Virtue Restaurant
Southern restaurant (US) · Hyde Park
1462 E 53rd St, Chicago, IL 60615
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Highlights
Hearty Southern cooking paired with wines & cocktails in funky-chic quarters
Hearty Southern cooking paired with wines & cocktails in funky-chic quarters
"When Virtue (Erick Williams, Best Chef: Great Lakes, 2022; Damarr Brown, Emerging Chef, 2023) debuted in 2018 in the Hyde Park neighborhood, it was the realization of a longtime dream for veteran Chicago chef Erick Williams. His celebration of Black culture through the lens of upscale Southern cuisine has made the restaurant a destination for both locals and tourists (including then-President Obama), and earned national acclaim from Eater, the Jean Banchet Awards, and Michelin. Williams was a finalist for the Best Chef: Great Lakes award in 2020, and two years later, he took home the prize. In 2023, his protege Damarr Brown turned the awards into a tradition by winning the Emerging Chef Award." - Naomi Waxman
"When: Tues-Fri 4-5:30pm Exclusively At The Bar The Deal: $4 Beer, $9 Wine, $10 Cocktails, $5-$13 Snacks This bright and airy Southern restaurant is one of our favorite upscale dinner spots in Hyde Park, but there’s also a separate, dimly lit bar area that’s great for just grabbing drinks and snacks. There, you can get $9 glasses of wine and share small plates like catfish sliders and mac and cheese fritters." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru
"A Chicago restaurant that pays homage to classic Southern dishes with a contemporary approach, serving soul-food staples such as fish and grits accompanied by sides like smoked turkey collards and macaroni and cheese. The menu blends reverence for tradition with modern technique to honor Southern culinary roots." - Shani Hillian
"Led by a James Beard Award–winning chef, this acclaimed restaurant showcases Black Southern food traditions and has become a respected culinary anchor in its neighborhood; the team later expanded with a cocktail-focused concept that celebrates the cultural backgrounds of staff members and complementary spirit-driven programs." - ByKristin Braswell
"Chefs Erick Williams and Damarr Brown have both won James Beard awards for their work at this Hyde Park restaurant, which has elevated the Chicago’s Southern cuisine to new heights. It also earned a spot on Eater’s list of the best restaurants in Chicago for highlighting heritage recipes with modern twists. For dessert, don’t miss pastry chef Becky Pendola’s classic banana pudding studded with vanilla wafers and topped with housemade Cool Whip. Make a reservation through SevenRooms." - Ashok Selvam
