This Chicago bar was just named the #1 bar in the world
Of course, this comes as no surprise to anyone who has ever sipped a cocktail there. Kumiko is one of Chicago's most beloved (and best) dining experiences, seamlessly blending the precision of Japanese cocktail culture with Midwestern hospitality. Nestled in the West Loop, the intimate, minimalist bar is led by the incomparable Julia Momosé, who opened Kumiko in 2018 alongside local restaurateurs Cara and Noah Sandoval.
Kumiko offers an omakase-style tasting menu for both cocktails and food, and each course arrives with intention, storytelling and flavors that linger. It has been recognized as special from the start, earning a Michelin star in 2019 for original chef Mariya Russell, making her the first Black woman to be awarded a Michelin star.
In addition to World's Best Bar, Kumiko also won Best Restaurant Bar. Also honored at the Spirited Awards were Sip and Guzzle in New York City (Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar), Trick Dog in San Francisco (Best U.S. Cocktail Bar) and Phoenix's Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott (Best U.S. Hotel Bar). Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London earned Best International Hotel Bar, and Panda & Sons, in Edinburgh, Scotland, took World's Best Cocktail Menu.
In Time Out Chicago's review of Kumiko, critic Maggie Hennessy wrote it 'raises the bar on fine dining and delivers a superb lineup of sake- and shochu-centric sips and delicate bites imbued with Japanese flavors.'
On top of dominating the world with its cocktails, Kumiko also just landed at No. 10 on the 50 Best Bars of North America list, the first Chicago bar to make the list since 2018. In addition to those two accolades, Momosé previously won a James Beard Award for the cookbook .
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
10 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Ozzy Osbourne was the best of us': Thousands turn out in Birmingham to bid farewell to the prince of darkness
To the thunderous sound of Black Sabbath and the chants of thousands of fans decked in purple and black, the father of heavy metal was laid to rest – in the city that made him, and that he never truly left behind. Ozzy Osbourne's funeral procession brought Birmingham to a standstill on Wednesday as admirers from across generations gathered to bid farewell to one of its most iconic sons. The hearse carrying the 76-year-old legend made its way from his childhood home in Aston to Broad Street, where fans lined the route shoulder to shoulder, some having waited through the night to bid farewell to their hero. Among them was Simon Hall, 57, wearing a thick leather jacket imprinted with Black Sabbath logos and record signs. 'He was a working class hero,' he said. 'He represented the best of us and the worst of us in so many ways. The best thing about Ozzy is his humility, his honesty, the fact that he's flawed like all of us and yet he did it all with an elfish smile and a cheeky grin.' Some of his most dedicated fans had gathered early along Broad Street with their camping chairs to nab a prime spot. By 8am, this number had reached in the hundreds with the popular nightclubbing street rammed with the number reaching in the tens of thousands by midday. So eager were many to glimpse the cortege that several climbed atop bus stops, shop roofs and even lampposts to wave a final farewell. Another who had travelled to pay tribute was Roy Brown-Lowe, 64, accompanied by his dog Bruce – temporarily renamed 'Doggy Osbourne' for the occasion, complete with wig and sunglasses. 'Ozzy Osbourne is Birmingham,' Mr Brown-Lowe said. 'Birmingham loves Ozzy and Ozzy loved Birmingham.' Adorned with purple flowers spelling out 'Ozzy', the hearse passed his childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, at 12.45pm before heading toward the city centre. The procession was accompanied by local brass band Bostin Brass, playing some of his most iconic music to the delight of onlookers. As the coffin moved slowly through the streets, fans chanted 'Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy', raised black spray-painted roses and blew kisses in tribute. In one of the day's most emotional moments, Sharon Osbourne, 72, and the couple's children left their Mercedes funeral cars to view the sea of tributes left at the Black Sabbath bench. Each carrying a pink rose, they stood quietly as Sharon wiped away tears before kissing her own flower and placing it beside a poster that read: 'Birmingham will always love you.' For Jane Ashford, 57, the occasion was both a celebration and deeply emotional. 'It is the reality that he is gone,' she said. 'But his legend and everything that he represents for Birmingham and the rock world will always represent the rock movement. I am so so proud.' Lucy Nicholson, 37, had sat outside Villa Park just weeks earlier after being unable to get tickets for Black Sabbath's final concert. 'Emotional,' she said of the funeral. 'It's lovely to see all ages here, fans from the very beginning and new fans. It's the final farewell.' Among the younger generation paying tribute were aspiring heavy metal musicians Callum Parkins, 19, his brother Finlay, 15, and friend Ethan Farmer, also 15. 'I've been a fan as long as I've been alive,' said Callum. 'My earliest memories are of being in my mum and dad's car listening to his music on CDs. Ozzy has been a huge inspiration to me all my life.' Having now inspired them to start their own rock band, Ethan said: "He's done everything for us. We are in a heavy metal band and it's Black Sabbath that inspired us. I didn't get to see him alive but I wanted to see him off. They were far from alone. Louise Blackburn, 46, brought her 13-year-old son Samuel to pay their respects as a family. The two had attended the Back to Beginning concert earlier this month – a particularly poignant moment for her, following the death of her brother, a fellow superfan, last year. 'Ozzy Osbourne is a fantastic figurehead for the city,' she said. 'Wherever he went he always stayed the same.'
