Restaurants in Evanston

In Fine Spirits is a locally owned establishment comprising a wine bar and wine shop, situated side by side like Butch and Sundance, Mork and Mindy, or two of the Three Amigos. Stop into the wine bar and choose from more than 60 wines by the glass or bottle, as well as craft beers and hand-pumped cask ales, cocktails, and Chef Marianne Sundquist’s award-winning seasonal dishes. Like the population of living snowmen, the menu varies by season; current selections include the pear flatbread (gorgonzola, walnut, crispy prosciutto, walnut liqueur vinaigrette, $9), crispy ricotta gnocchi ($15), and a build-your-own cheese platter (five for $25).

The food slingers at Chicago Joe’s friendly bar and grill top tables with hearty helpings of 8.5-ounce Cheezeborgers, specialty ribs, and daily seafood specials. Frequented by the likes of Minnie Minoso and Bozo the Clown, the venue has attracted a loyal following with plates such as hearty blackened chicken fingers cooked in drawn butter or browned baby back ribs in a mellow sauce. A duo of daily seafood specials introduces Midwesterners to aqueous fare, such as clams and oysters, easier than setting up an exchange program with whales. As they dine, visitors take in war memorabilia and vintage décor, including stained-glass artwork and seats from the original Comiskey Park, that hearken to Chicago’s past or pay homage to the White Sox.

A member of Boka Restaurant Group, Landmark serves upscale American comfort food with twists worthy of a Nancy Drew novel. Appetizers include goat-cheese ravioli ($10) and a red lentil–brussels sprout strudel ($9), while entrees pull from farm-animal communes and fish condominiums for carnivore-friendly cuisine. Exact revenge on cows who said you'd never be a speed skater with the braised boneless short rib ($22) with roasted sunchoke and parsnip puree, or paint your palate in saucy goodness with the barbecue-glazed pork chop ($27) with bacon spaetzle and sweet onion marmalade. The sautéed whitefish ($19) swims invitingly in white beans, swiss chard, and mussels. Salads keep the animal- and mineral-refusing stomachs at bay, with offerings such as red and golden beets with chioggia-frisée salad and a balsamic emulsion, or the arugula salad, starring grilled apple in its comeback role aside candied cashews, goat cheese, and a smoldering yet sweet chile-cinnamon vinaigrette. The dessert menu includes Landmark's gigantic chocolate-chip cookie with vanilla malt ice cream and hot fudge sauce ($7), with an array of wine and cocktails available for libational luxury.

Much like a bit of whiskey always makes its way into Uncle Sal's coffee, an Indian flavor kick makes its way into every dish on Treat's taste-bud-pleasing menu. Owner and chef Tamiz Haiderali left the corporate scene to helm the creative Indian bistro, combining authentic Indian recipes passed down through the years with contemporary culinary techniques. Start with the samosas ($4.95), flaky pastry dough stuffed with cilantro, mint, potatoes, peas, and tamarind chutneys, or the roasted mushroom purse ($7.95). Entrees include such robust fusion dishes as tomato korma rigatoni with roasted mushroom, fennel, and lima beans ($11.95) and seared salmon atop saag paneer with dhokla and pomegranate seeds ($16.95). For more hands-on noshes, sandwiches abound, and all are served with choice of side. Try the turkey panini with apple tarragon cole slaw, swiss cheese, and rye ($8.95), or open-face veggie sandwich with roasted eggplant, walnut pesto, smoked gouda, and marinated tomatoes ($7.95). View the complete menu here.

New York Deli shortens the distance between the Midwest and the East Coast with a superhighway of freshly made New York–style deli sandwiches. Tame the atomic fury of your inner Oppenheimer with the Manhattan Project sandwich ($7.50), with roast beef, ham, turkey, and American cheese; build an empire of edible extravagance with the Trump sandwich ($7.50), containing corned beef, sauerkraut, and swiss cheese; or compact Thanksgiving between two slices of bread with the Macy's Parade sandwich ($7.25), topped with turkey, havarti cheese, cranberry, bacon, and tomato. New York Deli's sandwiches are made with Thumann's meats (which are gluten-free) and contain no MSG, no trans fats, and no artificial colors or flavors, adding a healthy glow to the deli's skyline of stacked-high sandwiches.

Specializing in cuisine pulled from the recipe Rolodex of three generations of Italian tradition, Adesso offers Chicago diners an exceptional dining experience of boot-shaped banqueting. Starters include the bruschetta Adesso ($8), topped with arugula, fresh ricotta, and oven-roasted tomatoes and accompanied by honey, prosciutto, and red onion marmalade, while the tomato basil soup ($6) invites spoons to cross its roasted, crouton-filled Red Sea. Adesso's main courses cover Italian favorites of both pasta and meaty distinction—the tre colori fettucine alla carbonara ($16) hosts pancetta in its noodle nooks, and the fusilli del bosaiolo ($16) saddles its spirals of pasta with sausage, mushrooms, and peas in a light tomato cream. Other entrees include gnocchi with roasted butternut squash ($14) and the maritime medley of the farmer's stew ($19), containing sautéed calamari, shrimp, clams, mussels, and scallops. Adesso also offers weekend brunch for caring diners who split their love equally between breakfast and lunch. Dishes include caramel apple pancakes ($8) and an egg panini ($8).