Chicago’s awards and accolades, which recognize everything from dining and hotels to business and tourism, extend through the years. Here’s just a sampling of the recognition the city has received.
2021
City-wide awards
- Chicago has been named the third best city in the country in the 2021 America’s Best Cities Report.
- Big 7 Travel has rated Chicago one of the 50 Most Instagrammable Places in the World 2021 and one of the most Romantic Cities in the U.S.
Transportation
- O’Hare International Airport was named “Favorite Airport in North America” for the second consecutive year by Global Traveler Magazine’s Trazee Awards.
- Chicago Transit Authority named #1 transit agency in the U.S. by World Business Chicago.
Dining & attractions
- Garfield Park Conservatory was named the best garden in North America by Yelp users.
- Rose Mary, a Croatian restaurant by Top Chef winner Joe Flamm in Fulton Market, was named one of the 21 best new restaurants in the world right now by TimeOut.
- Chicago Architecture Center tour aboard Chicago’s First Lady was voted the #1 boat tour in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice 2021 Awards.
- Chicago is among the best sports cities in the world, according to 2021 Burson Cohn & Wolfe’s annual World Sports City Ranking.
Hotels
- US News & World Report has ranked two Chicago hotels (The Peninsula Chicago and The Langham, Chicago) among the top 5 best hotels in the country.
- Forbes Travel Guide honored three Chicago hotels (The Four Seasons, The Langham, Chicago and The Peninsula Chicago) with 5-star ratings in the 2021 Star Awards Winners – Forbes Travel Guide.
2020
Tourism
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards rank Chicago #1 on their list of Best Big Cities in the U.S. for an unprecedented fourth consecutive year.
- GayCities.com 2020 “Best of GayCities” Travel Awards: Best Iconic Road Trip (runner-up), Urban Outdoor Hangout (runner-up), Murals that Matter (bronze), Pride in Black-owned Businesses (silver)
Business
- Chicago named top metro area for corporate investment, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
2019
Tourism
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards rank Chicago #1 on their list of Best Large Cities in the U.S. for the third consecutive year.
Attractions
- The Frederick C. Robie House in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood and the Unity Temple in suburban Oak Park are named UNESCO World Heritage sites, part of eight sites that represent the 20th-Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright.
Food and drink
- The global Time Out Index 2019 named Chicago the best food and drink city in the world and the third best cityin the world overall.
- Twenty-five Chicago restaurants are awarded coveted stars in the Michelin Guide 2020 and 54 Chicago restaurants received Bib Gourmand designations for high-quality food with affordable prices.
- Z Bar at The Peninsula was named one of the best hotel bars in the world by Forbes.
Hotels
- TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards rank The Peninsula Chicago (#1) The Langham, Chicago (#3), and Four Seasons Chicago (#18) among the Top 25 Luxury Hotels — United States.
- U.S. News & World Report names three Chicago hotels best in the country: The Peninsula Chicago (#2), Four Seasons Chicago (#5), The Langham, Chicago (#7).
Meetings
- Chicago was named one of the topNorth American markets that meeting planners intend to use in the next two years, according to STR’s 2019 DestinationMAP (Meeting Assessment Program).
2018
Tourism
- Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards rank Chicago #1 on their list of 2018 Best Big Cities in the U.S.
- TripAdvisor ranks the Chicago Architecture Foundation River Cruise as one of the top attractions in the country (Time).
- Time Out names Chicago “The World’s Best City For Having It All.”
- TripExpert awards Maggie Daley Park a 2018 Experts’ Choice Award for Attractions (CBS).
- Forbes names Pilsen one of The 12 Coolest Neighborhoods Around the World.
- TripAdvisor names the Art Institute of Chicago #4 on its list of Top 25 Museums – United States.
Food and drink
- Joe Flamm, Executive Chef of Chicago’s Michelin-starred Spiaggia and Café Spiaggia, is named Bravo’s new Top Chef.
- Fat Rice chef/owner Abe Conlon wins James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes.
- Twenty-five Chicago restaurants are awarded with coveted stars in the Michelin Guide 2018.
- Food and Wine names Chicago chef Diana Dávila of Mi Tocaya Antojeria one of the Best New Chefs 2018.
- Elite Traveler ranks Alinea #1 on its list of the Top 100 Restaurants in the World for 2018.
- The Chicago Tribune announces Cheers, Chicago! You’re home to the most breweries in the U.S.
Business
- Site Selection names Chicago the top metro area in the nation for corporate relocation and investment for the third consecutive year.
Tech Innovation
- Smart Cities Connect awards Chicago a Smart 50 Award for its innovative Array of Things program, the first of its kind to be implemented on a city-wide scale.
2017
Tourism
- Chicago tops Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards for 2017 Best Cities in the U.S.
- Chicago is Expedia’s most searched for city in America.
- Bank of America Chicago Marathon is named to Compression+Design’s list of Great Running and Cycling Races From Every State.
- TripAdvisor reveals Shoreline Sightseeing’s Chicago Architecture River Cruise as the most booked tour in America.
- The City of Chicago reveals that Millennium Park is the #1 attraction in the Midwest and one of America’s top 10 most-visited sites.
Food and drink
- Condé Nast Traveler names Chicago Best Restaurant City in America.
- Bon Appetit names Chicago the Restaurant City of the Year 2017.
- Food and Wine names Chicago chef Noah Sandoval of Oriole one of the Best New Chefs 2017.
- Rick Bayless’ Topolobampo wins the Outstanding Restaurant award at the James Beard Awards; Sarah Grueneberg of Monteverde was awarded with Best Chef: Great Lakes.
- Chicago’s critically acclaimed Alinea ranks #21 on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
Hotels
- U.S. News & World Report names The Langham, Chicago the Best Hotel in the U.S.
- The Robey Chicago makes Travel+Leisure’s 2017 It List.
Tech innovation
- Modis names Chicago the nation’s top tech hot spot of the future.
2016
Tourism
- TripAdvisor’s 2016 Travelers’ Choice Awards rank Chicago #4 on their list of Top 25 Destinations — United States
- Chicago tops Time Out’s global ranking of the world’s most fun cities.
- Condé Nast Traveler names Chicago one of The Best Big Cities in the U.S.
- Chicago tops Bicycling.com’s list of The 50 Best Bike Cities of 2016.
- Travel + Leisure names Chicago one of The Best Cities in the U.S.
- TripAdvisor names Art Insitute of Chicago among its Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Museums in the World.
- Chicago is named #6 on Condé Nast Traveler’s list of the Top 25 Best Coastal Cities in the World.
Food and drink
- Food & Wine names Monteverde Restaurant & Pastificio one of the Top 10 Restaurants of the Year.
- The Beard Awards to Remain in Chicago Through 2021
Hotels
- The Chicago Athletic Association makes Travel+Leisure’sIt List 2016: the Best New Hotels on the Planet.
- Condé Nast Traveler’s2016 Readers’ Choice Awards name Virgin Hotels Chicago and Thompson Chicagothe #1 and #2 hotels in America.
- The Langham, Chicago ranks #1 on trivago’s list of The Best Hotels in the U.S.
