As always, eating at restaurants in one of the greatest food cities in the world, is simply a privilege and a blessing that I do not take for granted. Standards for food and service in this city are high, and it often feels like any place you go is vying for relevance and trying extra hard to impress. There are plenty of places that fall short, and they don’t last long, but this year’s list includes some relative newcomers that…
My Top Five restaurants for the world list this year, while not totally devoid of Michelin stars, has very few, mainly because there were some truly stand-out restaurants that really outshined others this year regardless of international accolades. Overall, this list is also probably the least expensive list of restaurants on ChiLuxe Travel, which simply means that we ate really well on our vacations this year without spending a ton. Here we go! 5. Luna Muna, Roatan, Honduras Luna Muna…
On a recent trip to New York, and after our impeccable mostly vegetarian meal at Arpege in Paris last year (Arpege has since gone full vegan), I knew I had to try three-starred Michelin Eleven Madison Park’s vegan tasting menu. They have since added meat back into their menu, but vegan cooking is something that I would rarely attempt, and so it’s always extra special for me to go out to a place that is doing things that I could…
I was so excited to try Masala Y Maiz for my birthday dinner in Mexico City this August. The chefs were featured in Netflix’s documentary series Chef’s Table, and I was excited to try their fusion food. The story of overcoming corruption and graft in CDMX was inspiring, and I was feeling good about supporting their business. Unfortunately, our experience here was extraordinarily disappointing. While it is clear that the chef-owners of MyM care deeply about the wellbeing of their…
When I think about our dinner at Esquina Comun in Mexico City this past August, 2025, a smile always comes to my face. This was easily the best meal we had on our second visit to Mexico City, and I would not hesitate to recommend booking here. First, Esquina Comun has a very exclusive, secret vibe. There is no sign on the door, and you enter through what looks like an abandoned cafeteria. In the back, there is a spiral…
In between all of this luxury travel, I’ve been trying to save some money at home, and one of the best ways I’ve found to do that and STILL be able to enjoy Michelin-level extraordinary food, is check out the bars and companion restaurants to the real deal. This is a review of The Loyalist, which is three-star Michelin Smyth’s baby basement bar brother. Definitely click here for my ode to Smyth, which was easily one of the best meals…
EL Ideas is the kind of place that you dream about when you book a special, Michelin-starred dinner. It’s located in a hidden, one-way street in the middle of the Douglas Park neighborhood of Chicago, which is mainly industrial; there is only room to seat about 20 people; it’s BYOB, so you won’t be paying marked up prices for booze (and allows the chef to really focus on the food); Chef Foss is there every day, hosting his intimate dinner…
On our weekend trip to Rome this past January, 2025, we had very little time to explore tons of restaurants, but for one of the nights, I chose one-Michelin-starred Moma for dinner, mainly because it was a few blocks from our hotel in Piazza Barberini. We loved Moma for it’s very solid prix fixe menu with lovely wine pairings and impeccable service. Absolutely nothing was bad here, and we were constantly “ooohhh-ing” and “aaahh-ing” at the beautifully plated food. We…
Let me just start this post by saying, WOW! My husband and I came to Smyth for a special anniversary dinner in February, 2025, and it vastly exceeded all, very high, expectations. This three-star Michelin eatery honestly deserves four stars, not only for their impeccable food, but also the over-the-top service. Everything you would expect from a three-star experience is here, along with amazing extra touches throughout the evening, with so many extra special gifts, you feel like a celebrity…
It’s restaurant week (more like month!) here in Chicago, and I always try to check out a few new spots each year, since the menu is usually such a great deal. Often, there are a handful of Michelin-starred restaurants offering a shortened tasting menu. Last year we checked out Boka, which I thought was really excellent, but had a somewhat uninspired restaurant week menu, making me want to go back and check out their normal prix fixe fare. This year,…