Chicago's got it all: friendly people, tons to do, and a plethora of awesome restaurants, shops, and businesses. 

We've found the 23 coolest small businesses in the Windy City.

There's a 1930s-style Chinese teahouse, a secret agent store, and an events firm with an indoor treehouse and zipline.

ACME Hotel Company

15 East Ohio Street

What it is: A high-tech alternative boutique hotel.

Why it's cool: ACME is a hotel that caters to a very hip crowd. Not only do they offer tech-savvy hookups like lightning fast Wi-Fi and big screen LED TVs in every room, but they're decked out in a subtle alt-rock theme, from the classic record albums lining the walls of their elevators to their own killer Spotify playlist.

bethie b.

Online

What it is: A company that specializes in hand-painted and custom-made pillows.

Why it’s cool: The founders of bethie b. are Meg Goldberg and Beth Barron, a mother-daughter “pillow-creating design team” with an eye for the unique, creative, and handmade. In addition to their crafty pillows, the bethie b. team also buys and sells recycled interiors, furnishings, and art.

Belmont Barbershop

2328 W. Belmont Avenue

What it is: A barbershop straight out of the history books.

Why it's cool: Belmont Barbershop is known for creating classic men's looks, particularly in their trendy, vintage haircuts like the pompadour and the high-and-tight. Customers can browse comic books while waiting for their cuts.

The year is winding down, so it's time to take stock of where America is heading.

Last year's inaugural U.S. 20 list featured things like the end of retail, the revival of manufacturing and the shale revolution.  

Believe it or not, it wasn't difficult at all to come up with 20 brand new trends this year that will dominate headlines over the next decade. 

It's not that all of last year's forces have already dissipated.

But new movements have already sprung up.

The 2013 list includes two new geographic centers of the American economy, evolving patterns of relationships, robots, and the changing energy landscape.

Check it out.

1. The Bay Area Is Now The Center Of The Universe

1. The Bay Area Is Now The Center Of The Universe

1. The Bay Area Is Now The Center Of The Universe

Last night I met with Maria-Louisa Blanken, director of sales and marketing for the new InterContinental Davos hotel for walnut pie (a traditional Swiss dessert shared among friends).

The hotel is scheduled to open in four weeks, and the photographs and renderings have us dreaming of a Swiss escape already. While we’ve been keeping our eyes on a number of recent and upcoming openings in the Alps (L’Apogée Courchevel, The Chedi in Andermatt, and the W in Verbier will all open in December), the InterContinental Davos is one hotel that it’s impossible to take our eyes off.

It has a shimmering, rounded golden façade designed by the Munich firm Oikios. It’s like a luxury space ship has landed in this tony town, most famous for its annual economic forum but also one of Switzerland’s most popular ski resorts.

The 216 guest rooms have a modern edge to them, too, while still looking like very appealing places to hole up and watch the snow fall. Though there are no typical ski lodge touches in sight, the Capricorn restaurant will keep it local with a menu featuring dishes from the South Tyrol, Savoy, and Piedmont regions.

The highlight of the lobby is its lighting display.

The dining room has a beautiful view of the Swiss Alps.

As do most of the guest rooms.

And the chandelier-laden pool area.

The spa features the same stone work as the rest of the interior.

Now check out more travel news at Conde Nast Traveler:

The Top Ski Hotels in North America

This Year's Must-Have Gadgets for Travel

The Best Islands in the World

Why Is Charleston America's Favorite City?

Join the conversation about this story »

Between turning down a $3 billion acquisition offer from Facebook and the ongoing legal battle between its co-founders, Snapchat is all over the news lately. The self-destructing photo messaging app has been pretty popular, but that doesn't mean you can't find a good alternative.

React Messenger is a new iPhone app that puts a unique spin on selfies. The startup's focus is on combining stickers and selfies for its own messaging service. It's like a hybrid between Snapchat and regular text messaging. We first heard of React Messenger from TechCrunch.

Friends can chat with each other as icons capturing real time emotions. The program is free to download from the App Store. It has potential to expand on its features since it still is in beta, but check out our walkthrough of the app below.

There is the React Messenger App. Tap on it.

React Messenger Welcome Screen

After tapping the icon, here is the setup screen.

No guest wants to show up to dinner empty-handed, especially around the holidays.

But finding the perfect house-gift can be tricky, even if you've know the host for years.

We've rounded up 25 unique gifts under $25 that are sure to bring a smile to your host or hostess' face.

