Restaurants in Illinois

Authentic Persian and Mediterranean cuisine awaits diners at Reza’s, a small local chain of four restaurants. At this Andersonville location, the dining room is set in a former microbrewery with high ceilings, exposed brick, and widely spaced tables that are ideal for date night.

After rising to fame in the Ritz-Carlton kitchen, James Beard Award winner Sarah Stegner and her co-chef George Bumbaris opened this New American restaurant in Northbrook, about 30 minutes outside Chicago.

Molecular meets locavore in the open kitchen of a daring new restaurant by chef Josh Adams, who trained at Chicago’s Alinea.

Located in Lincoln Park, this restaurant produces modern seafood that draws flavors from Japan to Maine. Inside the dining room, white leather chairs contrast Macassar ebony tables, while glass panels and stainless steel cable screens separate spaces.

Opened in 1983, Café Selmarie began as a small bakery specializing in European-style cakes, pastries, and breads. Now, the Lincoln Square spot is a full-service café complete with an espresso bar, although the baked goods are still a highlight.

Season 4’s understated Stephanie Izard was in the bottom rankings of almost every Quickfire challenge, but she ultimately prevailed—as the first female Top Chef—with her pork- and seafood-heavy farm-to-table comfort food.

While seated on plush, dark brown banquettes, surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling water wall, mirrored columns, and color-changing neon lights, patrons quickly realize that N9NE is a far from traditional steakhouse.