Best Hidden Gems Restaurants in Avondale & North Center (60618)
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Anelya
Ukrainian tasting-menu spot with a roaming zakusky cart and serious wine list.
Notable Picks
#1
Anelya
8.7
Anelya is an intimate Avondale dining room where a Ukrainian tasting-menu format, zakusky cart, and Eastern European wine list turn dinner into a slow, lingering date. Candlelit lighting, detailed plating, and a tight reservation-only schedule keep the room feeling special rather than rushed.
Must-Try Dishes:
Borsch, Varenyky dumplings, Kyiv cake
What makes it special: Ukrainian tasting-menu spot with a roaming zakusky cart and serious wine list.
8.7
Vibes:
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Hidden Gems Heaven
Solo Dining Sanctuaries
A North Center staple for more than three decades, Taqueria El Asadero focuses almost entirely on grilled skirt steak tacos, burritos, and other no-frills standards. The constantly sizzling plancha, fresh tortillas, and cash-only counter setup keep the line moving for both quick lunches and late-night takeout.
Must-Try Dishes:
Carne asada tacos, Lengua tacos, Steak burrito
What makes it special: Skirt steak is grilled nonstop for some of the area’s most beloved carne asada tacos.
8.7
Vibes:
Comfort Food Classics
Cheap Eats Budget Brilliance
Quick Bites Champions
Family Friendly Favorites
Honey Butter Fried Chicken is a fast-casual Avondale classic where crispy fried chicken, corn muffins, and rich sides anchor a small comfort-food menu. High-volume crowds and years of press attention haven’t erased its neighborhood feel, especially on the patio in good weather.
Must-Try Dishes:
Original Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Pimento Mac 'N Cheese, The Original Fried Chicken Sandwich
What makes it special: Fried chicken plus honey butter and sides in a backyard-feeling patio.
#4
Eden
8.6
Eden is a produce-driven Avondale restaurant where a seasonal New American menu leans on house-grown herbs, bright vegetables, and Mediterranean touches. The spacious dining room and patio make it a neighborhood destination for occasions that want polished cooking without feeling formal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Whipped Feta with Wood-Fired Pita, Charred Carrots with Labneh, Seasonal Housemade Pasta
What makes it special: Seasonal, vegetable-forward New American cooking anchored by an on-site garden.
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Comfort Food Classics
Date Night Magic
Group Dining Gatherings
Mirabella is a classic Italian steakhouse on Addison where red-sauce pastas share the table with grilled steaks and chops. Locals lean on it for hearty linguine with clams, big plates, and old-school service in a dark, clubby room that works for birthdays as easily as date nights.
Must-Try Dishes:
Linguine with clams (white sauce), Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and shrimp, Tiramisu
What makes it special: Italian steakhouse energy with big pastas, steaks, and old-school hospitality.
8.3
Staropolska is a long-running Polish dining room where pierogi, schnitzel, and stewed meats come in generous portions at modest prices. Locals treat it as a go-to for hearty family dinners and old-world comfort without traveling to the more touristy parts of town.
Must-Try Dishes:
Pierogi sampler, Breaded pork schnitzel, Stuffed cabbage rolls
What makes it special: Classic Polish recipes served in big, comforting portions at neighborhood prices.
8.3
A neighborhood fixture since the 1960s, Angelo's Wine Bar pairs thin-crust pizzas and pastas with a full "Buns & Wings" section and weekly wing specials. Regulars treat it as a hybrid pizzeria, wine bar, and sports hangout where saucy wings share the table with cocktails and bottles.
Must-Try Dishes:
Signature Wings (three sauce styles), Classic Thin Crust Pizza, Angelo's Burger
What makes it special: Long-running wine bar where pizza, pasta, and promo-priced wings overlap.
Worthy Picks
#8
DMen Tap
7.8
DMen Tap is a fantasy-and-gaming themed bar in East Avondale where German street food staples like döner kebabs and currywurst come out of a truck-style window at the back. It’s as much about the scene—arcade cabinets, board games, and late-night hours—as it is about the hearty bar food.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chicken Döner Box, Currywurst with fries, Giant pretzel with beer cheese
What makes it special: German street food from a bar window in a D&D-inspired hangout with serious beer and mead.