For The Beer Lover

This set of six beer glasses comes with one shape for each type of brew: Classic pilsner, English pub, Belgian ale, craft pub glass, porter/stout, wheat beer.

Get it here for $19.99

For The Grill Master

Does your host like to work the grill all season long? This shaker basket is perfect for grilling up smaller foods, like veggies. 

Get it here for $19.95

For The Gardener

This grow-your-own Bonsai tree kit is a gift that keeps on giving. It comes with pre-planted seeds in a Terra Cotta pot.

Buy it here for $14

After originally listing it for $29 million, Michael Jordan is auctioning off his Highland Park, Illinois compound on Friday.

The truly enormous compound has every bell and whistle you can think of. There's a pool with a grass island in the middle of it, a door from the Playboy Mansion, a table based on the streets of Baghdad, and MJ-branded golf flags.

Concierge Auctions released some great footage of the house.

It's outrageous in the best way possible.

The 56,000 square foot, seven acre compound from the air.

The gate to get in, fittingly.

The outdoor space is spectacular. There's a tennis court.

When picking a college, a school's location can sometimes be just as important as its academics. 

The American Institute of Economic Research has released its latest College Destination Index, which compared college towns around the country based on their academic environment, quality of life, and professional opportunity. 

The index separated the destinations by population size. Here we've rounded up the best of the small college towns, all with a population under 250,000. We've included select statistics about each town; click here to see the full report.

#20 Waterloo, IA

This small town, home to Allen College and Hawkeye Community College, has a remarkably low cost of living, and new businesses are cropping up all of the time. The much larger University of Northern Iowa, enrollment 13,000, is located in neighboring Cedar Falls. 

Student concentration: 118.4 college students per 1,000 people

Average rent for 2-bedroom apartment: $635

Income per capita: $36,605

Source: American Institute for Economic Research

#19 Bloomington, IN

Indiana University's flagship campus and its more than 32,000 undergrads are located here, which could explain why more than 42% of the city's 25-34 year-old population have at least a bachelor's degree. 

Student concentration: 237.8 college students per 1,000 people

Average rent for 2-bedroom apartment: $747

Income per capita: $30,252

Source: American Institute for Economic Research

#18 Logan, UT

This mountain town, site of Utah State University, has the lowest average rent of all of the college towns on this list. Its 3.6% unemployment rate is also one of America's lowest. 

Student concentration: 145 college students per 1,000 people

Average rent for 2-bedroom apartment: $631

Income per capita: $26,872

Source: American Institute for Economic Research

The end of every year in a fast foodie's calendar is usually marked by celebrating the arrival of the fabled McRib, a seasonal offering from McDonald's. But not this year.

McDonald's decided to nix national release of the cult favorite: a pork patty, molded to look like it has rib bones, smothered in barbeque sauce and garnished with pickles and onions. 

McDonald's spokeswoman Tyler Litchenberger said the fast food joint had "other national priorities" this year, according to The AP's Candice Choi. Those include the company's new Mighty Wings, which have some fancy ads behind them but not a lot of fanfare otherwise.

Customers can still order the sandwich in a few regional locations like Chicago, Dallas and New York, the AP reported. It's up to local franchises whether they want to put the on the menu. One diehard even fan generated a McRib locator, making it easy to find the delicacy at a McDonald's nearest you. 

McDonald's continues to increase limited-time offers and new menu introductions to keep customers interested, but the company has struggled to increase sales since late last year. 

SEE ALSO: 13 Facts About McDonald's That Will Blow Your Mind

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Traveling alone has its own set of requirements. Whether you are traveling to an isolated location to quiet your soul or plan to join in outdoor activities with others, the key to a successful solo vacation is knowing what you want to experience and finding the spot that comfortably meets those needs.

Check out these winter hot spots >

Do you want to get away from snowflakes and freezing temperatures or get the most out of winter? Do you long for a beach and margarita poolside while the rest of your friends are bundled up?  Find your ultimate alone-time escape with these 10 spots.

Kauai, Hawaii

Find lush green scenery, adventure, and unique wildlife on Kauai. The South Shore has lodging minutes from the airport like the Kauai Marriott Resort, while the wetter North Shore offers more isolation. Regardless of where you stay, a rental car is necessary to explore the island’s micro climates.

