The brewpub, which makes culinary-focused beers, will challenge your expectations of what a brewpub can be. Grilled apple-tarragon beer? Bison tartare sprinkled with cured egg yolk? A potato cake with romesco sauce and tapenade, a.k.a. the best vegetarian entree we've had all year? Welcome to Band of Bohemia, which was founded by two Alinea vets and features Matt DuBois (EL Ideas, Inovasi) and Kevin McMullen (The Brixton) in the kitchen. The brewpub also has a chef's counter, a serious coffee and tea program (they're open during the day), and the sense that these guys are just getting started—we can't want to see where they go.
The year 2015 will go down as an epic one for cocktail bars, but the craft beer scene gained some major new spots as well. Plus, some of these spots (and some of the best restaurants of 2015) feature sommeliers raising our city's wine profile. The openings came fast and furious this year—Lost Lake and the Drifter debuted in early January, and we didn't even hit two great newcomers, Band of Bohemia and Queen Mary, until mid-December. And let's pour one out for Wicker Park's Bom Bolla—the cava bar would have made the list, if not for ownership announcing that it will be closing December 23. Here's to an epic year of drinking.
RECOMMENDED: The best of 2015