Kasama

"Kasama in Ukranian Village is not only one of the best Filipino spots in Chicago, it’s one of the best restaurants in the city. Casual cafe by day, fine-dining restaurant by night, no matter when you're here you can expect warm service and a fresh spin on Filipino food. Come in the morning for a juicy longanisa breakfast sandwich or incredible pastries to go. Then make a reservation at night for their $275 13-course dinner, with dishes like umami-packed mushroom adobo with a mussel emulsion and Kasama’s showstopping halo-halo. Sweet, nutty, tart—it's a dessert dreamworld where obligations like deadlines, taking your dog for a walk, and hosting your in-laws don’t exist. Reservations become available every day at midnight, for 45 days out. If you can’t snag one, get on their Resy notify list. We’ve had success with reservations opening up even as far as a week in advance. Another option is to come here for breakfast or lunch, which is walk-in only. The daytime menu is more casual (but still incredible). Just come early (they open at 9am) because the line for their pastries gets very long within 30 minutes of opening." - john ringor

"Kasama is a fantastic Filipino spot that’s become one of our favorite places, for, well, a lot of things. They have pastries (like the ham and cheese danish or cardamom kouign amann), plates like chicken adobo, and snacks like lumpia—all absolutely delicious. Thursdays through Sunday the cafe lights a few candles and transforms into a special occasion-worthy restaurant. The 13-course Filipino menu is $285 per person, and it’s a rare fine dining menu that unequivocally feels worth the price. Oh, and they have a cute little side patio, too. Reservations become available every day at midnight, for 45 days out. If you can’t snag one, get on their Resy notify list. We’ve had success with reservations opening up even as far as a week in advance. Another option is to come here for breakfast or lunch, which is walk-in only. The daytime menu is more casual (but still incredible). Just come early (they open at 9am) because the line for their pastries gets very long within 30 minutes of opening." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor, nick allen

"Not only does this Filipino spot in Ukrainian Village have one of the best tasting menus in the city, but Kasama also functions as a walk-in-only cafe in the mornings—and that’s when you can get excellent pastries. The ham and cheese danish is a good example of what makes them so perfect, with salty serrano ham and raclette fondue on top of a light and flaky pastry that’s topped with sugar. The person in charge of the baked goods is the former pastry chef from Oriole, so it’s not surprising that the berry creme fraiche cheesecake is lighter than a two-year-old’s conscience. Reservations become available every day at midnight, for 45 days out. If you can’t snag one, get on their Resy notify list. We’ve had success with reservations opening up even as far as a week in advance. Another option is to come here for breakfast or lunch, which is walk-in only. The daytime menu is more casual (but still incredible). Just come early (they open at 9am) because the line for their pastries gets very long within 30 minutes of opening." - veda kilaru, john ringor

"Kasama is a chameleon. By day, this Ukrainian Village Filipino spot is a low-key cafe that serves a longanisa breakfast sandwich (as spotted on season two of The Bear) that could lure any chronic snooze button-hitter out of bed. By night it transforms into a softly lit, fine dining restaurant that has some of the toughest reservations to get in the city. Whether we’re just grabbing lunch or celebrating an anniversary with a $285, 13-course dinner, the warm service and spectacular food have us wishing every meal had an “instant replay” option. And we’d gladly get stuck in a never-ending loop if it meant constantly getting to relive dishes like umami-packed mushroom adobo with mussel emulsion and their pear granita halo halo. Reservations become available every day at midnight, for 45 days out. If you can’t snag one, get on their Resy notify list. We’ve had success with reservations opening up even as far as a week in advance. Another option is to come here for breakfast or lunch, which is walk-in only. The daytime menu is more casual (but still incredible). Just come early (they open at 9am) because the line for their pastries gets very long within 30 minutes of opening." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"A Chicago-based restaurant known for its fried rice recipe, which involves frying a large amount of garlic to create a rich, flavorful base." - Kat Thompson