**** (4 stars)
This neighborhood market has a surprisingly deep offering of foods, considering it looks like a convenience store from the outside. It’s certainly an adequate selection to avoid a long walk to a supermarket. The staff is friendly and helpful.
D & D Finer Foods
825 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-4344
http://www.yelp.com/biz/d-and-d-finer-foods-evanston
**** (4 stars)
I really enjoyed my lunch here, and they were able to accommodate my limited time frame.
The meal includes a simple green salad or soup. I had the salad with balsamic dressing.
I chose the broiled fish sandwich, which was a nice serving of salmon on a good bun. The sandwich was accompanied by lettuce, tomato, cole slaw, pickles, cucumbers, tartar sauce and thin slices of carrot, so I had no trouble finding an interesting way of dressing it! There was also a large mound of hot, crisp french fries.
This was a good sized lunch, all fresh and quickly prepared, and I felt the $11 price tag was quite fair.
Noyes Street Cafe
828 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-8683
http://www.yelp.com/biz/noyes-street-cafe-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is a fairly busy Panera. There is a large seating area at the rear, although since it is far from any windows it can be a bit institutional. Service is efficient and friendly.
Panera Bread
1700 Sherman Avenue
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 733-8356
http://www.yelp.com/biz/panera-bread-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is a pretty prototypical serve yourself frozen yogurt place with the usual toppings. The space is long and deep, and you start at the rear, which creates some challenges when the place is busy.
There is a fairly large selection of yogurts. The flavors I had were fine, although nothing really wowed me. The toppings were very fresh. Definitely more healthful than the nearby frozen custard place.
Forever Yogurt
1739 Sherman Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
(224) 999-7903
http://www.yelp.com/biz/forever-yogurt-evanston-2
*** (3 stars)
This is a small serve yourself frozen yogurt shop with the usual toppings bar. I was glad to see they offered some non-tart flavors, as I’m not a fan of sour yogurt. I’m not sure what the business plan is here, though, since there are fewer offerings than the larger competitor just a couple blocks north, and the defunct Red Mango already tried in this spot. If you’re in this immediate area and they have a flavor you like it’s worth a try.
Tutti Frutti Frozen Yogurt
809 Davis St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 859-6225
http://www.yelp.com/biz/tutti-frutti-frozen-yogurt-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is a pleasant Italian restaurant in the middle of an old fashioned block of main street surrounded by lots of interesting shops. Pizzas are served uncut so they don’t get soggy, and there are some interesting salads. I had a combination of celery, apple and radicchio that was quite refreshing.
The wine list has some uncommon offerings by the glass, including the seldom seen primitivo.
There is some sidewalk seating that’s perfect on a nice day.
The only downside is that it’s not inexpensive, and there doesn’t seem to be a lunch menu, so two courses can result in a rather pricey noon-time meal. But on a nice summer evening it’s certianly a good outside dining option.
Trattoria D.O.C.
706 Main St
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 475-1111
http://www.yelp.com/biz/trattoria-d-o-c-evanston
***** (5 stars)
Having dined at nearly all the top places in Chicago, this one stands out. Just on the basis of the exceptional wine list, L2O (which stands for Lakes to Oceans) deserves its Michelin stars. Each offering is so well considered for its ability to match the food or offer something special, and there are a few real gems at reasonable prices.
The food is, of course, superb, and each dish is a true work of art. But perhaps the thing that most sets L2O apart is the service, which perfectly strikes that balance between professionalism and sincere friendliness. Truly an experience not to be missed.
L2O
2300 N Lincoln Park W
Chicago, IL 60614
(773) 868-0002
http://www.yelp.com/biz/l2o-chicago
*** (3 stars)
A perfectly acceptable Chicago dog. Quite a variety of other offerings, and large portions. Not a lunch destination, but a reasonable choice if you’re in the area and looking for something inexpensive and quick.
DD Dogs
825 Noyes St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 864-1909
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dd-dogs-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is a passable Indian restaurant. The $10 lunch buffet has quite a few offerings, however they tend to run out late in the lunch hour, a measure of the fact that ingredients are not being freshened. Service seemed a bit amateurish, but late lunchtime on a Sunday with only a couple of tables probably means the first string servers are not on. Not worth a special trip, but certainly an okay choice if in the area.
Turmeric Indian Restaurant
2300 Lehigh Avenue
Glenview, IL 60026
(847) 730-5182
http://www.yelp.com/biz/turmeric-indian-restaurant-glenview
**** (4 stars)
What lovely place for a al fresco lunch on a nice day! Plentiful patio seating, most of it nicely shaded make this a terrific (and popular) place to enjoy a nice day outside.
We particularly likes the salmon flatbread, with its pungent base of boursin cheese. I also enjoyed the trio of cold salads, which featured a particularly tasty chicken salad the day we visited.
The blood orange mimosas are a nice midday drink. I thought the ginger beer could have used a bit more kick; its heavy emphasis on citrus made it more like lemonade.
Definitely a nice respite from downtown sidewalk dining!
Convito Cafe & Market
1515 Sheridan Rd
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 251-3654
http://www.yelp.com/biz/convito-cafe-and-market-wilmette