2 Chicago restaurants among NYT’s 50 best around America for 2025

CHICAGO — The New York Times has unveiled this year’s list of America’s best restaurants, and two local spots made the cut.

The list, which was released on Tuesday, names what the newspaper considers the 50 best restaurants around America for the year.

According to the New York Times, this year’s list was compiled by 14 reporters who traveled to 33 states around the country and tried more than 200 meals.

While no restaurants in Indiana and Wisconsin were on this year’s list, Chicago had two spots that were recognized for their outstanding quality: Sanders BBQ Supply Co. and Cariño.

Sanders BBQ Supply Co. in Beverly

Sanders BBQ Supply Co. is located in the 1700 block of West 99th Street in Beverly on the city’s Far Southwest Side.

The restaurant, which describes itself as a “true smokehouse experience,” has been serving up craft BBQ since opening in June of 2024.

The New York Times pointed to a couple of items on the menu as standout stars, including the restaurant’s oxtail gumbo, which it described as “one of the most irresistible Southern dishes in the country right now.”

“There are moments that stop you in your tracks. This is one of them. To be named among the Best Restaurants in America by The New York Times is more than an honor—it’s a testament to the people who make Sanders what it is,” the restaurant said in a post shared on Facebook on Tuesday morning after it was announced they had made the list.

The restaurant went on to thank its customers, calling the achievement a “shared victory.”

“To Chicago—our city, our home: thank you for raising us, for challenging us, and for celebrating barbecue the way it was always meant to be—built on patience, pride, and community,” the post read. “This award belongs to all of us. It’s a shared victory, and a reminder of what’s possible when passion meets purpose. Here’s to everything we’ve built together—and to everything still ahead.”

Sanders BBQ Supply Co. is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Visit the Sanders BBQ Supply Co. website for more information or to see the full menu.

Cariño in Uptown

The second restaurant recognized by the newspaper was Cariño, located in the 4600 block of North Broadway in Uptown.

Opened in December of 2023, Cariño offers guests a Latin-inspired tasting menu and taco Omakase cooked up by Chef Norman Fenton.

The newspaper raved about a handful of dishes the restaurant is serving up, but described the ravioli as a “summer stunner, to behold and to taste.”

Cariño is open from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Visit the Cariño website for more information or to see the full menu.