The best places to try in Chicago Critique is based on these factors:

Great ambiance,  how talented, flexible, and creative the chef can get may be top priority.  However, great ambiance weighs heavily.  Who isn’t looking for knowledgeable servers in a comfortable, stylish setting?  I also expect loads of fresh organic ingredients (especially veggie and vegan dishes) were talking notable, high quality, spicy fresh, without pepper.  As a nutritarian, I appreciate exotic ingredients, higher prevalence of herbs for seasoning, and less reliance on fat-dense, buttery, or oily sauces.  BYOB or great wine/drink lists are also exciting.

Here is another great reference for healthy recommendations in Chicago Fast Lane to Health: Foodie and the Fork.  Places to try, from the same author, also offers some good suggestions.

Great Vegan: Karen’s on Green (excellent drinks including delicious gluten free beer, ambiance is sexy although sometimes the live jazz can be too loud for conversation. Vegan sushi and pizza are so good, even as acclaimed by a beer and pizza dude, they could do better on the veggies which were pretty typical, not warm enough, and very greasy. Also recommended, but not yet tried: Blind Faith-Evanston, Chicago Diner, Green Zebra, Urban Vegan

Best Italian: Picolo Sogno, Bella Note, Tuscany (Little Italy)

Best Drinks and Dinner Date:  Uncommon Ground, Rootstock, West Town Tavern, Socca, Atwood Café

Best Higher End: Firehouse, Carnivale (great for a group/celebration, very lively atmosphere, Crofton’s on Wells, sadly it closed (atmosphere was quiet and intimate; maybe people had trouble finding a dinner partner they enjoy talking to :/).

Best Indian: Kavita’s Kitchen, Cummin

Best Brunch: Toast (best whole wheat pancakes in the city), Meli (greatest variety of veggies), Waffles, Brunch

Best Sushi: Sunda, Japonais (trendy, sexy, loud, on the river), Tatsu, Wakamono, Taiyo (brown rice rolls), Butterfly (not ambiance, BYOB), Shiso (take your shoes off, intimate group tables)

Best Straight up Nutritarian: Whole Foods.

Best French: Chez Joel (Taylor Street, Little Italy, Chicago)