When you’re hungry and in Evanston, here’s where you should go.
There are a lot of reasons you might find yourself in Evanston. It’s home to Northwestern University, but there’s also a very good chance that your friend who just had a baby is house-shopping there—probably while you read this. Or maybe you fell asleep on the Purple Line and woke up at the Davis stop, and now you’re hungry. No matter why you’re here, you need to eat something. And while this suburb has about 8,437 restaurants that are perfectly fine, these 16 are the best.
Cross Rhodes
Cross Rhodes is an easy spot to walk past and miss. But one visit is enough to make you a lifelong regular. The Greek restaurant is Evanston’s version of Coney Island with a little small-town flair—regulars who have been coming since they opened in the '80s, kids trying their first spanakopita, and the owner paying bills on a typewriter in the corner. When you’ve already stretched out your weekly dining budget, Cross Rhodes has a generously portioned souvlaki dinner you can provision for your next three meals (pro tip: get the white wine sauce on the rice). The country gyro—a gyro with Greek fries—is also a hearty lunch option. And nothing says small-town like watching a toddler test-drive a new set of molars on a gyro that weighs more than they do.
La Principal
La Principal is fun for a casual date night—as long as you’re okay with your date seeing you stuff a forkful of chilaquiles into your mouth. A speaker blaring hip-hop, heavy-handed cocktails, and a lengthy taco menu make La Principal busy well past closing hours. The restaurant is also neutral territory for compromising with picky eaters, where a simple Al Pastor taco is as satisfying and thoughtfully made as the pozoles rojo. The scene might be a little too lively/energetic for a business meeting or a family dinner, but it's your best bet in Evanston for a strong margarita and above-average Mexican.
NaKorn
NaKorn is a Thai restaurant that makes some of the most intricate dishes feel casual and approachable—like turning larb gai into chicken lettuce wraps. Less than two blocks from the University, you can find duck confit and sautéed tiger prawns in the same kitchen as your classic pad thai. That being said, NaKorn is handy whether you’re pairing it with reality TV at home, using it for a last-minute dinner with friends, or investigating your Hinge date’s spice tolerance. If you go for the date route, get a table by the window for a lifted view of the entire dining room.
Benison’s Bakery
If you closed your eyes and blindly pointed at the case at Benison’s, there’s a high chance that whatever you land on will be the best thing you’ve eaten all day. The classic flaky exterior and dense almond filling of the almond croissant will leave you seriously contemplating going to France. And even Benison’s cheddar biscuits are worth a trip here. Locals know Benison’s for both its world-renowned croissants and its annual paczki eating competition; it’s a common spot for spontaneous treats, commissioning cakes for special events, or scoring impressive housewarming pastries.
Mensch’s Deli
Mensch’s has the food of a deli but the feel of a diner. In fact, they took over the previously adored Golden Olympic Diner, and with it, the pressure of replacing a mourned relic. They preserved the 1960s aesthetics—metal-banded tables and green-band patterned plates—but Mensch’s brings a taste of Jewish soul food that still emulates the collaborative comfort of a Sunday morning oneg. Order a classic Reuben at the Katz-style deli counter or sit in for a full meal of bottomless brew and creamy, powdered sugar-covered blintzes.
Mustard’s Last Stand
The food at Mustard’s won’t change your life. But that’s not why people have been coming here since hot dogs were 50 cents: it's a local institution whose history is displayed by ‘90s Northwestern team rosters, signed posters of sports legends, and Chicago memorabilia plastered along its walls. The hot dog stand approaches University territory, but you’ll mostly find Evanstonians on their lunch break or a young couple feeding each other french fries on the hood of their car. If hot dogs aren’t your vice, the onion rings and mozzarella sticks will still transport you back to the era of bell-bottoms and landline telephones.
Burl
Burl is less than a year old, but our forecast says it’ll be a cult classic for patio drinks, families of the northern suburbs, and college students looking to poach a free meal off of their parents. The menu leans American with a heavy emphasis on locally sourced vegetables like the roasted carrots or eggplant conserva. Combined with the open-air kitchen and floor-to-ceiling windows, Burl screams date night without the inevitable food coma afterward. The front patio tucked to the side of Prairie Ave is also a quiet alcove that’s perfect for apero hour or a Sunday brunch.
Lefty’s Righteous Bagels
For a region of the country that gets a lot of flak for its bagel culture, Lefty's gives grounds for reconsideration. The Moira Rose—gouda, ham, and chive cream cheese—puts up a fair fight against the East Coast bagel supremacy. People looking for a schmear should head for the lemon dill and cacio e pepe flavors for a saltier finish, and the honey vanilla for a sweeter touch. If the decisions get daunting, make a DIY flight by getting a plain bagel to dip into your choice of 2oz schmears.
Five and Dime
Five and Dime is simply a good time: football on flatscreens, fairy lights, and perpetual grill smoke. Everyone gets the tuna poke for a fresh summer dish, but other than that, stick to drinks. On any summer night, the rooftop is bound to be packed with local families, dads on their nights off from the kids, and girlfriends catching up over a round—or three—of Aperol spritzes. The restaurant is definitely more of a summer spot, so try to catch a nightcap and rooftop sunset while the weather cooperates.
Campagnola
On the spectrum from overly sexy to stale date spots, Campagnola lands in the middle as a wholesomely romantic Italian joint. You can turn up the heat by meeting your date in the middle of a spaghetti noodle, or keep it casual by introducing them to your parents over a bottle of pinot. It’s fitting to come to an Italian restaurant and order red meat like the pork chop or short rib, but don’t underestimate their lighter dishes like the salmon and diver scallops. And if you save room for dessert, which you should, they have a sticky toffee date cake that gives Hogsalt’s sticky date cake a run for its money.
Kuni’s
Kuni’s feels like an omakase: the only sounds are sushi knives against cutting boards and people slurping miso soup, and the temperature spikes slightly from the combined heat of green tea kettles and miso soup on every table. The sushi is good, but you’re better off prioritizing the Japanese classics you usually don’t find in the suburbs: the pork tonkatsu is a shareable size and easy to mix with other dishes, and the udon is more comforting than your average bowl. And though Kuni’s is a meal meant to be shared, it’s also a safe place to hunker down in the corner with a book and bento box.
