Who loves you, feminist foodies? We do! Enjoy this running and delish list of women-owned restaurants and bakeries in Chicago and women-powered kitchens in the Chicago area.
Got a women-owned favorite that we missed? Let us know!
Alpana
Owner: Alpana Singh
Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Neighborhood: River North
Bagel Miller
Owners: Dave and Megan Miller
Cuisine: Baked goods & cafe fare
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Square, Uptown, Edgewater
Basu
Owners: Sisters Kim, Minah, and Tran Dao
Cuisine: Espresso drinks and fresh baked goods in the morning; Vietnamese (Banh Mi, bowls and more in afternoon and evenings)
Neighborhood: Northbrook
Bettie Lou’s
Owner: Chef Kelley Davison
Cuisine: Soul Food, “Home Of The Famous SoulRolls”
Neighborhood: Food truck as of Oct 31 — Follow Bettie Lou’s on IG for forthcoming details
Bianca’s Burgers
Owners: Siblings Elizabeth Royal and Rafael Royal
Cuisine: Burger shack
Neighborhood: Loop
Bittersweet Pastry Shop
Owners: Chef Mindy Gohr and Esther Griego
Cuisine: Cafe + European-style pastries & desserts
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Brindille
Owner and executive chef: Carrie Nahabedian
Cuisine: Classic French
Neighborhood: River North
Black Dog Gelato
Owner: Chef Jessica Oloroso
Cuisine: Gelato
Neighborhood: East Village
Check out Elisa Shoenberger’s review here.
Brown Bag Seafood Co.
Owner: Donna Lee
Cuisine: Seafood
Neighborhoods: Loop, Roscoe Village
Brown Sugar Bakery
And Cupid Candies
Owner: Stephanie Hart
Cuisine: Southern-style desserts, chocolates
Neighborhoods: Greater Grand Crossing, Navy Pier
Read Hilary Christian’s interview with Hart here.
Brü Chicago
Co-founder: Alyona Udartseva
Cuisine: Light food & coffee
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Cafe Selmarie
Owner: Birgit Kobayashi
Cuisine: Contemporary American
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Cesar’s Restaurant
Owners: Owners include sisters Sandra Sanchez and Lourdes Duran
Cuisine: Mexican (they’re the Home of the Killer Margaritas)
Neighborhood: Lakeview, two locations on Broadway & Clark
CheSa’s Bistro & Bar
Owner: Chef Chesareé Rollins, Ph.D.
Cuisine: Gluten-free Cajun and Soul Food
Neighborhoods: Avondale – Also see CheSa’s Gluten Free Food Trucks and CheSa’s Gourmet Foods Catering.
The Chicago Diner
Owners: Marshall “Mickey” Hornick & Chef Jo Kaucher
Cuisine: Vegetarian/Vegan
Neighborhoods: Lakeview, Logan Square
Check out Laurie Fanelli’s review here.
Chocolat Uzma Sharif
Owner and executive chef: Uzma Sharif
Cuisine: Exotic chocolates inspired by Sharif’s Pakistani heritage
Neighborhood: Pilsen
Cleo’s Southern Cuisine
Owner: Chef Kristen Ashley
Cuisine: Creole twist on southern classics
Neighborhoods: Bronzeville; Downtown (Lake & Wells)
Cocoa Chili Restaurant & Catering
Owner and executive chef: Niquenya Collins
Cuisine: Afro-Caribbean-Soul fanfare with a sweet and spicy flair
Neighborhood: East Garfield Park
The Dandy Crown
Owners: Julia Shell and Jamie Hale
Cuisine: Cocktail-focused restaurant
Neighborhood: River West
Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
Owner: Tigist Reda
Cuisine: Traditional Ethiopian cuisine, vegan friendly, gluten-free available
Neighborhood: Uptown
Duck Duck Goat
Owners: Chef & Partner Stephanie Izard, Rob Katz & Kevin Boehm
Cuisine: Chinese
Neighborhood: Fulton Market
Check out Jera Brown’s roundup of Izard’s restaurants here.
