The Best Dishes Eater Chicago Editors Ate This Week: August 1
Coppa from Rose Mary x Cane Pazzo dinner in West Loop
A dish from a recent collaboration at Rose Mary. Jeffy Mai/Eater Chicago
Rose Mary is consistently one of the city's hottest dining destinations, and this past week, there was extra buzz at the restaurant for a special one-night-only dinner with Cane Pazzo of Charleston, South Carolina. The evening showcased a collaborative menu by local culinary celeb and Top Chef winner Joe Flamm and Cane Pazzo's Mark Bolchoz. Given both chefs' pedigrees in Italian cuisine, it was no surprise that the meal felt like a cohesive vision. The standout course arrived early — a plate of coppa topped with grilled pepper and artichoke relish, and parmesan. It was accompanied by grilled focaccia, and every bite was a reminder that sometimes, quality ingredients shine brightest with the simplest preparations. It's not a dish I'll be able to order again, but one that will linger in my memory for a while. — Jeffy Mai, associate editor, Eater Midwest
Double burger from Wolf & Company in West Town
A burger from Wolf & Company. Jeffy Mai/Eater Chicago
Traversing the 606, or Bloomingdale Trail, is an easy and surefire way to work up an appetite. Luckily for Chicagoans, a new restaurant and marketplace recently opened just steps away from the path on Western Avenue. Wolf & Company is the latest project from the team behind Little Bad Wolf and Gretel, and it certainly has potential. The bi-level space features a restaurant, marketplace, and deli on the first floor, and a breezy second-floor cafe and lounge with plenty of outdoor seating. The menu offers a selection of pizzas, sandwiches, and approachable items like wings and steak frites. But for those who have been to Wolf & Company's older siblings, you probably already know the burgers are fantastic. Well, I'm happy to report that the newcomer's offering is similarly noteworthy. I opted for the double-patty — triple-patty and single-patty mini burgers are also available — and it delivered the salty, umami-rich flavor bomb I was expecting. The burger is dressed with charred onion aioli, pickles, and cheese, and though it doesn't really need much else, you can add optional toppings like an egg, bacon, or fried onion straws. And hey, if you feel a food coma coming on after devouring the burger and a generous helping of curly fries, there's always a 2.7-mile trail nearby to help walk it off. — J.M.
Mixed Mushroom and Veggie Dumplings from Union Dumpling House in Lincoln Square
Union Dumpling House is solid. Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago
Union Dumpling House isn't for lingering. Customers order from a pair of touchscreen terminals near the entrance and are given a number while workers furiously prepare their chosen dumplings. There are a few flat screens that play an advertisement for the restaurant on a loop, and the acting is magnificent, showing us that dumplings are nutritious, delicious, and suitable for any multicultural group of customers. Theatrics aside, the dumplings are solid and can go toe to toe with any spot in Chinatown. While there are meatier options available, I love the chance to fool my toddler into eating vegetables, and the mixed mushroom and veggie option rose to the occasion. Truth be told, I liked the veggie selection better than lamb, pork, and shrimp selections. Not to say that carnivores won't be happy, but I was quite pleased with the texture of the mushrooms. You could taste the veggies; they weren't some cheap stuffing meant to emulate meat, which is a pet peeve of mine. This spot is good for a quick meal. I just hope they switch that video up or at least turn the volume down a little bit. — Ashok Selvam, lead editor, Eater Midwest
Breakfast Sando from Sarima in Wicker Park
Breakfast isn't one of my favorite meals. I'd rather grab a protein bar or smoothie and run out the door. Eggs have never been something I look forward to eating. But I've softened over the years and realized a good egg sandwich isn't so bad. Kasama raised the stakes with its Fil-Am classic, as seen on that award-winning comedy on Hulu. Several have since entered the ring, inspired by the combo of eggs and longanissa. Which brings me to Sarima, a new Wicker Park bakery where South Asian and Filipino flavors mingle. For those who don't eat pork, a cohort that includes religious Muslims and vegetarians, breakfast, breakfast sandwiches don't always satisfy, especially as you smell the wonderful aroma of bacon. But it's 2025, and we have the technology. At Sarima, they make bacon tocino out of chicken with outstanding results. The breakfast sandwich, perched on a potato bun, is a quality morning meal with a little pep thanks to a sweet and sour achaar aioli. You can customize it, but the crispy hash brown patty is something. Yes, I feel bad I haven't ordered the dosa yet. But I'll probably ask them to add some of that tocino to really rile up the vegetarian ancestors. At Sarima, Ice Cube gets what he's always wanted: Breakfast with no hog. — A.S.
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