E Leaven Food Company, Chicago

A good New-York style bagel starts with the water. That's why the chefs at E.leaven installed a filtration system that mimics those on the east coast, the first step to achieving a bagel's ideal balance of crisp exterior and doughy center. When each one has been formed and carefully boiled, it joins other baked goods inside rotational ovens, then pairs with cream cheese, lox, or scrambled eggs, all of which are breakfast staples at the cafe.

But the bagels are just the beginning of E.leaven's commitment to made-from-scratch and seasonal meals. E.leaven's chefs are passionate about exploring seasonal ingredients from around the corner and around the world to create made-from-scratch comfort gourmet cuisine. Everything from the soups to the corned beef hash is prepped with care in the kitchen, and the breads are made by hand every day, rather than grown in test tubes. They go on to form lunch sandwiches served hot or cold, with fillings such as soft shell crab and prosciutto with goat cheese. Even the potato chips, falafel, and buns for the kosher hot dogs are homemade.