ERIS Brewery & Cider House
Owners: Katy Pizza and Michelle Foik
Cuisine: Pub fare
Neighborhoods/Locations: Irving Park
First Slice Pie Cafe
Owner: Chef Mary Ellen Diaz
Cuisine: Salads, sandwiches, soups & desserts
Neighborhoods/Locations: Andersonville, Ravenswood & Evanston
Girl and the Goat
Owners: Executive Chef Stephanie Izard, Rob Katz & Kevin Boehm
Cuisine: Dramatic small plates
Neighborhood: West Loop (Randolph Restaurant Row)
Goddess and The Baker
Owners: Debbie Sharpe & Tamar Mizrahi
Cuisine: Cafe fare & desserts
Neighborhoods: The Loop (two locations)
HaiSous
Owners: Chef Thai and Danielle Dang
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Pilsen
Hema’s Kitchen
Owner: Hema Potla
Cuisine: Indian
Neighborhoods: Little India
Update: The Lincoln Park location has closed
Honey Butter Fried Chicken
Owners: Joshua Kulp & Christine Cikowski
Cuisine: Fried chicken & the amazingness that accompanies it
Neighborhood: Avondale
Hoosier Mama Pie Company
Owners: Chef Paula Haney and Craig Siegelin
Cuisine: Sweet & savory pies
Neighborhood & locations: West Town and Evanston
Janik’s Cafe
Owners: Felippa and Wayne Janik
Cuisine: All-day All-American breakfast and lunch with Latin American and Polish influences
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Jennivee’s Bakery
Owner: Jenne Vailoces
Cuisine: Filipino-American bakery
Neighborhood: Lakeview
The Jibarito Stop
Owners: Cely Rodriguez and Moraima Fuentes
Cuisine: Puerto Rican favorites
Neighborhood: Pilsen
Junebug Café
Owners: Jacqueline Mancias and Chris Murphy
Cuisine: French Creole — handmade beignets, tasty gumbo, savory meat pies, dark matter coffee
Neighborhood: Portage Park’s Six Corners, West Town
Justice of the Pies
Owner: Chef Maya-Camille Broussard
Cuisine: Bakery
Neighborhood: Avalon Park
Kasama
Owners: Chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores
Cuisine: Bakery and modern Filipino restaurant
Neighborhood: East Ukrainian Village
Katherine Anne Confections
Owner: Confectionista Katherine Duncan
Cuisine: Artisan Confections — truffles, caramels, marshmallows, hot chocolate
Neighborhoods: Irving Park and Logan Square
Kinzie Chophouse
Owner: Susan Frasca
Cuisine: Steakhouse
Neighborhood: River North
Read vegan Lisa Marie Farver’s restaurant review & interview with Frasca.
Klein’s Bakery & Cafe
Owners: Sergio Barbone and Jessica Klein
Cuisine: Desserts & cafe fare
Neighborhood: Buena Park
Kostali by Naha — Closed?
Owner and executive chef: Carrie Nahabedian
Cuisine: Coasts of the Mediterranean, including Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Tunisia, Lebanon, Israel, and Morocco
Neighborhood: Downtown (The Gwen Hotel)
Lil Baby Sister’s, LLC – Closed?
Owner: Niecy
Cuisine: Bakery
Neighborhood: Contact Lil Baby Sister’s for the products that can be shipped to anywhere in the continental US
Little Goat Diner
Owners: Chef Stephanie Izard; Rob Katz & Kevin Boehm
Cuisine: Classic comfort food
Neighborhood: Southport Corridor
Lotus Café & Banh Mi Sandwiches (719 W Maxwell), Lotus Vietnamese Kitchen (166 W Washington), Lotus Banh Mi (818 S Wolcott)
Owners: Kim Dao and Dao Nguyen
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: University Village (exact addresses above)
Lucy’s
Owners: Damian and Jessica Warzecha
Cuisine: Quick casual comfort food, burgers and fries — and an award-winning spicy fried chicken sandwich
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park and Uptown locations
La Malinche Coffee & Tea House
Owners: Hector and Yvette (Original owner Marlene Torres passed away in 2022)
Cuisine: Coffees, pastries, paninis
Neighborhood: Pilsen
Masa Madre
Owners: Elena Vázquez Felgueres and Tamar Fasja Unikel
Cuisine: Mexican Jewish Artisanal Bakery
Neighborhoods: Pilsen
Mindy’s Bakery
Owner: Mindy Segal
Cuisine: Sourdough bagels and bialys, babka, za’atar challah, and seasonal pastries
Neighborhood: Wicker Park
Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio
Owners: Chef Sarah Grueneberg & Meg Sahs
Cuisine: Modern Italian
Neighborhood: West Loop
Nohea Cafe
Owner: Michelle Mochoruk Gorman
Cuisine: Deli fare, sandwiches, salads
Neighborhood: West Loop
Parachute
Owners: Chef Beverly Kim & Johnny Clark
Cuisine: Korean-American
Neighborhood: Avondale
Parachute will close its doors on Saturday, March 23, 2024.
Ponce Restaurant
Owners: Ponce family; Latina owned family business
Cuisine: Authentic Puerto Rican dishes
Neighborhood: Hermosa
Prairie Grass Cafe
Owners: Chef/Owner Sarah Stegner and Chef George Bumbaris
Cuisine: Farm to table (Stegner is a co-founder of the Green City Market)
Neighborhood: Northbrook
Pretty Cool Ice Cream
Owners: Pastry chef Dana Cree and Michael Ciapciak
Cuisine: Hand-crafted artisan ice cream on a stick along with a full line of frozen novelties
Neighborhood: Logan Square, Lincoln Park
Saigon Sisters
Owners: Sisters Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, along with their mother, Mama Suu
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Neighborhoods: West Loop (Lake Street, French Market); Downtown (Northwestern Memorial)
Saucy Porka
Owner: Amy Le
Cuisine: Asian-Latin fusion
Neighborhoods: South Loop, Hyde Park
Smack Dab Chicago on IG
Owners: Christine Forster & Axel Erkenswick
Cuisine: Bakery; comfort food breakfast & brunch
Neighborhood: Rogers Park
Soul Prime
Owner: Shonya “Chef Royce” Williams
Cuisine: Elevated Soul Food
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Southport Grocery and Cafe
Owner: Lisa Santos
Cuisine: Breakfast/lunch cafe
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Split-Rail
Owner: Executive Chef Zoe Schor
Cuisine: New Americana
Neighborhood: West Town
Sugar Bliss Cake Boutique
Owner: Teresa Ging
Cuisine: Bakery, especially cupcakes, cake pops, French macarons
Neighborhood: Downtown (The Palmer House Hotel)
Sugar Fixé Patisserie
Owner: Chef Cindy Summers
Cuisine: Classic French and modern American pastries, custom designed cakes.
