Bread & Wine, Chicago

There are three options for entertainment when visiting Bread & Wine. You can sit at one of 10 seats at the bar where you'll see bartenders mix, shake, and pour cocktails with housemade bitters. Or you can opt for the 10-person chef's counter, where chefs prepare fresh and seasonal dishes right in front of you. The final option: private tables—forged from local wood—where diners can engage in conversation over the chef's selection of cheeses, house-made charcuterie, and fresh bread.

Indeed, lingering over a good dinner or weekend brunch is encouraged at Bread & Wine. Mayor Rahm Emanuel even named it one of his favorite restaurants for sharing wine and food with friends. Taking a seat is hardly a requirement though, since Bread & Wine also houses an onsite market. The shelves here brim with local and housemade goods, from eggplant spreads to a seasonally-changing selection of craft beers, a commodity so precious they keep it armored in stainless-steel kegs. Of course, the store also stocks wines from around the world, with a special emphasis placed on small-batch producers in Oregon, Washington, and California. Their house wines, from California's Paso Robles region, are designed to appeal to a wide audience. Bread & Wine offers white, red, and rose varieties, and are working on creating a reserve cabernet.