100 best things we ate and drank this year (in no particular order)

Scotch egg from The Gage

Photograph: Martha Williams

38. Scotch egg | The Gage
Chef Dirk Flanigan hits the gastropub nail on the head by rolling a hard-boiled egg in spiced pork sausage then Japanese bread crumbs, frying it to a state of greaseless crunch, then serving it with tangy mustard. Best beer-soaker-upper ever. 24 S Michigan Ave (312-372-4243). $9.

39. Tofu cheesecake | Friendship
Those other Chinese joints can keep their fortune cookies; we’ll take chef-owner Alan Yuen’s creative ending. Carnivores should keep an open mind—the silky-smooth tofu is slightly sweetened and spread onto a flaky crust, duplicating the texture of real cheesecake. But this cheesecake is so light and fresh you could even go for a second slice. 2830 N Milwaukee Ave (773-227-0970). $5.95.

40. Steak tacos | The soccer fields in Lincoln Park
Sure, it can be frustrating: The guy who sells these hot, deliciously greasy tacos from his makeshift restaurant (a.k.a. folding table and portable grill) may or may not set up shop on any particular weekend. And even if he does, who knows if it will be in the same spot? But it’s worth it to keep your eyes peeled as you walk north along the park anyway. Because if you find him, you’ll be rewarded with that elusive Chicago delicacy: honest-to-God street food. In the soccer fields near Belmont. Prices vary.

41. Cherry cobbler | Otom
Moto’s adjacent sibling that opened this year was notable for (a) being cheaper than Moto, (b) serving food you don’t need a chemistry degree to decipher, and (c) this perfect, and perfectly simple, seasonal cobbler. Once we cracked through the flaky, oversized crust blanketing the cast iron crock, a mound of bubbling-hot, garnet-colored cherries awaited. Just as we will until the stone fruits return next year. 951 W Fulton Mkt (312-491-5804). $9. Seasonal.

42. Limoncello cake | Papa Lena’s
We’re used to having a little glass of potent limoncello at the end of an Italian meal, but not in a cake. This West Town storefront known for its beet chips had a stroke of genius when it whipped the lemon liqueur into custard and layered it atop moist cake oozing with fresh lemon juice. It’s so tart and refreshing, we’ve tricked ourselves into thinking it’s healthy. 1438 W Chicago Ave (312-455-8100). $6.50 for Baby cake, $18 for Mama cake, $38 for Papa cake.

43. Trio de tamalitos | Salpicón
It’s not the tamalitos themselves that make this dish. It’s the opportunity to indulge in so many flavors all at once: the molcajete salsa that tops the first tamalito, the black-bean sauce that tops the second, and the chipotles and zucchini in the third. 1252 N Wells St (312-988-7811). $7.

44. Deep dish | Pequod’s Pizza
…with ground beef and onions on it. Since the toppings go on top, but the crust is on the thick side, Pequod’s serves a pizza that thin-crusters and deep-dishers can (finally) both love. And don’t even get us started on the delicious burned-cheese edges. 2207 N Clybourn Ave (773-327-1512). $12.95 for a 12-inch pie.

45. Roasted chicken | mk
There’s so much you can get on mk’s menu: liver, tuna, Berkshire pork, veal. But seriously, if you’ve never had it, you must get the chicken. Because if you don’t, you’re forgetting why it’s a classic dish, and you need to be reminded. 868 N Franklin St (312-482-9179). $27.

46. Bread and butter pickles | Bluprint
Sweet and tart with tiny traces of heat, these pickles are so good you may find yourself ignoring the sandwich they’re meant to garnish. 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza, suite 135 (312-410-9800). Most sandwiches $12, pickles free with sandwich.

47. Rhuginger Infusion No. 6 | North Shore Distillery
What the hell is rhuginger? That’s what we said. But having swooned over it since its limited release earlier this year, we’ve forgotten there’s anything unusual about a gin infused with rhubarb and ginger (a.k.a. “rhuginger”). Kind of like we’ve forgotten there’s anything unusual about a distillery in the Midwest. northshoredistillery.com. $24.99.

48. Croissants | HotChocolate
Mindy Segal didn’t create the croissant. But by making an extra-rich dough and filling it with duck confit and apple butter, she has managed to improve it. 1747 N Damen Ave (773-489-1747). $8 (ordered as part of the brunch bread basket).