Plan to explore Waimea Canyon and Hanalei’s beautiful beaches, and don't miss the extraordinary views along the Na Pali Coast. Aquatic adventures abound on Kauai, so try stand-up paddle boarding on the Hanalei River in Hanalei, book a whale watching excursion, or try a sea kayaking tour by Outfitters Kauai.

After an exciting island day get your fill of fresh seafood in Hanalei at The Dolphin, or sip a cold one in Poipu at Keoki’s Paradise "Aloha hour." 

Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Kauai Guide

Tulum, Mexico

If your idea of a winter escape is to soak up some rays and relax for hours, then Tulum is the spot for you. With miles of serene oceanfront to stroll, this Caribbean ocean vacation might be the ultimate solo R&R destination.

Turn your technology off, and set your inner clock to match the rise and fall of some extraordinary sunrises and sunsets. The cabanas at Maya Tulum will lull you into a zen state of mind the moment you arrive.

Take a yoga class with ocean views, meditate while walking the labyrinth, or treat yourself to a salt scrub massage before heading out to dinner at Hartwood Tulum.

Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's Tulum Guide

Check Out: 10 Vacations for Chocolate Lovers >

White Mountains, New Hampshire

Powder-lovers will be dazzled by the winter wonderland of New Hampshire's White Mountains. An impressive 100 km Nordic ski trail network and 464 acres of alpine skiing will keep the adventurous occupied for days. Then earn bragging rights by doing a 3-day guided winter hike up the 6,288 feet Mt. Washington with REI Adventures.

If that's not enough intensity, challenge yourself to some of New England’s best ice climbing at nearby Frankenstein Cliff. More low-key explorers should visit Franconia Notch to snowshoe a  variety of trails and hikes.

Stay at the historic Omni Mount Washington Hotel and relax with a drink at the end of the day with other adventurous souls inside the renovated Cave, a former speakeasy.

Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor's White Mountains Guide

Finland's tech scene is booming.

The country is home to successful companies like Rovio, the maker of Angry Birds, Nokia, and multibillion-dollar gaming company Supercell.

In Finland tech ecosystem alone, the startups are highly supportive of each other.

The Finnish government also provides financial assistance to startups to fuel its ecosystem. Last year, Finnish government-backed public agency Tekes invested 135 million in growth startups. Over the years, it has backed hundreds of companies including Nokia, Rovio, and Supercell.

Finland is also home to Slush, one of the leading startup conferences in Northern Europe and Russia. 

Disclosure: Finnish funding agency Tekes and Finnfacts, a non-profit media service organization in Finland, paid for my trip to Helsinki to explore the startup scene.

IndoorAtlas wants to become the GPS of indoors.

Finnish startup IndoorAtlas wants to become the go-to technology for navigating indoors. If the company gets its way, you'll never get lost inside a mall or department store again.

It maps out indoor locations using the magnetometers already found in your smartphone to detect magnetic anomalies that come from things like steel beams, and other obstructions in inside buildings. IndoorAtlas offers its API to companies and retailers to create indoor-location applications.

IndoorAtlas already has 15 patents filed, and has raised €600,000 in funding. 

Jolla is Finland's answer to Android and iPhone.

Jolla, the new Finnish-based smartphone company that spun out of Nokia, just announced at Slush that its first phone will go on sale in Helsinki on November 27.

Back in June, Jolla secured its first mobile phone carrier. Finland's third largest smartphone carrier, DNA, will be the first to sell Jolla's (pronounced Yo-Lah) flagship phone.

The phone features a 4.5-inch display, dual-core processor, microSD expansion with 16GB of storage pre-installed, a 4G modem, and a replaceable battery. Jolla has previously said the device would cost about €399.

To date, Jolla has raised over €200m.

Beddit wants to make your bed smart.

Finnish startup Beddit essentially makes your bed smart. You simply place a super thin film sensor under your bed sheets to track your sleep throughout the night.

The sensor automatically tracks your sleep duration, sleep quality, heart rate, breathing, snoring, and sleeping environment.

Through its mobile app, Beddit provides personalized coaching based on the sleep data. It's currently building out its coaching engine with sleep specialists, Beddit tells Business Insider.

About a month ago, Beddit completed a $500,000 crowdfunding campaign on IndieGogo.

There's a new startup that's looking to completely reorganize your wallet.

It's called Coin. We first got wind of it last week when the company made a big splash in the tech press with the unveiling of its $100 "smart" credit card.

We talk about a lot of companies that claim to be changing the way we handle payments. Coin is different — they're just making the current system better by reducing the number of cards we need to have with us at any given time.

