The November Hit List: Noble Thai, Argot, Guinness Open Gate Brewery, and More

The team at Verve Wine is behind this lovely new brasserie in Lincoln Park, offering French classics with a little Midwestern flair. Lucas DePerry—an indigenous chef raised on the Miskwaabikaang in Wisconsin—has a playful touch, creating elegant riffs on pigs in a blanket (renamed “pigs en croûte,” with Toulouse sausage from Paulina Meat Market), amping up frisée salad with Nueske’s maple lardons, and serving buttery Parker House rolls with duck liver mousse. The space itself has a modern brasserie feel, mixing colorful Pop art and a custom mural by local illustrator Angelo Dolojan with elegant green banquettes and handsome wooden tables. There’s also a private dining room for holiday parties to come. 

If you’re a fan of the rich, heady flavor of Guinness, you’re in luck. 15,000 square feet of luck, to be exact. Everything in the brewer’s new West Loop headquarters is about the beer, including the design, which includes a massive light fixture above the taproom bar that’s inspired by the Guinness logo, and a bubbly light sculpture in the bakery that looks like magnified foam. On tap, you can obviously go classic or try one of the 16 experimental draughts that are brewed on-site. Food-wise, chef Taylor Bischof honors the brand’s Irish roots with dishes like Guinness-infused brown bread and beef stew and fish and chips, along with global mash-ups like shakshuka pot pie and shokupan French toast at brunch. 

Good things come to those who wait … in line for a meal at Warlord. Yes, often there’s a line at this new hotspot from chefs Emily Kraszyk (Farmhouse), John Lupton (Kasama), and Trevor Fleming (Rootstock). The space is small: a narrow dining room and a long chef’s counter where you can watch your hearth-fired food cook in real time. While the offerings change daily—from thinly sliced dry-aged salmon with fried shallots and XO sauce to an ember-cooked maitake mushroom with soy glaze—there’s always a burger, topped with charred onions and slathered with mayo. Open from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m Friday through Monday, Warlord is very busy, so pick off-hours if you can. 

No reservations; more info here.

For quick and comforting Thai classics, head to chef Roongnapha Prakobkit’s Noble Thai. The modern, airy spot, with long wooden tables and plenty of bar seats, is as good for groups celebrating as it is for easy weeknight dinners. The geometric black-and-white painted brick wall adds a touch of playfulness but doesn’t take away from the main attraction: the food. Dig into sticky and sweet charbroiled beef with chili sauce or tom yum soup to start, then load up on noodles for chilly nights, in the form of a rich khao soi or pad thai with lots of ground peanuts. Fried rice, curry, and a whole roster of classic mains like pad kra pow and prik king round out the crowd-pleasing menu.

Serving as a dual bodega and Vietnamese and Singaporean cafe, Phodega takes the idea of a corner store to new heights. At their storefront on Division Street near Damen, owners Nate Hoops and Anthony Ngo bring together everything you need when you’re on the go (candy, snacks, drinks) and excellent Southeast Asian comfort food. Pop in for crispy salt-and-pepper chicken skins, “phodega” fries with beef, cilantro, onions and gravy, and three warming pho options. Perhaps the most enticing is the Viet Dip, which combines the best of French dip and banh mi sandwiches, complete with a side of pho broth “jus.” We are truly jealous of people who live nearby.

No reservations, more info here.

Tucked into a historic building in Wheaton, this lovely new Filipino American restaurant comes from the team behind Glen Ellyn’s Common Good Cocktail House. Even if there’s a foot of snow on the ground, Maypole still feels bright and springy (and downright summery if you order the frozen spicy calamansi margarita), thanks to floral wallpaper, blue window panes, and cheery red chairs. On the menu, there’s a range of comforting options, like kimchi-spiked mac and cheese, crispy fried chicken with calamansi-soy sauce, a classic pork belly adobo, and lots of garlic rice. Ever tried a Caesar salad with fish sauce in the dressing? Now’s the time. 

Everyone needs a go-to lunch spot, and for that, we recommend Junebug Cafe. Husband and wife team Chris Murphy and Jacqueline Mancias-Murphy originally opened two separate spaces, Junebug and Murphy’s Sandwich Shop, but now are merging the two at their Milwaukee Avenue space. Here, you’ll find some of Murphy’s most popular sandwiches, malts, and shakes, along with Junebug’s Creole offerings. Think slow-cooked brisket po’ boys with brisket gravy, meaty gumbo, biscuits with pepper gravy, and a beignet with caramel bacon. On the go? Try a Louisiana hand pie— we’re particularly fond of the one filled with red beans, rice, and Monterey Jack. 

No reservations, more info here. 

This Michelin-Bib restaurant and sherry bar is a Wicker Park classic for good reason: from the mood to the menu, it’s the perfect mix of elegant and cozy. Let’s start with the interior antique pharmacy, imported from Belgium with original bookcases and cabinets intact. Then there’s the dining room, draped with Persian rugs, wrought-iron chandeliers, and velvet chairs, along with a 30-foot marble bar. Perch here and dig into the Spanish dishes that make Mama Delia shine, including crisp mushroom croquetas with sherry-infused foie mousse, a tortilla with rich uni sabayon, and Atlantic sea scallops with a punchy Iberico ham XO sauce.

Need to fill up on something quick and comforting as you pop around Lakeview? Head to Amici, a new carry-out spot offering arancini (deep-fried risotto balls) with flavors from around the world. Chef-owner Alfio Sciacca offers a classic Italian version, of course, stuffed with meat sauce and salty prosciutto, but goes further with options inspired by dishes of Mexico,  India, Thailand, and beyond. Creamy coconut rice is mixed with spicy pork in the Thaicino; there’s a butter chicken and rice option; and a spicy jerk chicken flavor, too. 

No reservations, more info here. 

You know that vegan food is officially having a moment when it’s got its own food hall. Yes, XMarket Uptown is a 6,500 square-foot space dedicated to plant-based diets. There’s a coffee roaster, a cheese stand, and a sizable grocery store, along with six culinary stations and a bar. Of course, you don’t need to be a vegan to enjoy this spot, with a truly creative fish-free sushi counter from Bloom Plant-Based Kitchen, cozy soups and wraps from Kale My Name, and veganized hot dogs and Italian beef from Chicago Not Dogs. And that cafe we mentioned? That’s another outpost from 2d Restaurant in Lakeview, with a playful black-and-white comic book setting. This is peak vegan life, and we’re here for it. 

No reservations, more info here.