Restaurants in Wilmette

Since dispensing its first dog in 1948, the grilling gurus at George's Hot Dogs have continued to entice palates with a full menu of handheld Greek and American fare. Juicy links occupy bun space along with chili, cheese, and traditional Chicagoan fixings such as relish, tomatoes, and microscopic Bears' jerseys. Mounted plasmas flicker beside framed vintage posters within the gold and brick-red walls of the cozy storefront, and an overhead menu broadcasts juicy italian beefs, double-stacked burgers, toothsome gyros, and thatched piles of crispy french fries. Take-home servings of grecian salads satisfy roughage needs, and shakes and floats add sweet accompaniments to meals on the outdoor patio. The restaurant also supplements festive gatherings and raucous bird-watching soirees with party platters of its sandwiches, kebabs, and salads.

Flavors from all over the globe crash land in between the sizzling golden crusts of Oh! Panini’s pressed sandwiches. Artisan bread embraces fresh ingredients in made-to-order sammies that pay homage to destinations including Tokyo, Egypt, and Syria, allowing patrons to delight in knowledge of world cuisine. Napkins leap to the rescue as globetrotting toppings such as tabouleh salad, cumin-infused chicken, and genoa salami peep from behind bread like bashful bakers.

At Mac's American Pub, the old brick façade inlaid with a Schlitz globe sign draws in patrons to the neighborhood watering hole for adult libations and traditional pub grub. The drink slingers, deemed “interesting, attentive, and hard-working" by the Chicago Bar Project and “nonrobots” by everyone else, pour domestic and imported beers, wines, and spirits until 2 a.m. all week. House-made eats such as mac 'n' cheese, hand-cut fries, and soups compete with burgers and sandwiches at lunch and dinner, and weekends bring brunch selections such as sweet french toast, omelets, and pancakes.

Inside Quiznos sub shops, staff slides fresh deli meats, cheeses, and vegetables between slices of artisan bread, then runs them through gargantuan toaster ovens and sprinkles them with spices. Soups steam in bowls, salads crunch in mouths, and flatbread sandwiches glide swiftly across surfaces in impromptu games of floor hockey. As a charitable establishment, Quiznos donates a sampling of its earnings to various nonprofit organizations including Millennium Promise and Denver's Road Home.

Co-owner Luis Saldana thinks of Tumbao as a cultural experience as well as a restaurant, telling Centerstage, "we wanted to eliminate the stereotypes of Puerto Ricans by giving people an opportunity to enjoy our culture with food, drinks and music." The food still clings to its Caribbean roots, but chefs also repurpose familiar ingredients, using them to create innovative new dishes or a new line of edible jewelry. Alongside flaky chicken and crab empanadas made in-house, cooks create distinctive jibaritos by sandwiching patties of skirt steak or chicken in between fried plantains.

Even the drink selection includes specialty cocktails that depart from the norm, including passion fruit-, raspberry-, and mango-flavored margaritas and mojitos. Drink-toting diners can remain on the club's dance floor until 3 a.m., when the restaurant closes its doors and turns into a nuclear laboratory. Live salsa bands or DJs entertain guests on select nights, supplying bachata and merengue rhythms to get toes tapping and hips swaying.

Chef Clarence Robinson fills plates with Louisiana-style gourmet fare at Reecee's Café, an intimate restaurant situated kitty-corner from the Morse Red Line station. Favorably featured in the New York Times, the restaurant's diverse menu of standards and specials includes dishes such as chicken and shrimp étouffée, gumbo, sweet-potato cheesecake, and beignets, served with chicory coffee.