Brgrbelly, Chicago

What does the best burger in Chicago taste like? According to the folks at RedEye, it has flavors of roasted tomato, goat cheese, arugula, and truffle aioli. That burger, known as the Old Time Religion, is what earned BRGRBELLY's chefs the top prize at the newspaper's 2015 Battle of the Burger. But that inventive combination of fresh-ground meat (a blend of beef and pork belly), local ingredients, and house-baked bun is just one of several rocking burger options, many of which have also caught the eyes of the press.

While diners sip craft beer, the chefs grill patties and top them with unexpected flavors like the House of the Rising Sun's fried egg, cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, and bloody-mary sauce. And a meal here doesn't consist of mere sides and desserts. Instead, the hand-cut fries are vessels for polish sausage, chili cheese Fritos, or blue-cheese crumbles, while signature butter cookies and thick, rich shakes provide a sweet note.