Rib tips may be the Windy City's cut of choice, but, for now, that’s not a priority for Chef Brian Bruns, whose brisket ranks among the best barbecue in town. Rubbed with salt and pepper and then set in a custom-built, 500-gallon barrel smoker for seven hours, the meat arrives so juicy and tender that you won’t even want for sauce. Everything is made in house at this ambitious restaurant, from the spicy 'nduja and toasty sesame seed crackers to that smooth pork pâté with maitake mushrooms. The sleek space, flooded with natural light streaming in from the windows, is decked out with wood beams and logs at every turn. An open kitchen with a hulking grill steals the spotlight in the back; while up above is an impressive list of featured farms and purveyors.