Avec West Loop

Put in the simplest words: Avec was one of the first restaurants I ever visited in Chicago back in my college years. Avec is still one of my favorite spots, now that I live here some 15 years later. The bright, golden location provides that charming combination of warm and stark that can only say “wine bar”. Situated just outside the main Fulton Street Market area (which can be a bit of a yuppie-bermuda-triangle on a busy night), it benefits from a little quieter city block - but certainly can be just as impossible to find a seat without a reservation on the weekends.

The menu is unabashedly Mediterranean with a wonderful balance of ease and creativity. Seasonally inspired, vegetable-heavy, and built for sharing, the cuisine supports the wine list perfectly. The wine list is concise, well-organized, and thoroughly unique, showcasing predominantly Southern France, Italy, Greece, and Spain, with many cool glass-pours, and a surprisingly full offering of dessert wines and after-dinner options.

An easy option for a group (provided you get a reservation well in advance), a cool date-night option, or a fun evening sitting at the bar solo, with the bartender’s companionship, Avec is an absolute standard in the Chicago dining scene.

Note: Avec has a new second location on Erie in River North - a better option for a group or if the original location is full, but it doesn’t have quite the same charm or energy as the Randolph spot.