Avec River North

The second location of the long-term local darling rooted in the West Loop. Ordinarily I’d be loathe to include two locations of the same restaurant in a recommendation list, but the newer River North location of Avec has a different menu, different wine program, and different vibe (more polished, more cosmopolitan, a little swankier) that, while retaining the charm and quality of the original, guarantees it its own slot on my list.

Plus, the rooftop bar (Bar Avec) is absolutely worth a visit, and they have half-off wine bottles on Tuesdays, with a “secret wine list” of weird old-vintage nerd wines – it’s a must-stop.