At first glance, the Coin doesn't look all that special. It costs $100 and looks like a sleek, simplified credit card.

It can be swiped at any register, just like your debit or credit cards.

But amazingly, it actually takes the place off all of those cards in your wallet.

Lots of housework tasks are tiring, repetitive, and boring. Why send a human to do a robot's work?

As they can't eat, sleep, or even feel, there are a number of robot slaves readily available for purchase that are more than happy to help you tackle those mind-numbing chores.

It's a concept probably best illustrated by the Roomba, the famous circular robot that vacuums your house for you with the touch of a button.

We're still nowhere near the capabilities of a Jetsons-style Rosie housebot, but we're well on our way.

The Roomba 880 will vacuum your house, but it's a little pricey.

We gave this handy vacuum-bot a full review you can read here. The short version of the story: we loved it. It will get your house in ship shape while you take a nap. The only hiccup is in the price tag, which will sting for many.

Price:$700

For a more affordable robot vacuum, check out the Neato XV-21.

The Neato is a Roomba-like robot that's more than up to the task of annihilating pet hair, dust, and whatever other detritus winds up on your floor. We wrote up a full review on it here. Press its button and you're done vacuuming.

Price:$430

Don't need to vacuum? The Scooba will wash your floor instead.

Of course a vacuum can't take care of all your floor needs. When you need to get dirt or other scum taken care of, the Scooba will wash your floor and leave you to do whatever else you want.

Price:$489

An Apple computer running Mac OS X Mavericks is one of the best tools available for getting work done.

Whether you're a programmer, a writer, or a graphic designer, the easy to learn Mac interface on top of the powerful Unix-derived base makes it easy for users to create an environment that allows them to maximize productivity.

Of course, most people don't like to dig into settings (or code) to make their computers do what they want. 

Thankfully, a number of developers have eliminated most of the hassle by creating apps that do most of the work for you — making it easier than ever to do nearly any common task.

Alfred lets you do most common tasks on your Mac without ever taking your hands off of the keyboard.

This one's a no-brainer. Without ever having to click into an app, Alfred lets you find apps or files on your Mac, search the web, search your iTunes library, look at things you've previously copied to your clipboard, or send an email within seconds. 

Price: Free

VLC plays most audio and video file formats that you might come across.

Don't waste time looking for format-specific apps or plug-ins — VLC can play pretty much anything you throw at it.

Price: Free

NameChanger lets you quickly rename batches of files.

If you take lots of photos on a standalone camera, NameChanger is a great way to quickly give your photos understandable names so you don't have to deal with hundreds of files with names like "IMG_371."

Price: Free

The Xbox One comes out tomorrow, but many gamers still haven't decided which console they're going to go with.

The PS4, Xbox One, Wii U, and PC all have advantages and disadvantages, from size and cost to app selection and gimmicky controllers. But if you're a gamer, there's one factor that outweighs all of the others: which console has the best exclusive game lineup.

Both now and for much of 2014, the Xbox One seems to have the PlayStation 4 handily beat. While Sony's console is technically superior, Microsoft has done a better job at making the deals needed to lock down exclusive, blockbuster-quality games.

TITANFALL: The shooter from the original creators of "Call of Duty" mixes up the formula gamers have come to expect by giving players jet packs and parkour moves to make getting around faster and giant mechs called "Titans" that allow for taking on groups of people at once.

If you don't have a gaming PC, the only way to get the full next-gen "Titanfall" experience is on the Xbox One.

Watch a trailer for "Titanfall"

DEAD RISING 3: This is the zombie game most of us have always wanted. It features a big city that you can roam around in, hundreds of zombies on screen at once, and the ability to use almost anything as a weapon (or to combine things into improvised weapons like the pictured sledgehammer-chainsaw).

Watch a trailer for "Dead Rising 3"

FORZA MOTORSPORT 5: This is probably the best overall game available at launch. The graphics are stunning, the controls are spot-on, and the games learns how your friends play and integrates their driving style into the cars you race against in single player.

Watch a trailer for Forza Motorsport 5

Last Friday afternoon, I got on a plane in New York and flew over the North Pole to Beijing.

I went to bed Saturday night, having been up for 26 hours.

The next morning, I woke up in a tall, gleaming hotel in the middle of Beijing called the Kerry Hotel.

The plan for the day: see the Great Wall of China.

But first, I went downstairs for some breakfast.

This turned out to be my first adventure.

