French dining with giardiniera mussels
Begin your experience with the carefully curated cocktail list by bar director Monica Casillas-Rios. Her innovative twists on classics include a dirty martini that features house-made brine and “dirty vermouth,” resulting in a full-bodied sip.
For food, you’ll find yourself pampered. Warm Brie gougères are delightful two-bite explosions that ooze deliciousness.
“Pillowy Parisian gnocchi arrive beneath a sheet of brik pastry, brittle as ancient papyrus and a crisp foil to the cottony dumplings, melted Swiss cheese, ham, and egg yolk hiding underneath—a delightfully imaginative update on croque madame.”
While French cuisine and a love for all things French will always remain in favor, Creepies stands out as Bon Appétit’s best new restaurant for its bold, decisive choices that embrace regional flavors over conventional norms.