New Statesman
11 minutes ago
- New Statesman
Miyako Yoshida's Giselle is a transfixing triumph
Photo by Tristram Kenton Miyako Yoshida first performed the title role in Giselle with the Royal Ballet in 1997. Now, as the artistic director of ballet and dance at Tokyo's New National Theatre, she returns to Covent Garden with the very same classic. It's the UK debut of a National Ballet of Japan production – the company's first overseas tour in 16 years. Giselle's romantic tragedy plays out in a 19th-century village fashioned on stage by the award-winning designer Dick Bird and in sound by the composer Adolphe Adam's airy, whimsical 1841 ballet suite. The beautiful peasant girl Giselle (Yui Yonezawa) falls in love with Prince Albrecht (Shun Izawa), only to die tragically of heartbreak. After her demise, she joins a flock of the Wilis – vengeful, heartbroken wraiths who lure young men to their deaths. All of this unfolds in a whirl of aproned skirts and tight-laced stays that turn into gauzy, virginal dresses when the score slips into the minor keys of the second and final act. This is a resplendent marriage of characterisation and Marius Petipa's late-19th-century choreography. The dancers rise to the challenge of a demanding repertoire: the polished synchronisation, the hauntingly beautiful sequences of Wilis in the foggy, moonlit graveyard of act two, and the footwork whose intricacy requires immense stamina, of corps and principals alike. In homage to the classical ballets of the 19th century, the dancers elegantly deepen the narrative by drawing on the traditions of mime – a secretive and silent communication that has fallen sadly out of favour on stage. The audience was transfixed. The house filled with a cacophony of applause on more than one occasion, amid variations that kept us in awe. Classical ballet came late to Japan's stage, only arriving after the Second World War, and Japanese ballet has, in turn, been late to ours. It would be a pleasure to watch the National Ballet of Japan here again; let's hope it doesn't take another 16 years. Giselle The Royal Opera House, London WC2 [See also: 150 years of the bizarre Hans Christian Andersen] Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Related
Time Out
an hour ago
- Time Out
The Spanish city named Europe's nightlife capital right now
Madrid is the best city for nightlife in Europe, according to Time Out's new ranking – here's why the Spanish capital claimed the prize. With these scorching temperatures, we only hit the streets when the sun starts to dip – some days, there's literally no other way to survive. We're living more by moonlight than daylight – and honestly? We're embracing it. People say Madrid never sleeps, but in the summer it barely even siestas. Case in point: Time Out's annual ranking (based on the votes of nearly 20,000 people worldwide and insights from our editors) places Madrid at the very top of the European nightlife leaderboard. This year Vegas takes the crown, but Madrid's right there on the podium, proudly flying the flag for Europe. Why Madrid is Europe's undisputed nightlife capital In 2025, Madrid claims the title of best nightlife city in Europe (and second globally), so let's dust off our party shoes and take our clubs, cocktail dens, rooftop bars, dinner shows, and queer bars for a proper spin. While icons like Fabrik and Ochoymedio respectively celebrate 22 and 25 years of keeping weekends sacred this year, new energy is shaking things up. The creative duo Edgar Kerri and Laura Vandall are breathing fresh life into the scene with cocktail-club hybrids that attract Madrid's coolest crowds. If you know your stuff, you've probably already hit up Club Malasaña, El Internacional, Lucky Dragon, or Chinchin. On the hunt for a chic hideout near Gran Vía? Stop by Lula Club. Want something more elevated? Fitz – just steps away from Plaza de España – delivers that VIP night out. At Príncipe Pío station, Antídoto Club has a vibey dance floor. Oh, and these three hot spots are all within stumbling distance of each other, so you can easily see where your evening takes you. Meanwhile, Madrid's LGBTIQ+ scene stays colourful and fabulous. Legends like Rick's (which opened way back in 1985) are still going strong, while Maravillas Club (formerly an indie haven) hosts weekly drag shows. Over at Marta, Cariño!, the crowd shows up in full force night after night, and Salvaora Brown, a brand-new venue in Chueca, is shaking up the scene. But we haven't even mentioned Macera Club, Mondo Disko, Kapital, Independance, or Sala Villanos – just a flavour of what Madrid's centre offers for night owls. And trust us: the party doesn't stop outside the M-30. View this post on Instagram A post shared by El Internacional (@elinternacionalmadrid) The best cocktail bars in Madrid Not a clubber? No problem. Ease into the night (or stay and linger until the early hours) at one of Madrid's stellar cocktail bars. You don't have to party until the birds start singing: instead, settle in at the bar and enjoy the atmosphere until last orders. If you're planning a cocktail crawl, head to the Barrio de las Letras. It's packed with gems – from all-time faves like Salmon Guru and Santos y Desamparados, to fresh new spots like the first European outlet from legendary Japanese bartender Shingo Gokan. Then there's Devil's Cut – a cocktail bar turned city legend that delivers moody glamour and bold, short pours. And if you prefer something with a little more mystery, make your way to Pensión Mimosas, a 'secret' bar near Puerta del Sol with a buzzy crowd and surprise twists. Dinner shows and late-night dining Thanks to a Latin American wave shaking up the scene, dinner-show culture is booming in Madrid. Think multi-course meals with live performances – or dinners that morph into full-on parties once midnight hits. Restaurants drop the lights, crank up the volume, and become instant nightclubs. Pabblo, Rhudo and Jimmy's are at the top of their game. You'll also find nightlife-meets-glamour at clubs like Gunilla, Istar, and complete with guest lists, bottle service, and VIP tables.
