Restaurants in Wilmette

The bun-filling staff at Huey's Hot Dogs in Andersonville delights diners with traditional hot dogs, embellished franks, and other casual American fare including old-fashioned milk shakes. Customers can dive into classic Chicago dogs, sink teeth into blue-cheese burgers, or sate sausages' wanderlust by pushing their bun boats over bowls of hearty chili.

Sonny and Cher records, vintage beer can collections, and multicolored Christmas lights. If this sounds like a friend’s parents’ basement, you’re not far off. Jon Young, the owner of Kitch’n on Roscoe, raided his folks’ treasure trove of ‘70s tchotchkes to give his restaurant its signature funky and eclectic vibe. Within the bright yellow walls, patrons pull up to retro orange and red tables to fill their bellies with updated versions of breakfast and brunch comfort-food staples. Their signature Green Eggs and Ham—as featured on the Food Network’s $40 a Day with Rachael Ray—scrambles three eggs with fresh-basil pesto, spinach, scallions, and smoked ham over texas toast, and the tofu scramble quells meatless cravings. Known for their hangover antidotes, the chefs restore bodies from wild nights with heaping helpings of chilaquiles—eggs and fried tortillas smothered in chipotle salsa and pepper jack cheese—and the Borracho breakfast burrito—stuffed with beans, veggies, and eggs and drizzled with tequila-ranchero sauce.

At Cullen's Bar & Grill, waiters ferry trays of burgers and pub-fare appetizers to eager patrons as bartenders fill glasses with a slew of scotches and whiskeys. The restaurant's signature cocktails brim with adroitly blended flavors, and more than a dozen draft beers slake a desire for hops. Situated within steps of the Mercury Theater and Music Box Theatre, Cullen's beckons show-goers indoors for a pre- or post-performance beverage.

Bartenders at The Money Shot Restaurant & Lounge pour cocktails by the shakerful, and ovens bake American and Italian cuisine, including Roman-style pizzas with thin, house-made crusts. Always attending to sports fans, the restaurant projects big games or referee pageants on a 100-inch projection screen and two 46-inch flat-screen TVs equipped with surround sound. In the evening, bands drum out live tunes, comedians crack jokes, and rappers dish tips on properly estimating the amount of paper it will take to gift-wrap Ja Rule's birthday present. Tuesday-night trivia contests mine noggins for tidbits of information on categories such as pop culture and history. As diners participate in a variety of events, platters of favorite Italian fare such as pizzas, bruschetta, chicken parmesan, and garlic Ferraris accompany frosty brews and mixed cocktails.

At The Moose Grill, servers pile Chicago-style Vienna dogs with toppings and serve up sandwiches beneath the gaze of a taxidermal moose head. Customers can perch on stools and wrap their mitts around signature Chicago-style Vienna dogs garnished with mustard, relish, onions, tomatoes, pickles, peppers, celery salt, and shavings from passing L trains. Burgers and sandwiches couple with freshly cut fries or chilled baby carrots, and breakfast sandwiches appease earlier appetites. The grill further demonstrates its commitment to freshness by not having a freezer on the premises, and by leaving latex meats off the menu.

Pockets' health-conscious chefs have stuffed stomachs with fresh, all-natural ingredients for more than 20 years, creating low-fat, high-protein combinations of vegetables, fine cheese, and lean meats. Within freshly baked multigrain bread, selections such as spinach, salami, turkey, and tuna combine with edamame beans, crunchy noodles, dried cranberries, and a splash from one of more than 10 dressings, creating a snack more portable than a bicycle made of chocolate. Menu pages also brim with eight healthy salads, seven hearty calzones, and a kids' menu with pint-size portions and sides of magic. Not content with just challenging fast-food ideals, the locally owned Pockets furthers change in its community by regularly donating up to 50% of its profit to charities such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Fox Valley Heart Foundation.