Neighborhood Joint of the Year | Eat Out Awards 2013

Carriage House (Wicker Park)

Every year a restaurant comes along that, when mentioned in conversation, inevitably provokes the response, “Oh, I can’t wait to go there!” This year, that restaurant is Carriage House. Chef Mark Steuer’s delicious homage to his South Carolina childhood has been feeding huge crowds since the day it opened, and word has spread fast. This isn’t soul food or any old fried chicken; unbeknownst to many, the Lowcountry of the Carolinas has a delicious cuisine all its own. With dishes like she-crab soup, a filling Lowcountry boil with seafood and sausages, and the best shrimp and grits in town, it’s a good bet that Carriage House will stay packed for a long time to come. 1700 W Division St (773-384-9700).

Other nominees Bar Pastoral (Lakeview), Eggy’s (Lakeshore East), Pecking Order (Uptown), Reno (Logan Square)