Chicago has a strong case for being the best restaurant city in North America. It has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other US city outside New York, a steakhouse tradition that is genuinely its own thing, and a cocktail bar scene — centred around places like The Aviary, that has influenced how the whole world thinks about drinks. Champagne runs through all of it.
Whether you’re looking for a glass before a show, a bottle with a celebratory dinner or something more ambitious at one of the world’s most talked-about restaurants, Chicago delivers.
We’ve put together a Chicago Champagne City Guide with the venues we’ve found across the city, and we’re always adding more.
Explore our complete Chicago City Guide
Table of contents
- Fine dining and Champagne
- The steakhouse and Champagne: a Chicago classic
- Champagne across the neighbourhoods
- Frequently asked questions
- Explore the Chicago City Guide
Fine dining and Champagne
Chicago’s fine dining scene is one of the reasons the city belongs in any serious conversation about Champagne. Alinea — Grant Achatz’s boundary-pushing restaurant in Lincoln Park — has held three Michelin stars for years and consistently appears on lists of the world’s best restaurants. A meal there is an event, and Champagne is part of the experience. Oriole and Ever, both with two Michelin stars, offer a more intimate fine dining experience where the Champagne list is carefully considered and the service makes the most of it.
The Aviary, also from the Alinea Group, approaches drinks with the same level of precision and creativity that Alinea brings to food. It’s one of the most celebrated cocktail bars in the world — and Champagne, served with the same attention to detail as everything else on the menu, is worth seeking out here specifically.
Smyth and Boka sit slightly below the very top tier but are strong Champagne destinations in their own right, with wine lists that reward exploration.
The steakhouse and Champagne: a Chicago classic
Chicago’s steakhouse tradition is one of the city’s great contributions to American dining culture — and Champagne pairs with a great steak better than most people expect.
Gibson’s Bar & Steakhouse on Rush Street is one of the city’s most enduring institutions: loud, convivial, unapologetically old-school and reliably excellent. A glass of Champagne before the ribeye arrives is a very Chicago way to start a meal. Maple & Ash, a wood-fire steakhouse in the Gold Coast, takes a more modern approach but keeps the same energy — and has a Champagne list to match its wine ambitions.
The pairing works because a good Brut or Blanc de Blancs cuts through the richness of a well-marbled steak in the same way it handles butter sauce or smoked fish. It’s a combination that feels indulgent without being excessive, which suits Chicago’s dining culture well.
Champagne across the neighbourhoods
Chicago is a city of distinct neighbourhoods, and Champagne is distributed across them rather than concentrated in one place.
The Gold Coast and River North are where you’ll find the most formal dining rooms and hotel bars — including NoMI Kitchen at the Park Hyatt, which has Michigan Avenue views that match the quality of the pour. The West Loop and West Town have a more contemporary feel, with places like Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio (where Italian food and serious Champagne share a table naturally) and Bar Biscay bringing a Basque-influenced wine sensibility to the neighbourhood. Further out, Volo Restaurant Wine Bar in Roscoe Village and Gilt Bar in River North offer a more relaxed approach — wine-focused spots where a glass of Champagne feels like a treat rather than an occasion.
The Purple Pig on the Magnificent Mile is worth mentioning too: Mediterranean-inspired small plates and an unpretentious wine list that includes Champagne by the glass, right on one of the city’s busiest stretches.
Frequently asked questions
Our Chicago City Guide maps venues across the city — from Michelin-starred fine dining rooms to neighbourhood wine bars and classic steakhouses. Use the map to find what’s close to where you’re staying or spending the evening.
Absolutely. Chicago has one of the strongest restaurant cultures in North America, a serious wine bar scene and a steakhouse tradition that pairs naturally with Champagne. It’s an underrated destination for anyone who takes their bubbles seriously.
The steakhouse pairing is a Chicago classic — a glass of Champagne before or alongside a great steak works better than you might expect. Beyond that, Chicago’s Italian, Mediterranean and modern American restaurants all offer interesting Champagne pairings. The tasting menu format at fine dining spots like Oriole and Ever is also a natural fit for exploring Champagne across multiple courses.
Explore the Chicago City Guide
Our Chicago City Guide brings together the best Champagne venues across the city — fine dining, hotel bars, steakhouses and neighbourhood wine spots — all in one place on the map.
You can also browse the Champagne Hunters Map to discover Champagne venues around the world.
What are your favourite Champagne spots in Chicago? Add them to the map and help other Champagne hunters find their next great glass.
If your curiosity is leaning towards real Champagne, you’re in the right place. Explore our map to find spots near you that pour genuine Champagne by the glass or bottle, and join a community of fellow enthusiasts chasing the same sparkle around the world.