Best Seasonal Restaurants in Bucktown / Wicker Park

The best vegan food ever. We did the counter experience which allowed us to do a 6 course tasting and watch the dishes come out of the kitchen. The chef was friendly and answered all our questions. The food is creative but accessible. Every dish had a subtle spice due to the Colombian & Venezuelan influences of the owner and chef. The house made gnocchi is superb & the vegan sashimi was my favorite appetizer. I would eat everything on the menu. Dessert was fantastic also.

Due to a glut of options, there are few places in Chicago that spark the “when are we coming back?” conversation before the main course is finished. This is one of those places. The dishes were comfortable yet complex, making you realize, there’s a talent-level in the kitchen that makes them impossible to replicate. Each bite from first course through dessert was exceptional, which is a feat considering we were last seating on a Tuesday night. What made the experience was the service. Lauren S. was welcoming and informative without being pushy. She deftly answered all of our questions that felt like she was guiding us through the menu based on her expertise not her opinion. This included steering us away from certain dishes when she understood our flavor profiles, and explaining things without ruining the surprise. Her attention to little things without feeling crowded made us realize what front of house talent does to heighten the experience. The only knock was the nitty-picky things on the space. The bathroom was a bit disheveled, there was a crud on the handle of a fork (nothing on the tongs, I checked before using it). Extremely minor unless you’re judging for Micheline stars. Simply put, where it matters everything is well thought out from concept to execution. If you can get in, it’s an absolute no-brainer.

So flavorful, cozy ambience, and great value !

Pizza Portofino is one of my favorite spots in the city. The garlic bread and truffle pizza (request hot honey, trust me) are GAME CHANGER. I went with a few friends and we all agreed that they both redefined garlic bread and pizza (at least in Illinois) respectively. Great service and great vibes!

Cocktails are creative and playful. Service was amazing, they go out of their way to make sure you're happy. Loved the chill vibe, not at all pretentious. Will be back