Fab Happenings: Downtown Evanston Dining Tour 2016

Did you know that Downtown Evanston is the dining capital of Chicago’s North Shore? It has always been but the food scene is trendier than ever, complete with brewpubs, American classics, small plates and restaurants with a sustainability mindset.

Downtown Evanston and Chicago’s North Shore hosted two enjoyable dining tours, where a few of my Instagram friends and I got to experience five top-notch restaurants at each tour. Each group stopped at each restaurant for 30 minutes to enjoy featured dishes and drinks. We were able to tour all the restaurants to get a feel for the whole dining experience.

It did rain for both tours but it didn’t stop us foodies from conquering all the restaurants. Check out where we went and what we ate!

TOUR 1:

For TOUR 1, we started off at Boltwood…

1) Boltwood

Boltwood brings a true farm-to-table experience to Evanston. The ever-changing menu highlights locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients ensuring the highest quality and freshness. Brian Houston (Owner/Chef) comes from a remarkable background and has worked at highly-respected kitchens like Spiaggia, Blackbird, Avec, and The Publican. But his true dream was to open up a restaurant in Evanston, where he grew up, and so Boltwood was born. The space is warm like their hospitality. Together with his wife, Chrissy Prieto, they have been serving the Evanston community with open arms since 2014.

We tried the summer squash pickles, hewn house bread, and four dishes… plus dessert. Here are a few standouts…

The Crispy Potatoes were fried to perfection and the Garlic Schmaltz was a nice complement to the dish.

The La Quercia ham with Brun-uusto cheese was so fresh and simply delicious. The saba, cantaloupe, mint, and pinenuts really brought out the flavors in the ham and cheese.

One of the crowd favorite bites was the raviolo + ricotta with corn, sage, and brown butter. The flavors all melted in your mouth and texture of the corn added a great consistency.

YUM 😍: raviolo w house made goat’s milk ricotta 🙌🏼 | @boltwoodevanston | 📍Evanston. We tried 5 Evanston restaurants last night — see ’em all before they disappear! 👻SNAP312FOOD

A photo posted by Chicago Food 🍴 (@312food) on Sep 29, 2016 at 2:39pm PDT

{Location}
Boltwood
Evanston || 804 Davis St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 859-2880

2) The Cellar at The Stained Glass

The Cellar is the sister restaurant of The Stained Glass but a more casual version. The menu is focused on globally-inspired small plates with an extensive beer, cocktail, and wine program.

We started off with a few cocktails. The Blood and Sand Martini had Cutty Sark blended Scotch Whisky, cherry heering, orange juice, and sweet vermouth. Cheers!

The Bacon-Wrapped Dates were heavenly. They were stuffed with chorizo sausage, arugula & Manchego cheese salad, and piquillo pepper vinaigrette.

The Grilled Lamp Chops were placed atop a bed of roasted fingerling potatoes, apple mustard, and lamb jus. It was so tender, juicy and savory.

FAB TIP: The Cellar now serves brunch, Saturdays and Sundays, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

{Location}
The Cellar at The Stained Glass
Evanston || 820 Clark St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 864-8678

3) Hearth Restaurant

Hearth Restaurant is located in the historical hotel, The Homestead. This space was formerly occupied by Quince and Trio. The rustic and casual atmosphere is warm and inviting. We were treated like royalty with a private room and full course meal. Wait, did I mention all the food we ate in 1 and 2? Nonetheless, we were ready to eat.

We started off with a few appetizers, salad, soup, etc. The Ahi Tuna Poke was a refreshing way to start the meal. The flavors were Asian-inspired with pineapple, avocado, soy, basil, and wasabi on a wonton chip.

The Carrot Soup with chicken croquette, smoked crème fraîche, and almond was the ideal warming soup for the cold, rainy weather.

The Seared Scallops was one of my favorite dishes at Hearth. It was a lighter dish with passion fruit, baby carrot, and almond but the cauliflower purée and ginger added a wonderful depth.

We had so much fun at the Downtown Evanston Dining Tour with @downtownevanston and @chicagonorthshore. The fab culinary tour included five top-restaurants {@boltwoodevanston, @hearth_evanston, @thecellar820, @smyliebros, and @five5dime}. The food scene is trendier than ever in downtown Evanston, complete with brewpubs, American classics, small plates, and restaurants with a sustainability mindset. Make sure to check out some #EvanstonEats! || 📷: @topchicagoeats || #downtownevanston #chicagonorthshore #fabfoodchicago Check out our Instagram stories & fabfoodchicago snap to see what else we ate!

