BiXi Beer, Testaccio, Ella Elli, Soul Shack, and More: Now on the Resy Hit List

Taking inspiration everywhere from Vietnam to the streets of Chengdu, this bilevel Asian-minded brewpub strays deliciously from tradition. We love the spicy fried chicken sandwich on a Japanese milk bun, and chile oil-slicked yibin-style belt noodles (PSA: cut before eating; they’re quite long). Wash it down with the Ghost of Mega Mall, a citrusy, hazy IPA, or grab a growler and beer-brat banh mi to go with BiXi’s special Blockside to-go menu.

Dining status: Patio seating available; also delivery and carryout.

This Northside newcomer quietly opened its doors in June with a modern Israeli and Middle Eastern menu. You’ll find a few inside tables and a lush, 14-table backyard patio, which offers a picturesque setting for sharing salatim with pita, wood-oven smoked chicken, and an aromatic cocktail or one of more than two dozen draft beers. 

Dining status: Patio and limited interior seating available, call 312-493-0443 to reserve; also carryout.

The Fulton St. outpost of this longtime Chicago brewery reopened in July, switching to reservation-only, and limiting visits to two hours and groups to six. There are plenty of staple and newcomer brews to sip, but consider an easy-drinking CIVL pale ale; 100 percent of proceeds support the Chicago Independent Venue League, helping preserve independent concert venues. 

Dining status: Indoor and outdoor seating available; also carryout.

This bustling, Black woman-owned storefront slings creative yet soul-warming dishes, like hand-battered chicken and waffles, burnished jerk cornish hens, and soul rolls — crispy egg rolls stuffed with mac and cheese, greens, and yams. Well-spaced patio seating wraps around this corner eatery, or order online for carryout.

Dining status: Patio seating is first come, first served; online ordering for carryout and delivery is available.

A socially distanced alleyway jungle oasis behind Rick Bayless’s seminal Topolobampo awaits. This sultry bar from daughter Lanie Bayless slings Mexican drinking snacks, handmade tacos (ahem: salsa negra-glazed soft shell crab), and stellar cocktails at least somewhat rooted in Mexican medicinal herbs. We’re partial to the summery cocktails in a bag, like coconut-prickly pear, with agricole rum, house coconut cordial, prickly pear, curacao, lime, and tiki bitters.

Dining status: Patio seating is available; reservations are recommended.

A few weeks ago, the team behind beloved Northern Italian eatery Osteria Langhe opened a restaurant dedicated to Rome’s Testaccio neighborhood in the bygone Quiote space. Expect a mix of classics like salumi platters and pappardelle carbonara, plus Mediterranean-inspired dishes pulled from the wood-burning oven, such as whole branzino with olives and preserved lemon from chefs Cameron Grant and Jacob Soloman. Upward of 40 low-intervention wines offer a tour the Mediterranean.

Dining status: Patio and indoor seating is available.

We’ve missed the velvet and copper accents of one of the city’s sexiest restaurants, not to mention its veg-forward, Mediterranean-tinged menu. Luckily, you can now book a seat in the dining room or on the patio. (Note: The pillowy ricotta gnocchi with truffle and roasted mushrooms tastes equally luscious in both settings.) 

Dining status: Indoor and patio seating is available. 

A Chinatown favorite for dim sum, Dolo’s bite-size portions taste just as delightful at home. We’re partial to the tender pork shumai, turnip cakes with XO sauce, fried short ribs, and newcomer liquid custard pineapple buns, with crispy puff pastry encasing a soft, sweet middle. The retooled dinner menu features sustaining, affordable bento boxes like spicy beef rice with greens and pork bone soup.

Dining status: Carryout and delivery available.

After months of featuring one of the city’s best coursed carryout deals (three-plus courses for $39), Stephen Gillanders’s inventive Pilsen eatery finally reopened its spacious dining room for dinner and brunch. Menu staples like elegant Maine lobster dumplings and craggy fried chicken with fermented hot sauce join seasonal specials like steak tartare with basil, charred onions and beef-fat bread. 

Dining status: Indoor seating is available (reservations are highly recommended); also takeout.

The Loop outpost of this Mediterranean spot known for ornate, transportive environs happens to be one of the prettiest places for al fresco brunch and dinner. Take in gorgeous river views beneath a canopy of lights and hanging plants while you nosh on globetrotting bites such as watermelon gazpacho and Lebanese roasted lamb, and sip colorful cocktails, like the tequila-based El Guapo, with chile- and mint-infused agave spirit, guava, lime, grapefruit bitters and Tajin seasoning.

Dining status: Patio seating is available.