Linton dredges avocado slices in Japanese panko crumbs to create a beautifully crisp, crunchy jacket for each lush chunk. Read more.
Order the restaurant's specialty of Big French Pancakes — you have choices, but blueberry quinoa ($14) is the way to go. Read more.
The restaurant's Cap'n Crunch French toast ($12) layers in orange custard that adds tartness, and ups the texture by coating challah bread with crispy Cap'n Crunch. Read more.
The CB+J ($5.50 for 12 ounces, $7.15 for 16 ounces) teams creamy, house-made cashew butter with mixed berries, banana and almond milk sweetened with dates. Read more.
A good french fry is pretty easy to find. A great french fry? Much harder. It's a Goldilocks situation: These fries are too crispy. These fries are too soft. Read more.
These are my favorite fried pickles in Chicago right now: a tongue-tantalizing balance of moisture and crunch, with tang and creaminess in every bite. Read more.
This boutique steakhouse features classic American steakhouse offerings, but also includes French staples such as escargot, roasted bone marrow and bouillabaisse. Read more.
Try the spicy tuna tartare tower with house-fried tortilla chips and sweet sauce to start — the hot stone bibimbap entree ($15.95) pops with color and flavor in any iteration. Read more.
The hazelnut horchata ($6 for 12 ounces), creamy thanks to rice, coconut and hazelnut milks, is a delight. Read more.
The Lou ($23), a three-cheese pie with rich mozzarella, Romano and cheddar, is my favorite. Read more.
Don't let the modest storefront fool you. Nada Tea & Coffee House is a Japanese teahouse that serves some of the most expertly made tea in Chicago — including the best matcha I've found in the city. Read more.
The slow-rise naan ($3) is served warm with a light gloss of butter and a sprinkling of sea salt. Read more.
The pierogi are the popular kids in the case, with different flavors every day. I got four: sweet cheese, sauerkraut, potato-and-cheese and beef. Read more.
The croissant sandwich plate ($8) at Cafe Vienna includes a breakfast sandwich served on either a plain croissant or a pretzel croissant, the latter option being particularly swoon-worthy. Read more.
The veggie burger at Revolution Brewpub ($13) is one of those masterworks. Every component is made in-house, including the bun. Read more.
Salads start at a reasonable $9 on the menu alongside vegetable dishes and heartier items like truffle-butter grilled cheese. Read more.
This pizza is so good, it doesn't need any toppings ($18 for large). Read more.
The vegetable tempura is as it should be: delicate, crisp and focused. The vegetables vary with the season (meaning the $4 price may as well, says chef and co-owner Beverly Kim). Read more.
The sloppy joe's sweetly spicy barbecue sauce will get your face just as satisfactorily messy as it did at summer camp. The tangy sandwich ($9.25) comes with a side and a pickle. Read more.
The lightly fried yam dumplings served at Little Unicoco in Rogers Park are mild in flavor, perfect for dipping into rich stew. $6 for five. Read more.
If it's a meat-free pizza you want, the Zephy ($11 for a small, $23 for a medium, $32 for a large) is the pie to beat. Read more.