A photo posted by Chicago Food Blog & Consulting (@fabfoodchicago) on Sep 28, 2016 at 6:48pm PDT

The Lamb Shank literally fell off the bone. It was a hearty plate served with potato gnocchi and tomato demi sauce. The cauliflower cous cous was a fantastic alternative to carbs and helped balance out the dish.

Of course, we had to get dessert. They actually made us two desserts. The Malted Chocolate Cream with brown butter cake, rum, and banana foster ice cream was divine.

It was definitely photo-worthy and so was @312food!

{Location}
Hearth Restaurant
Evanston || 1625 Hinman Ave, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 570-8400

4) Smylie Brothers Brewing Co.

Next, we headed to Smylie Brothers Brewing Co., a family-owned craft brewery and smokehouse. Some of us may or may not have started unbuttoning our pants. But as we walked in and smelled the smokiness of the BBQ, we were all rejuvenated to continue eating.

Their beers are brewed on-site (we got to tour) and change seasonally. They do have year round craft beers. Check their website for more info.

The Pale Ale Pretzel was ridiculous. It was served warm with a side of smoked gouda Farmhouse Ale fondue & house made beer mustard. Although I was stuffed, I managed to eat almost all of it. #noshame

Smylie Brothers serves several different wood-fired pizzas. We tried a variety plus the one pictured, which is the Spinach & Asiago pizza with Kalamata olives, shaved red onion, tomato sauce, and mozzarella. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, they offer a Smokehouse pizza with 14-hour smoked brisket, Texas mopping sauce, pickled jalapeños, tomato sauce, and Monterey jack cheese.

Here’s @marzlet in full focus mode.

There are five Smylie brothers all born within six years of each other. Their passion for BBQ was instilled to them by their Texan father. The menu has a great mix of Midwestern comfort food and Texas-style BBQ.

{Location}
Smylie Brothers Brewing Co.
Evanston || 1615 Oak Ave, Evanston, IL || P: (224) 999-7320

5) Five & Dime

Five & Dime is Evanston’s newest rooftop bar and grill. Although the rain prevented us from hanging out at the rooftop, I looked out and the space was impressive. The owners, Dan Kelch and Marty Cless, also own Taco Diablo and Lulu’s (soon to re-open), which are located on the ground floor. Where else can you get bar food, tacos, and Asian food, all in one building?

The drinks are thirst-quenching and strong so make sure to try one of their cocktails.

We started off with the Mucho Nachos, which were mucho big. There were generous layers of poblano & corn rajas, black beans, jalapeños, duck & pork chorizo and cheese.

Then we had the Carnitas Tortas with pork shoulder, tomatillo & chipotle, pickled onions & jalapeños, and pepper jack. You can tell they use high quality ingredients because everything tasted fresh and homemade.

You can’t forget about the BBQ Ribs. The smoked ribs had cherry and hickory bourbon BBQ sauce. It was the right amount of sweetness and tanginess.

{Location}
Five & Dime
Evanston || 1026 Davis St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 869-4343

I don’t know how we did it, but we prevailed through all five restaurants. We left with full bellies and happy memories of Downtown Evanston.

Two weeks later, I brought another group of Instagram friends to try five more restaurants. Here’s where we went and what we ate…

TOUR 2:

1) Cupitol Coffee & Eatery

Cupitol Coffee & Eatery is somewhere you could literally hang out all day. It has elements of a café, bakery, restaurant, and lounge. You can enjoy a nice espresso or freshly squeezed juice with some pastries in the morning, then have lunch and dinner, and even a cocktail, if desired. This counter-service, European-style eatery has an open space with lots of seating and modern touches.

But first…coffee. Their signature Iced Freddo was my favorite. Freddo is a Greek-inspired drink with espresso topped with light, foamy milk and cinnamon. How can you not like that combo? We also had a green juice with matcha, which was energizing.

You don’t usually expect cafés to have really good food but their menu proved us wrong. The Grilled BBQ Prawns (gluten-free) with made-to-order guacamole were incredible. They definitely don’t skimp out on the ingredients. Everything is handmade with locally-sourced ingredients.

🍤Grilled BBQ Prawn (GF)🍤 w/ made to order guacamole 💥💥💥 @cupitol has the best cafe food and you wouldn’t even think it came from a cafe. The owner set out to create a cafe that serves great food to match it’s great coffee. Give them a follow @cupitol and visit them next time you’re in Evanston!

A photo posted by Chicago Food Discovery (@dishroulette) on Oct 17, 2016 at 3:09pm PDT

We were delighted to try the pastries. There is full display case of these sweet treats which includes tarts, cookies, mousse cups, and more.

