Alumni Named ‘World’s Best Bar,’ Kumiko Brings Japanese Élan to Chicago Stories You May Like With Mouth-Watering Dishes, Senior Is Already a Culinary Entrepreneur MBA Alums’ Wine Brand Lets You Raise a (Zero-Proof) Glass Famed Restaurateur Recalls a Career on the Front Lines of Fine Dining Owner Julia Momosé ’11 is famed for her meticulous design and elegantly crafted cocktails—and she’s sharing two recipes with you! By Joe Wilensky When Julia Momosé ’11 was planning Kumiko, her Japanese-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar in Chicago’s high-end West Loop neighborhood, she felt strongly that the host stand where guests check in should not be in sight of the dining room—even though that would mean sacrificing a table, and the revenue it could generate. “You know the feeling when you’ve just walked into a restaurant or a bar and it’s cold out and you’re windblown?” she says. “Maybe your nose is runny, and people might stare at you.” Drawing on elements of Japanese design and flow, Momosé created a small, L-shaped corridor intended to gently guide patrons from the host stand to the dining room. “Guests have a moment to collect themselves, and feel good about how they look when they walk into the space,” she says. “That helps bring them some calm as well—and then they’re more ready to relax and experience everything.” Putting the finishing touches on a truffle toast dish. That meticulous focus on detail—from the drinks and menu items to the décor and overall atmosphere—has been a winning one. Since opening in 2018, Kumiko has received accolade after accolade—culminating in being named world’s best bar (along with a separate nod for best U.S. restaurant bar) at the 19th Annual Spirited Awards, held in New Orleans in summer 2025. Kumiko is known for its elegant and minimalist design. “This comes as no surprise to anyone who has ever sipped a cocktail there,” TimeOut Chicago wrote, noting that Kumiko is one of the city’s “most beloved (and best) dining experiences, seamlessly blending the precision of Japanese cocktail culture with Midwestern hospitality.” Momosé drew on her upbringing in Japan—her father is Japanese-American—when she opened the establishment with two restaurateur partners. Kumiko is one of Chicago’s most beloved (and best) dining experiences, seamlessly blending the precision of Japanese cocktail culture with Midwestern hospitality. TimeOut Chicago Its name comes from the woodworking technique kumiko, in which intricate patterns are created by assembling thin, grooved pieces that are held in place through pressure alone. The restaurant was created around an omakase-style tasting menu for its food and paired cocktails—a multicourse, chef-driven, bespoke experience using fresh seasonal ingredients. (“Omakase” translates to “I leave it up to you.”) On the cover of Chicago magazine. It immediately became a local favorite, even earning a Michelin star in 2019. TimeOut Chicago’s five-star review noted that the elegant eatery “raises the bar on fine dining and delivers a superb lineup of sake- and shochu-centric sips and delicate bites imbued with Japanese flavors.” Kumiko has landed on the World’s 50 Best Bars list several times, held a spot on the North America’s 50 Best Bars list for four consecutive years, and garnered accolades from Chicago magazine (best new bar), Time magazine (world’s greatest places), and Esquire (best bars in America). Momosé has also won the Michelin Guide Chicago Exceptional Cocktails Award. Nihonshu—commonly known as sake—is heavily featured in Kumiko’s pairings, as is traditional Japanese shochu (distilled spirits), though Momosé also crafts and promotes many non-alcoholic drinks, dubbed “spiritfrees.” Some of her recipes and techniques are gathered in her 2021 cookbook, The Way of the Cocktail, which won a James Beard Award. In addition to being heavily influenced by her Japanese heritage—which, she says, fostered “the way that I see the world, that we want to live with intentionality”—Momosé traces her design ethos to a studio course she took as an undergrad in Human Ecology. An introduction to visual literacy, it was taught by John Elliott, a professor of human centered design. “The way in which he approached design was that you have to have a reason for everything you do,” she recalls. “You can feel, you can sense, you can study—but if you don’t know why you did that, if you can’t articulate it, then maybe it’s superfluous; maybe you don’t need to include that element.” Momosé had worked at a bagel shop and café in high school—and at Rulloff’s, Louie’s Lunch Truck, and Cornell Catering while on the Hill—gaining a deep affection for hospitality. “I’ve always loved that human connection,” she says, “and the ability to create something that can change someone’s day.” I’ve always loved that human connection, and the ability to create something that can change someone’s day. Stories You May Like With Mouth-Watering Dishes, Senior Is Already a Culinary Entrepreneur MBA Alums’ Wine Brand Lets You Raise a (Zero-Proof) Glass Her passions ultimately fused with Kumiko, where Momosé curates the entire experience. “We want it so that anyone can say, ‘Wow, that is a delicious drink,’—but if they have the desire, they could also ask, ‘Where’s this glass from?’” she says. “And then there’s a beautiful story.” Momosé (at left) working for Cornell Catering in 2010. The level of detail even extends to the coasters: Kumiko maintains a spreadsheet noting which one goes with which drink, and why. “We’re prepared for everything that our guests might possibly care about when they come into the space,” she says. “The hope is that someone will always find something delightful in an element, because we’re looking at all of them. Everything matters.” Scroll down for two seasonal drink recipes—one alcoholic and one “spiritfree.” (Please note that Momosé offers an alternative to the flavored shochu in the first one, as it may be hard to find in some areas.) Winter Warm Note Ingredients 1½ oz. Mizu Green Tea shochu ½ oz. Ochiai Distillery Rihei Ginger shochu 5 ½ oz. hot water (195 °F) ½ oz. honey syrup (see recipe below) Wheel of kumquat or mikan citrus, for garnish Directions In a large teacup, combine the green tea shochu, ginger shochu, and honey syrup. Add hot water. Garnish with a wheel of kumquat or mikan. For an extra burst of citrus, express the orange oils of a peel over the cocktail as a final flourish. (Note: If you don’t have these specific shochu, you can substitute a sweet potato, barley, or rice shochu, and use ginger green tea in place of the hot water.) Bright One (non-alcoholic) Ingredients ½ oz. fresh lemon juice 1 oz. yuzu juice ½ oz. Seedlip Garden 108 (a zero-proof botanical spirit) ¾ oz. chilled honey syrup (see recipe below) Splash of ginger beer 1 mint sprig and 1 lemon peel, for garnish Directions Combine lemon juice, yuzu juice, Seedlip, and chilled honey syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Top off with ginger beer. Make a small incision in lemon peel and hook mint sprig through it onto side of glass. To make honey syrup for both recipes: Combine 2 tbs. clover or acacia honey and 1 tbs. hot water in a small bowl. Mix until honey is dissolved. Top: Momosé behind the bar. (Photo by Sammy Faze Photography) All other photos provided. Published February 9, 2026 Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. 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