Restaurants in Glenview

After dining at Restaurant Michael, Chicago Reader writer David Hammond described a savory spread of pate and gherkin pickles as “surpassingly pleasing,” and noted that his dessert (a warm blueberry-almond financier pastry with a ginger-almond ice-cream sandwich) was still haunting his dreams. At his eponymous Winnetka restaurant, chef Michael Lachowicz crafts traditional French cuisine inspired by his training at the Culinary Institute of America and years spent sharing spatulas with world-renowned chefs. Like Tchaikovsky's musical interpretations of the calendar year, Michael's menus change with the season to showcase the freshest ingredients and flavors. Whole-roasted squab or sautéed fillets of flounder drizzled in champagne sauce showcase his creative ambition as well as his classical training. Desserts include indulgences such as housemade gelato or artisanal cheese served from a cart. Restaurant Michael's elegant dining room is wrapped in warm earth tones and awash in the glow of hanging lamps and domesticated moonbeams. White cloths mark intimate tables that support glass stemware and the occasional roving wine decanters.

Southern-style sides such as collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potato fries flank Little Ricky's entrees of signature baby back ribs and overstuffed sandwiches. Bartenders nimbly find their way around a vast array of top-shelf liquors to mix drinks such as the North Shore Iced Tea, Ricky's Manhattan, and locally produced North Shore tapwater, but won't turn up their noses at a request to crack one of about 40 bottled beers in stock. With full-wall windows facing a low-lit room done up in black and crimson, Little Ricky's interior combines the professional polish of a national chain with the easygoing local charm of the neighborhood hangout its founders intended it to be.

Time Out Chicago Kids raves about the strawberry lemonade flavor. Chicago magazine claims the "coconut tastes fresh from the tree." And Michael Mednick, owner and founder of Anthony's Italian Ice, which has been open for more than 20 years, knows exactly why. After a stint selling name-brand ices, an unsatisfied Mednick decided to test his Italian ice-making talents by tossing fresh fruits into an old ice-making machine. A series of trials, errors, and brain freezes finally led Mednick to the sweet spot he holds today: manning his own Southport store, where he churns out 25 decadent Italian ice flavors⎯such as lemon, mango, and peach⎯from scratch.

Though Italian ice is Anthony’s big draw, the shop also purveys smooth ice cream produced by fellow Chicago shop Bobtail, and offsets dessert appetites with Italian beef sandwiches, locally made soups, and Chicago-style hot dogs.

At Solga Restaurant, guests finish barbecuing their short ribs, pork belly, and brisket in tableside charcoal pots, as chronicled in a feature by the Chicago Reader. But chefs do their fair share, too. They sear Atlantic king salmon and octopus atop the kitchen's grills and they heap steamed white rice into warm stoneware bowls before topping it with vegetables and dollops of red-chili paste. For noodle dishes, the chefs stir handmade wheat flour noodles into steaming or refreshingly cool broths.

Staffed by health instructors, scientists, and licensed medical practitioners, Fitness Arts approaches health from all angles through the study of movement and nutrition. Staff members lead workouts while imbuing clients with facts on how each exercise will effect his or her biomechanics, posture, and ability to sit in a folded-up folding chair. Hardwood studios house rows of Reformers, allowing students to stretch and pose during group, semiprivate, and private classes such as Pilates and Body Rolling. Studio technicians also assuage health-and-wellness concerns with nutritional counseling and PR Lab products.

Every morning, bakers at Great American Bagel sift dough from scratch, season batches with dozens of flavors, and steam bake bagels to chewy perfection. With enough options to satisfy Oscar Wilde during his terrible twos, the menu features more than 20 bagel flavors, such as jalapeño cheddar, cinnamon sugar, and blueberry, as well as house-made cream-cheese varieties such as salsa and pineapple walnut. In addition, baristas pour fresh espresso drinks and coffee to complement robust munchies, from egg sandwiches and pizza bagels to made-to-order deli fare.