Day 288 / 366 • I’m TART-ally in love with @cupitol in @downtownevanston 💗Thanks to @fabfoodchicago and @chicagonorthshore for taking us on an amazing food tour and introduced me to this pretty coffee shop, @tacodiablorestaurant, @pastrycoralie, @foundkitchen and @whiskeythiefchi. 🙌 After the tour, “food coma” is an understatement of how I felt. 🐷😂• • • #nomchicago #EvanstonEats #todayfood #sweet #desserts #treats #chocolate #handsinframe #fwx #foodintheair #eater #zagat #foodandwine #myfab5 #cheatmeal #cheatday #chitown #Evanston #yahoofood #mychicagopix #igerschicago #dailyfoodfeed #buzzfeast #igfood #thisisfall

A photo posted by Uyen Tran 🦄 Chicago (@fromuyenwithlove) on Oct 13, 2016 at 3:09pm PDT

{Location}
Cupitol Coffee & Eatery
Evanston || 812 Grove St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 868-8078

2) Taco Diablo

As mentioned in the first tour, Taco Diablo is run by the same owners of Five & Dime. Taco Diablo reopened end of August after a devastating fire in 2013. We’re so glad it is back in business in Evanston. The menu includes starters, salads, tacos, tortas, and more. And, YES… we tried it all!

Had a great time at the Downtown Evanston Dining Tour, which included @cupitol, @tacodiablorestaurant, @pastrycoralie, @foundkitchen, and @whiskeythiefchi. #EvanstonEats #fabfoodchicago

A photo posted by Chicago Foodie 🍴 (@topchicagoeats) on Oct 12, 2016 at 9:09pm PDT

I highly recommend the Elote Esquite with sweet corn & roasted poblano, carmelized onion, chili piquin, and cotija. I could have eaten a whole bowl for dinner.

The tacos were outstanding. We had the Spicy Shrimp with grilled shrimp, chili aioli, and radish & cabbage as well as the Lamb Barbacoa, which is braised in maguey leaf and topped with avocado salsa and pickled red onion.

Oh, and you won’t want to miss out on the Chilaques with smothered corn tortillas, rajas, guajillo, queso fresco, fried egg with pork or chicken!

I’ll admit, before the only reason I ever go to Evanston is because of Buff Joe’s wings. However, after last night’s @downtownevanston tour hosted by @fabfoodchicago and @chicagonorthshore , it totally changed my view. I didn’t know it has so many dining options, and it’s very comparable to city dining! Not to mention it’s right next to the Metra and CTA Purple Line 💜 One of my favorites from the tour is this Chilaquiles from @tacodiablorestaurant 😍 Cheers to a great night with food and friends ❤ . . . . . #EATALIZE #312food #beautifulcuisines #cheatmeal #chicagoeats #chicagofoodie #chicagofoodmag #dailyfoodfeed #eaterchicago #eatfamous #eattheworld #foodheaven #fabfoodchicago #foodandwine #foodtography #foodpornshare #f52grams #huffposttaste #lovefood #newforkcity #nomnom #laeats #tastingtable #zagat #dishroulette #evanstoneats #downtownevanston #chicagonorthshore #tacos #mexicanfood

A post shared by Rosie M. (@eat.around.the.rosie) on Oct 13, 2016 at 10:26am PDT

{Location}
Taco Diablo
Evanston || 1026 Davis St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 868-8229

3) Patisserie Coralie

Ooh la la! Patisserie Coralie is the cutest pastry shop and café in town. With elegant chandeliers, custom-made furniture, and “Paris Rooftop” wallpaper, you’ll be sure to have an authentic French experience. As a French born restaurateur, Pascal Berthoumieux (Owner), is passionate about bringing the French life to Evanston. He also owns Bistro Bordeaux and Crêperie Saint-Germain, both in Evanston.

The menu includes traditional French pastries, cookies, croissants (OK, I’m going to come back to this!), macarons, and more.

Did you know that @downtownevanston is the dining capital of @chicagonorthshore? We checked out some #EvanstonEats at 5 culinary hot spots: @cupitol, @tacodiablorestaurant, @pastrycoralie, @foundkitchen, and @whiskeythiefchi. Make sure to check out the food scene in Evanston! || #downtownevanston #chicagonorthshore #fabfoodchicago See what else we ate on Instagram Story and Snap.

A photo posted by Chicago Food Blog & Consulting (@fabfoodchicago) on Oct 12, 2016 at 7:04pm PDT

So… let me tell you about these croissants. They were seriously the best croissants I’ve had in the States… buttery, flaky, highly addictive! It transported me back to Paris. Oui, oui!

