Robb Report just dropped its ranking of the 100 Greatest American Restaurants of the 21st Century, and Chicago not only makes a strong showing with nine spots on the list, but perennial favorite Alinea secured the number one spot.

The list was voted on by a jury of 250 chefs, restaurateurs, sommeliers, ingredient obsessives and diners who know their way around a tasting menu. Voters weighed experience, influence, staying power and a sense of greatness that makes a restaurant more than a place to eat.

Alinea, the Chicago institution that has been redefining what dinner can be since 2005, is more than deserving of the top spot. Where else can you dine on a floating apple taffy balloon or a translucent cube that somehow tastes exactly like a Chicago dog?

Alinea opened in Lincoln Park with

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