There were omlettes and pastries, sure. But also, lots of foods I had never eaten or even seen before.

The first thing I saw was this colorful display of fruits and juices.

There were melons and dragon fruit, of course …

… but also strange looking tiny fruits …

Last Friday, I took a cab from my apartment in Manhattan to Newark Airport.

I arrived at Newark at noon, in plenty of time for a 3 p.m. flight to Beijing, where I was going to speak at a forum put on by Chinese Internet company Tencent.

I was excited, and not just for China.

The flight was going to be great.

Tencent had generously shelled out for business class tickets.

That meant there was going to be a lay-flat bed, movies, and lots of food.

Problem was, my United flight wasn't a 3 p.m. flight. It was a noon flight. And I missed it.

Oh, #&%*@!

I'd confused my departure time with my arrival time.

Fortunately, United has a partnership with Air China, which did have a 3:50 p.m. flight to Beijing that day – out of JFK. 

So the wonderful woman at the ticket counter booked me onto that flight and I raced to get a cab.

In the cab, I looked down at my new itinerary. It showed how much Tencent had paid for the whole trip.

It was over $8,000!

Want to see the flying experience that kind of money gets you?

I left my apartment at 11 a.m. – plenty of time to get to the airport for a 3 p.m. flight.

I took a car to Newark Airport. It's way faster than the train, and cheaper than long-term parking.

Looking out the window, I wondered how different China would look from New Jersey

Racial segregation in America is lasting longer than anyone expected. 

The average black person lives in a neighborhood that is 45 percent black, even though blacks represent only 13 percent of the population, according to professors John Logan and Brian Stults at Brown and Florida State.

Logan and Stults analyzed 2010 Census data with a dissimilarity index, which determines the percentage of one group that would have to move to a different neighborhood to eliminate segregation. A score above 60 shows very high segregation.

While the professors evaluated segregation for pairs of racial groups, we wanted to compare overall segregation. To create an approximate ranking of metropolitan statistical areas, we weighted white-black, white-Hispanic, and white-Asian dissimilarity scores by minority population.

We mapped these areas using the Racial Dot Map from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.

25. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, Florida

Blue = White; Green = Black; Yellow = Hispanic; Red = Asian; Brown = other

The Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area has dissimilarity scores of 64 for white-black, 57 for white-Hispanic, 33 for white-Asian, according to a study of 2010 Census data by professors John Logan and Brian Stults of Brown and Florida State University; and a score of 58.5 for overall dissimilarity, according to Business Insider's population-weighted index (scores over 60 show very high segregation).

24. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, California

Blue = White; Green = Black; Yellow = Hispanic; Red = Asian; Brown = other

The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana Metropolitan Statistical Area has dissimilarity scores of 65 for white-black, 62 for white-Hispanic, 45 for white-Asian, according to a study of 2010 Census data by professors John Logan and Brian Stults of Brown and Florida State University; and a score of 58.6 for overall dissimilarity, according to Business Insider's population-weighted index (scores over 60 show very high segregation).

23. Niles-Benton Harbor, Michigan

Blue = White; Green = Black; Yellow = Hispanic; Red = Asian; Brown = other

The Niles-Benton Harbor Metropolitan Statistical Area has dissimilarity scores of 69 for white-black, 31 for white-Hispanic, 42 for white-Asian, according to a study of 2010 Census data by professors John Logan and Brian Stults of Brown and Florida State University; and a score of 59.2 for overall dissimilarity, according to Business Insider's population-weighted index (scores over 60 show very high segregation).

The top five of our QB rankings has been impenetrable this year.

But now three outsiders — Russell Wilson Nick Foles, and Tony Romo — are threatening to crack in.

Our rating is a composite of three advanced stats: defense-adjusted yards (DYAR), total QB rating (QBR), and win probability added (WPA). Each stat accounts for one-third of the rating.

UNRANKED: Matt McGloin, Oakland Raiders*

Team record: 4-6

Thing to know: The Raiders have spent $21.5 million and four draft picks on QBs since 2011.

*Not enough data to create a ranking.

31. Geno Smith, New York Jets (previously 28th)

Team record: 5-5

DYAR: 43rd

QBR: 39th

WPA: 35th

Thing to know: Uh oh, people are now comparing his stats to Mark Sanchez's.

30. Chad Henne, Jacksonville Jaguars (previously 27th)

Team record: 1-9

DYAR: 38th

QBR: 38th

WPA: 30th

Thing to know: Cecil Shorts is now complaining about how little Henne is throwing to him.

