Destination: Chicago
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Avec
Situated next door to Blackbird and owned by Paul Kahan, Avec is a local favorite for its creative cuisine; it’s also tiny, narrow and cramped, with wooden tables packed together and a communal atmosphere. Open from 3:30 to midnight (Friday and Saturday till 1 a.m.), it offers a choice of mouthwatering small plates (crispy chicken with spicy harissa, braised chickpeas, squash and cilantro; chorizo-stuffed Madjool dates) or large ones (saffron fettuccine with poached cod, cauliflower, pine nuts and lemon; pizza with grape-leaf pesto and white anchovy) prepared by chef Koren Grieveson. There’s also a wide selection of wines and fourteen artisanal cheeses.
Hot Chocolate
Founded in the Wicker Park neighborhood by well-known pastry chef Mindy Segal in 2005, Hot Chocolate offers lunch, brunch and dinner. The menu specializes in highbrow comfort food, such as the brioche “calzone” with artisanal cheese, and the smoked salmon with egg salad and crispy shallots on pumpernickel. The real draw, however, is the desserts, from classics (gingersnaps, rugalach) to more elaborate offerings, like the chocolate soufflé tart and the napoleon with roasted-banana ice cream, peanut-butter cream and caramelized bananas. After shopping, drop by for a sweet treat or a handcrafted beer. Closed Mondays.
Pierrot Gourmet
Pierrot Gourmet, the Peninsula’s street-level café and wine bar, is a cozy spot in which to while away the morning at a communal table with the paper, fresh pastries and a cappuccino. Or to meet a friend midafternoon for a tartine. It’s a bit pricey but delicious.
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