Restaurants in Echelon

As a child, the chef at Nina's Trattoria learned to cook—and eat—from cooking sessions with Grandma Nona and Mama Nina. Nona's menus were inspired by the village in which she grew up, one that overlooked the turquoise, fish-rich waves of the Mediterranean. Because she grew up on a farm, Nona insisted on robust local produce and the nicest cuts at the butcher and fish market, a sentiment she passed down through generations.

Today, chefs at Nina's Trattoria whip up a menu inspired by Nina and Nona's cooking, crafting traditional homages to their dishes as well as contemporary interpretations of recipes from Tuscany, Abruzzo, and other regions of Italy. Chefs hand-roll pasta, knead gnocchi, and bake decadent pastries for nibbling or luring Cookie Monster to the table at brunch and dinner. Guests may bring their own beer and wine, helping to foster a convivial, relaxed atmosphere akin to gathering around the family dinner table.

Tall stalks of bamboo flank Woksabi’s front doors, welcoming patrons into a modern space with exposed brick, dark wood, and accent lights that radiate hues of marigold and cobalt blue. Sleek tables support sizzling parades of lobster, filet mignon, shrimp, salmon, and veggies, kissed by the flames of a hibachi grill or drizzled in teriyaki sauce. In addition to searing hibachi dinners and piling plates with noodle favorites such as spicy pad thai, chefs impress diners seated at the sushi bar by slicing and wrapping fresh ingredients into rolls that range from the common california roll to the Perfect Match, a sweet and salty creation named in reference to Captain and Tennille.

By using only high-grade, sustainable ingredients in its tasty, fast-casual fare, Elevation Burger prepares a menu headlined by burgers made from 100% grass-fed and free-range organic beef that’s ground on the premises to ensure quality and safety. Outfit your naked maw and pants-less gullet with the trademark Elevation ($5.99), a double-patty delight that comes topped with real cheddar cheese and your choice of fancy fixings, ranging from tomatoes and lettuce to caramelized onions and balsamic mustard. Any sandwich can be side-kicked with Elevation Burger’s fresh-cut fries ($2.59), which are thin cut from real potatoes and fried in the heart’s smokin’-hot yet healthy girlfriend, olive oil. Lastly, reward your mouth for its bullfighting victory over bull meat with a hand-scooped malted vanilla milkshake ($3.89) topped with chocolate syrup and strawberries or bananas harvested from Hawaii's volcanic cocoa arboretums.

Matthew Corrin was fashion designer Oscar de la Renta's marketing manager, which meant a lot of long hours at work and a lot of hurried lunches at local delis. After his umpteenth greasy sandwich, Corrin began wondering why there weren't more healthy and convenient lunch alternatives. This rumination and a resignation letter to de la Renta begot Freshii, a fast, casual eatery that serves healthy meals and has graced the pages of various publications, including the Chicago Tribune and Inc.'s 30 Under 30 list. Environmental awareness also plays a big part in the business model—even the food packaging is made from eco-friendly vegetable starches.

Every Freshii kitchen is stocked with base ingredients of brown rice, rice noodles, romaine lettuce, field greens, and spinach; toppings such as carrots, broccoli, grilled tofu, and candied walnuts; and an array of dressings and sauces. Using these ingredients, the chefs create bowls, wraps, salads, soups, and burritos for lunch and dinner. During morning hours, when the sun is still busy curling its rays, they scramble eggs, serve house-made oatmeal, and top fat-free frozen yogurt with a choice of fruit. Customers can bring their own bowls and the staff will wash them and fill them with fresh ingredients hailing from environmentally responsible farms that fairly compensate their workers.

Within a warmly lit exposed-brick interior, the flavor mavens at Manakeesh Cafe Bakery prepare a bounty of Lebanese-American fusion dishes lauded by ABC-6 news and Philadelphia magazine. Halal meats share the menu with vegetarian and vegan options as well as savory starters. Freshly baked manakeesh flatbread sandwiches journey through an open-flame oven, allowing guests to detail each movement with their own suspenseful voiceover narration. Diners can opt for a yogurt-cheese-spread labneh sandwich or invite the shawarma, which tucks sirloin into a fluffy flatbread coverlet, to a mouth sleepover party. A piece of the café's signature baklava soothes sweet teeth, and a strong Turkish coffee can fortify an extended stay inside a Trojan horse.

Under the guidance of chef Tim Bennett, the cooks at Marmont Steakhouse and Bar hand carve tender steaks and prepare fresh seafood, lamb, and chicken dishes. The eatery's diverse steak offerings include lean cuts of filet mignon wrapped in applewood-smoked bacon or topped with crabmeat and sliced asparagus. In warmer months, patrons enjoy outdoor seating that harks back to the days before the invention of walls. Marmont enlists a regular stable of DJs and live musicians to perform throughout the week, with an international wine list and dozens of martinis to embolden listeners to dance.