Located in the heart of Old Town, this cocktail lounge takes its inspiration from the intimate, artistic drinking dens of 1920s Paris. Begin with any of the cocktails — like modern twists on classics, such as a Vieux Carré or Aviation — then try a few of the dishes. Options like the cheese plate or tiger shrimp cocktail are primed for sharing, while you’ll likely want the Wagyu Royal — complete with black truffle aioli on toasted bread — all to yourself.  

Diners flock to this River North restaurant for modern Italian fare in beautiful, hip environs. Taste through starters like mushroom arancini or fried artichokes before the housemade pastas — try the Mafaldine cacio e pepe or the crab agnolotti with mascarpone and saffron. Visit Monday through Saturday for happy hour, when a medley of bites and sips are just $10 each.

Led by James Beard Award–nominated chef Rodolfo Cuadros, this Wicker Park restaurant celebrates the immigrant culinary traditions that shape regional American cuisine. Kick off the evening with snacks like crackling shrimp or pan de ajo (garlic milk bread with ricotta), then make way for mains: Portuguese duck rice or elote lasagnetta with brown butter and cotija cheese. Save room for desserts like sweet potato cheesecake with cashew and coconut, or hojicha crème brûlèe.

The menu centers on Caribbean and Latin flavors at this Skokie restaurant (with a location in Gurnee, too). The team blends spices found throughout both regions for dishes like marinated jerk chicken, braised oxtail, and empanadas. Save room for dessert — rum cake or coconut bread pudding await.   

Brett and Chadd Nemec launched Zazas Pizzeria in Lakeview in 2021, and now the family operates four restaurants — including their most recent addition in Lincoln Park. The growth reflects the demand for these pies, hand-tossed to order with the perfect char. Bring friends to work your way through a couple of options: the Gold Medal, a high-quality take on Margherita, or the pepperoni, with hot honey and rosettes of fresh ricotta are a cut above.

Settle in for a memorable evening at this Michelin-starred West Loop restaurant. The omakase menu reflects chef Sangtae Park’s same commitment to craft he wields at his other spots — Japanese izakaya TenGoku Aburiya and Korean steakhouse Bonyeon. Omakase Yume hosts two seatings per night with only eight seats available for each, so be sure to book in advance.  

It’s all about brunch here, where chef Emani Roberts celebrates local flavors through the lens of comforting, crowd-pleasing plates. An expansive menu features memorable options: lobster and sweet potato waffles, banana split parfait, and Avocado Croast, a play on avocado toast atop a billowy croissant. You’ll likely want to try a few dishes, so best to come prepared (i.e. hungry, or with a group). 

This family-run restaurant prides itself on bold cooking spotlighting regional Filipino cuisine. Come for brunch and sample fun handhelds like the pork tocino burrito or chicken inasal wrap alongside sweet favorites like ube pancakes or strawberry calamansi French toast. All of it sets the stage for dinner, when the team offers their take on classics like lechon or lumpia, with shrimp and Ada Boom sauce. 

After working at restaurants across Chicago, Emidio Oceguera returned to his Pilsen neighborhood to open this intimate restaurant and cocktail bar. Tucked away in a historic building that once housed his father’s pool hall and his mother’s taqueria, the venue reflects Oceguera’s local history and Mexican heritage. A drinks list features exclusively Mexican beer and wine selections and cocktails with from-scratch sodas and cordials. Those options dovetail well with a fun, focused menu of dishes like duck carnitas nachos and beet tacos.  

This restaurant is beloved for its thoughtful takes on regional Italian cuisine, marking its success in Lincoln Park and Highland Park. Now fans can find that comfort fare in downtown Hinsdale, where the team serves a menu brimming with fresh takes on classics. Start with favorites like warm garlic knots and cacio e pepe arancini, then, any of the housemade pastas or mains (found in showstopping nightly specials, too).  

Diners flock to this Michelin-starred restaurant for chef Sujan Sarkar’s artistic take on Indian cuisine. Sarkar melds his Indian heritage with French technique for colorful and flavor-packed dishes: pani puri with passion fruit and green apple; yogurt chaat with strawberry and tamarind; morel samosa with asparagus and truffle. Find them across four different tasting menus, including those for vegetarians, vegans, and pescatarians. 

Restaurateur and industry veteran Jason Chan brings the Old Town neighborhood a new dining destination with Gavroche. An intimate, comfortable space welcomes guests for classic French cuisine including gnocchi Parisian with lemon black truffle cream and smoked trout roe or duck a l’orange with freeze dried satsuma. Visit for brunch to try the foie French toast, crispy DLT (with duck confit on a croissant), and fried chicken clafoutis, complete with cinnamon date syrup.