This Prospect Heights haven is one that should be on everyone's radar. Adorned with cool marble surfaces and a flaming open kitchen, it is welcoming, intimate, and tranquil. The long bar is lovely for socializing, as is the backyard—which flaunts the kind of charm that diners crave on warm days.

Thanks to this kitchen's vision, the menu is concise and dotted with superb items. Start with the fresh-baked focaccia—a veritable dream among carb lovers—that pairs especially well with creamy chicken liver mousse and tangy pickles. Then proceed to devour the wonderfully gamey Colorado lamb chops, tailed by a peach and blueberry tart with vanilla gelato. From a palatably priced flight of amari to the house soda, this team offers an ideal dining experience.