Kitchen Research: Support These Woman - Owned Restaurants & Businesses in Chicago
Since it was founded, Chicago’s culinary arts have been led by creatively fierce female chefs — who are proving that there's more to the Windy City than deep-dish pizza and loaded hot dogs.
Yasmin Gutierrez, chef partner at Beatrix. Chef Yasmin was born in Mexico City and at an early age, she valued the importance of hard work. She spent hours in the kitchen with her grandmother and mother making traditional Mexican dishes and desserts like buñuelos and flan. These flavors sparked her passion for sweets. | Photo: Courtesy of Yasmin Gutierrez
Open for delivery, takeout, and/or online orders
Ain’t She Sweet Café, 526 E. 43rd St. and 9920 S. Western Ave., Margot and Ayana Strotter, owners
All Together Now, Ukrainian Village, 2119 W. Chicago Ave., Erin Carlman Weber, co-owner
Amy's Candy Bar, Lincoln Square, 4704 N. Damen Ave., Amy Hansen, owner
Baker Miller, Ravenswood, 4655 N. Lincoln Ave., Megan Miller, co-owner
Batter and Berries, Lincoln Park, 2748 N. Lincoln Ave., Tanya Richardson, owner
Beatrix, various locations, Rita Dever and Susan Weaver, chef/partners, and Yasmin Gutierrez, partner and executive pastry chef
Belli’s Chicago, Pilsen, 1307 W. 18th St., Alexandra Curatolo, owner
Beth’s Little Bake Shop, Evanston, 1814 Central St., Beth Welch, owner
Bittersweet Pastry Shop, Lakeview, 1114 W. Belmont Ave., Esther Griego and Mindy Gohr, co-owners
Boka, Lincoln Park, 1729 N. Halsted St., Meg Glaus, executive pastry chef and Brianna Meyers, chef de cuisine
Brown Bag Seafood Co., various locations, Donna Lee, owner
Cafe Tola, various locations, Victoria Salamanca, co-owner
Cafe Selmarie, Lincoln Square, 4729 N. Lincoln Ave., Birgit Kobayashi & Jeanne Uzdawinis, co-owners, and Kyleen Atonson, executive pastry chef
Cesar’s Restaurant, 3166 N. Clark St. and 2924 N. Broadway, Sandra Sanchez and Lourdes Duran, co-owners
CheSa's Gourmet Food Truck, Chesareé Rollins, owner
The Chicago Diner, Lakeview, 3411 N. Halsted St. and 2333 N. Milwaukee Ave., Jo Kaucher, co-owner
Defloured, Andersonville, 1477 W. Balmoral Ave., Johanna Van Dorf, owner
Demera, Uptown, 4801 N. Broadway, Tigist Reda, chef
Dos Urban Cantina, Logan Square, 2829 W. Armitage Ave., Jennifer Jones Enyart, co-owner
Ethiopian Diamond, Edgewater, 6120 N. Broadway St., Almaz Yigizaw, owner and executive chef
First Slice Pie Cafe, various locations, Mary Ellen Diaz, owner and chef
Found Kitchen, Evanston, 1631 Chicago Ave., Amy Morton, owner
Goddess and Grocer, various locations, Debbie Sharpe, co-owner
HaiSous, Pilsen, 1800 S. Carpenter St., Danielle Dang, co-owner
Hema’s Kitchen, 2439 W. Devon Ave. and 2411 N. Clark St., Hema Polta, owner and chef
Hewn Bread, Evanston, 810 Dempster St., Ellen King and Julie Matthei, co-owners
Himmel’s, Lincoln Square, 2251 W. Lawrence Ave., Diana and Carol Himmel, owners
Kikkō’s Mariya Russell Is the First Black Woman to Earn a Michelin Star. In this picture Chef Mariya and investor Joe Kaiser celebrate at Oriole upon hearing the Michelin news. | Photo: Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune
Hoosier Mama Pie Company, 1618 1/2 Chicago Ave. and 749 N. Chicago Ave., Evanston, Paula Haney, co-owenr and chef
Izakaya Mita, Bucktown, 1960 N. Damen Ave., Emilie Rose, chef
Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream, various locations, Jeni Britton Bauer, owner
Jennivee’s Bakery, Lakeview, 3301 N. Sheffield Ave., Jenne Vailoces, owner
The Jibarito Stop, Pilsen, 1646 W. 18th St., Cely Rodriguez and Moraima Fuentes, owners
Kinzie Chophouse, River North, 400 N. Wells St., Nicole Flevaris, co-owner and chef
Kikko, Oak Park, 630 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60661, Mariya Russell
Klein’s Bakery & Cafe, 4155 N. Broadway and 426 W. Diversey Pkwy., Jessica Klein, co-owner
Majani, 7167 S. Exchange Ave. and 756 E. 111th St., Nasya Emmanuel, co-owner and chef
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate, Wicker Park, 1747 N. Damen Ave., Mindy Segal, owner and executive chef
Middle Brow Bungalow, Logan Square, 2840 W. Armitage Ave., Polly, co-owner
Monteverde, Fulton Market, 1020 W Madison St, Chicago, IL 60607, Sarah Grueneberg
Nohea Cafe, West Loop, 1312 W. Madison St., Michelle Mochoruk Gorman, owner
Passerotto, Andersonville, 5420 N. Clark St., Jennifer Kim, owner and chef
The Perfect Cup, Lincoln Square, 4700 N. Damen Ave., Anne Merritt, owner
Prairie Grass Cafe, Northbrook, 601 Skokie Blvd., Sarah Stegner, co-owner and chef
Pretty Cool Ice Cream, various locations, Dana Cree, co-owner
RPM Italian, River North, 52 W. Illinois St., Giuliana Rancic and Molly Melman, co-owners
