Melissa Klauda/Sun-Times Media
Not too shabby, Chicago.
Publishing giant Conde Nast has released its Readers’ Choice Awards, and the apparently well-informed readers over there have declared Chicago the fifth-best city in the nation. Cities were graded on six mysterious categories: culture, friendliness, atmosphere, restaurants, lodging and shopping, and while apparently we aren’t the friendliest, we have great food.
Conde Nast Traveler writes:
The terrific architecture and great ethnic food help make Chicago a must-visit city (even though it dropped a couple spots from last year’s list, where it owned the No. 3 slot). The restaurants, skyscrapers, museums, and waterfront all add up to a perfect city for solo, friend, family, or romantic getaways.
Hard to argue there, especially when we beat out New Orleans (#7) and New York City (#8). It’s the latest piece of evidence against the ongoing feud between cities inferiority complex some New Yorkers seem to be harboring against us.
Charleston, South Carolina came in at number one. Chicago’s Waldorf Astoria also clocked in as the third best hotel in the nation.