Thousands of people will take to the slopes this winter, but they may be missing out on the fun at these far-flung resorts. 

Ski resorts in Kazakhstan or Finland offer plenty of lengthy trails, off-road exploration opportunities, and a much more reasonable price tag than you would find at Vail or Aspen. 

Grab your passport — our friends at Find the Best have helped us round up some of the best ski resorts in unexpected places around the globe. To compile the list, they ranked ski resorts on factors including average snowfall, skiable acres, and overall ratings from PowderHounds.com. They then excluded resorts in countries that are known as popular ski destinations, such as the U.S., Canada, Austria, and Switzerland.

JASNA–CHOPOK, SLOVAKIA: Located in the country's Low Tatra mountain range, this huge resort has 30 chair lifts and nearly 40 runs.

Read more about Jasna-Chopok on FindTheBest >

BOVEC, SLOVENIA: This small resort may only have five lifts, but its 5,961-foot vertical drop is certainly impressive.

Read more about Bovec on FindTheBest >

LEVI, FINLAND: With 43 trails and 26 lifts, Levi is the largest ski resort in Finland. Guests can also rent snowmobiles, go ice fishing, or take a reindeer excursion.

Read more about Levi on FindTheBest >

Chili has so many regional iterations, and each version comes with its own cult following. Is it best with beef or chicken? Green chiles or red? Vegetarian or bean-free Texas-style? F&W looked past the geographic divides to find the most delicious chilies in the land.

Institute of Chili Truck in San Antonio, Tex.

Parked near the Alamo, this food truck was inspired by San Antonio’s 19th-century “chili queens”—street food pioneers described in Texas histories and by authors such as Stephen Crane and O. Henry.

Today, visual artist and cook Ana Fernandez serves a barely modified version of a chili recipe she found in the Institute of Texan Cultures’ archives.

The mixture of ground chuck and beef brisket is spiced with a blend of fresh and dried peppers. The food truck’s menu includes corn bread, tamales and a luxe brisket burger.

RELATED: Best Pizza Places In The U.S.

Red Apron Butchery in Washington, D.C., and Fairfax, Va.

Leave it to an artisan butcher to create a chili that doesn’t need beans.

Meat savant Nate Anda rubs beef and pork shoulder with a signature blend of smoked paprika, chipotle, brown sugar, coffee and coriander, then marinates it overnight.

He renders bacon fat to brown the meat, creating a caramelized, subtly smoky foundation.

It takes an additional six hours of stove-top simmering to produce a batch.

RELATED: Best Burgers In The U.S.

Rocky Mountain Chili Bowl in Denver

What started as a food truck flaunting the slogan “Go green or go home” has grown into a dedicated green chili restaurant.

RMCB’s pork and vegetarian green chilies are available in mellow, medium or hot—spiked with hot Hatch green chiles, jalapeños and secret seasonings. Thanks to implementing a long list of eco-initiatives, the restaurant is also now certified green.

Goodfriend Beer Garden & Burger House in Dallas

Sure, this East Dallas bar serves 12 American craft beers on draught (plus 60 others in bottles) and more than 10 kinds of excellent burgers.

But the unsung hero of the menu may be the Texas-style chili—no beans—made with grass-fed beef and topped with cheddar, sour cream and scallions. Order a bowl on its own, try it on waffle fries or on an all-beef hot dog.

RELATED: America's Best Hot Dogs 

Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tenn.

This hotel in the Great Smoky Mountains is known for its elevated farm-to-table Foothills Cuisine. Its cold-season chili is no exception.

During the fall and winter, chef Josh Feathers serves a complex chili made with short ribs, smoked paprika, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and coffee, sweetened with local sorghum and served over Carolina Gold rice.

RELATED: Outrageous Nachos

Tico in Boston

1996 F&W BNC Michael Schlow opened this Back Bay restaurant in 2011, inspired by his travels to Spain, Mexico and South America. For his turkey and black bean chili, he starts by sautéing the base ingredients in incredibly rich bone marrow instead of oil, adding sweetness and minerality as well as depth.

He braises the turkey thighs in vegetable stock enriched with achiote paste, tossing in fresh green jalapeños for spice. The chili is served with imaginative toppings such as tangy Manchego cheese, fresh lime juice and micro cilantro, with a crispy tostada on the side.

Keep reading for more of the best chili in the USA >

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