Neighborhoods: Oak Park
Sweet Maple Cafe
Owner: Laurene Hynson
Cuisine: Country-style breakfast & lunch
Neighborhood: Little Italy
Tatas Tacos
Owners: Maricela (Marci) Berner and Julia Paphitis
Cuisine: Mexican
Neighborhoods: Six Corners, Lakeview, Portage Park
Taylor’s Tacos
Owners: Taylor and Maya Mason
Cuisine: Authentic street tacos with a whole lot of soul!
Neighborhood: Little Italy — plus see Taylor’s Tacos on IG for catering details
Tweet Let’s Eat (9am-3pm) & Big Chicks (5pm-11pm)
Owner: Michelle Fire
Cuisine: Brunch & dinner
Neighborhood: Uptown
Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar
Owners: Lindsey Anderson-Perez and Chef Sweet Charity Smith
Cuisine: New American
Neighborhood: Andersonville
Vanille
Owner: Chef Sophie Evanoff
Cuisine: French pastries, desserts
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, Downtown (Chicago French Market), Lakeview, Hyde Park
Check out Janet Arvia’s review here.
Vermilion
Owner: Rohini Dey
Cuisine: Indian & Latin fusion
Neighborhood: River North
Vivere
Owner: Gina Capitanini represents the third generation of the family to take the reins
Cuisine: Contemporary Italian
Neighborhood: Downtown (located on the main floor of Italian Village)
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Owner: Katrina Markoff
Cuisine: Truffles and luxury chocolates
Neighborhoods: Loop, Lincoln Park, O’Hare
Wheat’s End Cafe
Owners: Susan McMillan and Amelia Fonti
Cuisine: Gluten-free breakfast & bakery
Neighborhood: Lakeview
XO Marshmallow
Owners: Kat Connor & Lindzi Shanks
Cuisine: Gourmet marshmallows & related treats
Neighborhood: Rogers Park
Photos from women-owned restaurants in Chicago, from left: Mouth-watering macarons from Vanille, a “killer margarita” from Cesar’s, Black Dog gelato goodness, courtesy of Instagram.
Chicago Restaurant Week now starts at the top of the year, Chicago Restaurant Week: January 19 – February 4, 2024.
Chicago BLACK Restaurant Week 2024 is February 11-25, 2024. Follow the event on Twitter, @chicagobrw.
Closings
Kal’ish
Owners: Andy Kalish & Gina Marino-Kalish
Cuisine: Vegan diner fare
Neighborhood: Uptown
Update: Closed January 2023
Sugargoat
Owner and executive chef: Chef Stephanie Izard and pastry chef Faith Taheny
Cuisine: Bakery
Neighborhood: West Loop, inside Little Goat Diner
Update: Closed December 2022
Elizabeth
Owner: Chef Iliana Regan
Cuisine: American
Neighborhood: Lincoln Square
Update: Closed December 2022
‘Laine’s Bake Shop
Owner: Rachel Elaine Bernier-Green
Cuisine: Bakery
Neighborhood: See ‘Laine’s Shipping Menu for the products that can be shipped to anywhere in the continental US
Update: Closed in July 2022
Jeff & Judes
Owner and executive chef: Chef Ursula Siker
Cuisine: “Jew-ish” deli
Neighborhood: Humboldt Park
Update: Closed in June 2022
Ms. T’s Southern Fried Chicken on IG
Owner: Angenita Tanner
Cuisine: Southern fried chicken, catfish
Neighborhood: Lakeview East
Update: Closed in April 2022
Yūgen
Executive Chef: Mari Katsumura
Cuisine: Contemporary Japanese cuisine
Neighborhood: West Loop
Update: Closed in Spring 2021
My Chocolate Soul
Owner: Ramona Thomas
Cuisine: Artisan chocolate
Neighborhood: Uptown
Update: Now in NYC!
Anaba Handroll Bar
Owners: Chef Jill Barron and Susan Thompson
Cuisine: Anaba Sushi Handrolls, Anaba Sweets, Matcha Dessert Crepes, Mochi Ka-bobs
Neighborhood: South Loop (Hayden Hall, 333 South Wabash/CNA Center)
Update: Closed in 2019