It’s been more than two years since we’ve held the Critic’s Choice Food Awards. A lot has changed since then. But not as much as five years ago when we wanted to recognize a different kind of winner with a new award — Person of the Year: The essential hospitality worker.
That wish hasn’t waned. Recognition is meaningful, to you and our recipients. We saw its emotional impact with our recent Readers’ Choice Awards.
As your food critic, I chose this year’s Critic’s Choice recipients from businesses that opened after our last awards in March 2023 until the end of 2024 — with a couple of outstanding exceptions. Delicious food and drink is a given. But they’re not simply my choice.
You should recognize that they represent our taste at this moment in time and beyond. Each person and place has built a wondrous world that exceeded my expectations and their own.— Louisa Kung Liu Chu, food criticHere are our Critic’s Choice award winners this year: Best Barbecue Restaurant: Sanders BBQ Supply Co.
“It has a little bit of a Kansas City flair with a little Texas with a little Chicago,” said chef and co-owner James Sanders of Sanders BBQ Supply Co. “We really try to integrate all the flavors together.” Sanders stands between pitmaster Nick Kleutsch, left, and business partner Dr.
Ogbonna Bowden, all of Sanders BBQ on West 99th Street in Chicago, March 12, 2025. (E. Jason Wambsgans/Chicago Tribune)A barbecue kitchen is not like other kitchens.
Even the simplest .