Saigon Sisters Restaurant located in the West Loop bustling restaurant scene is run by Vietnamese sisters, Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, along with their mother, Mama Suu. The main inspiration for beginning their business came from growing up watching their mother and grandmother ran successful businesses as food distributors to markets & embassies in Laos and eating amazing Southeast Asian and French foods at an early age. | Photo: Courtesy of Saigon Sisters
Saigon Sisters, West Loop, 567 W. Lake St., Mary, Aregoni, and Theresa Nguyen and Mama Suu, owners
Saucy Porka, 335 S. Franklin St. and 1164 E. 55th St., Amy Le, owner
Smack Dab Chicago, Rogers Park, 6730 N. Clark St., Christine Forster, co-ownerRogers Park, 1615 W. Howard St., Simone Freeman, owner
Sol Cafe, Rogers Park, 1615 W. Howard St., Simone Freeman, owner
Southport Grocery and Cafe, Lakeview, 3552 N. Southport, Lisa Santos, owner
Spinning J, Humboldt Park, 1000 N. California Ave., Dinah Grossman, co-owner
Split-Rail, West Town, 2500 W. Chicago Ave., Zoe Schor, owner and executive chef, and Michelle Szot, general manager
Strings Ramen, various locations, Katie Dong, executive chef
Sunday Dinner Club, Lincoln Park, 3361 N. Elston Ave., Christine Cikowski co-owner and chef
Sushi San, River North, 63 W. Grand Ave., Molly Melman, co-owner
Sweet Maple Cafe, Little Italy, 1339 W. Taylor St., Laurene Hynson, owner
Vosges Haut-Chocolat, various locations, Katrina Markoff, owner
Vanille Patisserie, 2108 N. Clark St., Sophie Evanoff, owner
TriBecca's Cubano, The Loop, 125 S. Clark St., Christine Cikowski, co-owner and chef, and Becca Waron
Tweet, Uptown, 5020 N. Sheridan Rd., Michelle Fire, owner
Two Fish Crab Shack, Bronzeville, 641 E. 47th St., Yasmin Curtis, owner
Since her childhood cooking with her grandparents on their ranch in Victoria, Texas, Chef Sarah Grueneberg knew she was destined to work in the culinary world. Originally from Houston, Grueneberg moved to Chicago in 2005 to join the team at the award-winning Spiaggia under the leadership of Tony Mantuano. | Photography: Matt Haas
Vanille Patisserie, Lincoln Park, 2108 N. Clark St., Sophie Evanoff, owner and chef
Vermilion, River North, 10 W. Hubbard St., Rohini Dey, owner
Wheat’s End Cafe, Lakeview, 2873 N. Broadway St., Susan McMillan and Amelia Fonti, owners
XO Marshmallow, Rogers Park, 6977 N. Sheridan Rd., Kat Connor and Lindzi Shanks, co-owners
Re-opening Soon
Bar Roma, Andersonville, 5101 N. Clark St., Julia Zhu, owner
Black Dog Gelato, various locations, Jessica Oloroso, owner
Blue Sky Bakery, North Center, 3720 N. Lincoln Ave., Lisa Thompson, owner
Brindille, River North, 534 N. Clark St., Carrie Nahabedian, co-owner and chef
Brown Sugar Bakery, Grand Crossing, 328 E. 75th St., Stephanie Hart, owner
The Darling, West Loop, 905 W. Randolph St., Sophie Huterstein, owner
Duck Duck Goat, West Loop, 857 W. Fulton Market, Stephanie Izard, owner and executive chef
Elizabeth, Lincoln Square, 4835 N. Western Ave., Iliana Regan, owner and executive chef
Elske, West Loop, 1350 W. Randolph St., Anna Posey, co-owner and pasty chef
HaiSous, Pilsen, 1800 S. Carpenter St., Danielle Dang, co-owner
Herb, Edgewater, 5424 N. Broadway, Patty Neumson, owner and chef
Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Avondale, 3361 N. Elston Ave., Christine Cikowski, executive chef
Girl and The Goat, 809 W. Randolph St., Stephanie Izard, owner and executive chef
Goddess and Baker, various locations, Debbie Sharpe, owner
Good Measure, River North, 226 W. Chicago Ave., Sophia de Oliveira, co-owner
Kal’ish, Uptown, 1313 W. Wilson Ave., Gina Marino-Kalish, owners
Little Goat, West Loop, 820 W. Randolph St., Stephanie Izard, owner and executive chef
Lost Lake, Logan Square, 3154 W. Diversey Ave., Shelby Allison, co-owner
MAD Social, West Loop, 1140 W. Madison St., Gina Stefani, owner
Mi Tocaya Antojeria, 2800 W. Logan Blvd., Logan Square, Diana Dávila, owner
Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio, West Loop, 1020 W. Madison St., Sarah Grueneberg, chef and partner and Meg Sahs, owner and partner
Owen & Engine, Logan Square, 2700 N. Western Ave., Bo Fowler, executive chef
Tomate Fresh Kitchen, Evanston, 914 1/2 Noyes St., Tania Merlos-Ruiz, co-owner and chef
Terra & Vine, Evanston, 1701 Maple Ave., Alpana Singh, owner and chef
Yassa Restauraunt, Douglas, 3511 S. King Dr., Awa Gueye, co-owner
Special thank you to my mother and grandmother for teaching us how important women are in our society. From an early age, I was able to understand the hard work, strength and beauty that women contribute in every aspect of our communities, one of them being in the culinary field.