Hands-down the BEST chocolate croissant I’ve had in the Chicagoland area. I discovered it yesterday on a food tour of Evanston at @pastrycoralie and I can’t recommend enough that you need this croissant in your life. I mean, just look at all those flaky layers.😍

A photo posted by Vegetarian Tourist (@vegtourist) on Oct 13, 2016 at 7:14pm PDT

The macarons were a popular item as well… delectable AND photogenic.

Even the guys (@dishroulette & @likefoodchicago) got into the pastries. This food Instagramming thing is serious business.

{Location}
Patisserie Coralie
Evanston || 600 Davis St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 905-0491

4) Found Kitchen and Social House

Found is a farm-to-table with a focus on seasonal ingredients and globally-inspired shared plates. Where did the name come from? “The name?  It grows out of the fact that we find everything.  We find our food. We find our furniture.  We find our friends.  And we find ourselves.” ~Amy Morton

The space is relaxed as if you were at someone’s home. It is decorated with salvaged, repurposed, and/or recycled furniture… inspired by 1920’s Bohemian Paris.

We started off with one of their signature dishes, the Lamb Meatballs with pistachio chimichurri and mint yogurt. The Mediterranean-inspired dish was a hit. The majority of their products are delivered daily directly from the farmers themselves.

We also tried a lot of veggie focused dishes like this Masala Fried Cauliflower with house-made yogurt. When you fry vegetables, it tends to get soggy but this wasn’t the case with the cauliflower. I liked how the batter was light and airy.

We couldn’t resist the photo op.

{Location}
Found Kitchen and Social House
Evanston || 1631 Chicago Ave, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 868-8945

5) Whiskey Thief Tavern

Whiskey Thief Tavern is a whiskey and burger focused restaurant from the teams behind Pearl Tavern, Bar Marta, and Bar 63. They boast over 70 different types of whiskies, 24 wines by the glass, and beer flights.

The space has something for everyone. There’s the comfortable “library” area where you can enjoy a drink, bar area if you want something quick to eat, and quiet booths inside large open barrels, if you want a little privacy.

Now onto the food. For starters, we tried the Crab Deviled Eggs with colossal crab, smoked paprika, and Grana Padano. It was unique and different from the traditional deviled eggs. The Grana Padano cheese is like parmesan, which added a wonderful creaminess to the dish.

Then we had the Chicken Wings. We got both kinds… buffalo & blue cheese and whisky BBQ & buttermilk ranch. I loved the whisky BBQ. The wings were crispy but tender on the inside.

The burgers are the star of the food menu. The House Cheeseburger was simple but well-prepared. It had dijonnaise, pickles, and red onions with the option to add bacon. If I wasn’t so full, I would have eaten the whole burger.

Growing up I spent a lot of time hanging out in Evanston and now I’m happy to see its restaurant scene thriving. Check out our restaurant crawl through @DowntownEvanston including 5 stops at @cupitol, @tacodiablorestaurant, @pastrycoralie, @foundkitchen, and @whiskeythiefchi. Catch more eats on my Insta Story and Snapchat! 📷: insanely delicious cheeseburger from a former Au Cheval chef at Whiskey Thief || #theghostguest #evanstoneats #chicagonorthshore #downtownevanston #spoonfeed #f52grams #foodgasm #dailyfoodfeed #yelp #zagat #buzzfeast #eater #eatmunchies #eatingfortheinsta #todayfood #devourpower #eatfamous #eatthis #forkyeah #foodagram #igfood #feedfeed #eeeeeats #eattheworld #feedyoursoull #fwx #🍔#burger #cheeseburger

A photo posted by Chicago Food Blogger (@amandatopper) on Oct 13, 2016 at 5:39am PDT

{Location}
Whiskey Thief Tavern
Evanston || 616 Davis St, Evanston, IL || P: (847) 859-2342

Now you can see why Downtown Evanston is the dining capital of Chicago’s North Shore. With these 10 fabulous restaurants, how can you not visit for some #EvanstonEats?

Have you been to any of these restaurants? Let me know your thoughts.

Live the Fab Food Life,
Soo

//Special Thanks//

Thank you Chicago’s North Shore and Downtown Evanston for hosting such a fun night!

Thank you for coming out and supporting us!
@312food @amandatopper @chicagofoodstories @dishroulette @eat.around.the.rosie @fromuyenwithlove @likefoodchicago @marzlet @natty_s_pantry @rach.esq @sherriesavorsthecity @vegtourist

Congrats Instagram winners! We’re so excited you could join us!
@enfoodiast @eatcravelove

Thanks to our contributing photographers!
@likefoodchicago @natty_s_pantry @eat.around.the.rosie

Fab Team:
@fabsoopark @topchicagoeats

Note: This post was sponsored by Chicago’s North Shore and Downtown Evanston. However, the views and opinions expressed herein are those of the writer.