Amanda Topper

Amanda Topper is a food and drink writer born and raised in Chicago. She has written about all things food, drink and dining for more than 15 years for publications including Thrillist and InsideHook. She is also the founder and writer for The Ghost Guest, a dining blog she started in 2009 where she shares unbiased restaurant reviews from the U.S. and beyond. You can also find her sharing her favorite places to dine around town on her popular Instagram account (@amandatopper). Amanda also works full time in the market research industry, helping food and drink and restaurant brands better understand their consumers and stay on top of the latest industry trends. Her insights have appeared in publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. Her interests include al fresco dining, food tourism, wine education and the pursuit of the best doughnuts and almond croissants in existence.

All Articles From Amanda Topper

The 6 Best Steakhouses in Chicago

A mix of the classics and new favorites

The 6 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in January

Including live-fire cooking, rare whisky pours and a long-awaited collab

The 8 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in 2022

The cuisine spans the globe from Japan and India to France and Greece

First Time in Chicago? Here’s Exactly Where to Eat

Your first stop could be Chicago-style hot dogs, or the best deli sandwich you'll ever have

The Best New Chicago Restaurants Cover All Hours of the Day

Start with a modern diner, move to an Indian spot with a gin-and-tonic trolley, then see where the night takes you

Food Hall Fine Dining Tops Chicago's Best New Restaurants

The five reservations to book now, including three in the West Loop

The Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in August

Po'Boys and fresh baked goods: what could be better?

The 5 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in July

From a purveyor of Italian sweets to a cocktail bar for gin lovers

The 5 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in June

Several Chicago classics are popping up in new digs

The 5 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in May

Take a global culinary tour without leaving the city

The 5 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in April

Three words: “wine-inspired cuisine”

The 5 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago in March

Comfort food is the name of the game as spring ushers in a lineup of pizza, pasta and burgers at the city’s newest restaurants

The 5 Best Restaurants to Open in Chicago in 2022, So Far

Including an inventive sandwich shop and a Latin-inspired fine dining restaurant

The 10 Chicago Restaurants We Loved Most in 2021

Celebrating Chicago’s best eats (including “the most insane fried chicken sandwich’”)

The 7 Best Bars and Restaurants That Opened in Chicago This Fall

Did someone say $2 cocktails (for a very specific 15-minute timeframe)?

The 4 Best Restaurants That Opened in Chicago This September

Including a 12,000-square-foot food hall with something to suit literally everyone