Chicago’s West Loop is no stranger to culinary ambition, but few restaurants have defined it quite like Smyth. This year, the acclaimed tasting menu destination has been named the fourth-best restaurant in North America by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants — and the highest-ranked in the entire Midwest. It’s a recognition that feels less like a surprise and more like the inevitable acknowledgment of a restaurant quietly shaping what fine dining in America can be.

At Smyth, the kitchen’s rhythm is guided by the seasons and the soil. Each plate emerges as a reflection of its origin — thoughtful, grounded, and often quietly astonishing. The restaurant’s farm-to-table approach is far from a slogan; it’s a philosophy of constant evolution. The menu draws from the changing landscapes of the Midwest, translating humble ingredients into dishes that feel inventive yet deeply personal.

Behind this creativity are Karen Urie Shields and John Shields, the husband-and-wife chefs whose partnership has long blurred the line between precision and play. The two met years ago while cooking at the legendary Charlie Trotter’s before taking their talents to rural Virginia, where they transformed the small-town Town House restaurant into a national destination. When they returned to Chicago, they brought with them a sharpened sense of purpose — and opened Smyth upstairs and The Loyalist below on Ada Street, a dual concept that perfectly captures the balance between elegance and ease.

The world has taken notice. Smyth’s three Michelin stars confirm what its guests already know: this is a restaurant devoted to mastery without pretension. Every element — from the service to the design to the quiet confidence of the food — reflects a rare kind of integrity. It’s cooking that tells a story, not through spectacle, but through focus and restraint.

Meanwhile, The Loyalist, Smyth’s casual counterpart, serves as a reminder that the same culinary philosophy can thrive in a laid-back setting. Downstairs, the tasting menu gives way to comfort: dishes that are simpler in form but crafted with the same care and curiosity.

Chicago’s culinary strength shines even brighter with Kasama — the Filipino restaurant from Tim Flores and Genie Kwon — joining Smyth on The World’s 50 Best list at No. 31. Known for its daytime bakery favorites and refined evening tasting menu, Kasama continues to capture the city’s imagination with its heart and authenticity.

Together, Smyth and Kasama tell a powerful story about Chicago — a city where ambition meets warmth, where creativity never overshadows craft, and where dining is still, at its core, about connection.