Best Trendy Restaurants in Lakeview & Wrigleyville (60657)
8 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: January 2026
Our Top Pick
Coda Di Volpe
Southern Italian cooking with serious wood-fired pizzas and housemade pastas backed by high-volume, high-rating review data.
Notable Picks
8.9
Coda Di Volpe is a Southern Italian restaurant on the Southport Corridor known for VPN-certified Neapolitan pizzas, housemade pastas, and a polished but relaxed dining room. With strong Google and Yelp ratings across thousands of reviews and frequent praise from local guides, it functions as Lakeview’s destination for wood-fired Italian with room for both families and dates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Super Diavola pizza, Bucatini Bianco, Burrata with seasonal accompaniments
What makes it special: Southern Italian cooking with serious wood-fired pizzas and housemade pastas backed by high-volume, high-rating review data.
#2
Wood
8.8
Wood is a Northalsted fixture and multi-time Michelin Bib Gourmand winner, specializing in seasonally driven small plates, house-butchered meats, and creative cocktails. Its dark wood-paneled room, lively bar, and patio make it a prime choice for anniversaries, milestone birthdays, and celebratory nights out in the neighborhood.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dry-aged steak frites, Wood 3.0 burger, Escargot vol-au-vent
What makes it special: A Bib Gourmand–recognized Northalsted spot where seasonal plates, serious cocktails, and a polished-but-fun room feel built for celebrations.
8.7
DMK Burger Bar is a Lakeview fixture for grass-fed burgers, serious fries, and a substantial craft beer list in a lively gastropub setting. Since 2009, the team behind David Morton and chef Michael Kornick has turned the space into a reliable go-to for both classic cheeseburgers and more composed builds.
Must-Try Dishes:
Classic Cheese burger, Rambler burger, Parmesan truffle fries
What makes it special: Grass-fed gourmet burgers and standout fries anchored by a deep beer list.
8.6
Vibes:
Brewery & Beer Garden Republic
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
DryHop Brewers is a Lakeview East brewpub known for rotating house beers, a lively crowd, and bar food that’s treated with more care than it has to be. With hundreds of Yelp and Google reviews and regular press attention, it functions as both a neighborhood hang and a dependable stop on Chicago brewery crawls.
Must-Try Dishes:
DryHop burger, Maple bacon wings, Cheese curds
What makes it special: A European-inspired brewpub where house beers share equal billing with bar food that’s actually worth a trip.
8.6
Farm Bar’s menu leans hard into Midwestern comfort, and its hand-cut fries are treated like a core part of the burger and fish-and-chips playbook rather than an afterthought. The cozy wood-lined room and sidewalk patio make it an easy neighborhood choice when you want fries with actual potato flavor plus sturdier mains and local beer.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hand-Cut French Fries, Farmhouse Burger, Fish and Chips
What makes it special: Farm-to-table tavern fare where properly salted, skin-on fries anchor burger and fish plates.
#6
Ella Elli
8.3
Ella Elli is a dimly lit Southport Corridor wine bar where sharable Mediterranean-leaning plates, polished cocktails, and a fireplace-backed room make it one of Lakeview’s most reliable date-night setups. Couples lean on it for split-able pastas, focaccia-style pizzas, and a deep cocktail list that rewards lingering rather than rushing through dinner.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cacio e Pepe, Ricotta Gnocchi, Profiteroles with espresso chocolate sauce
What makes it special: A cocktail-forward wine bar built around shareable plates and a fireplace-lit, living-room-calibrated dining room.
8.0
Little Goat Diner brings Stephanie Izard’s globally inspired diner cooking to the Southport Corridor with all-day breakfast, playful comfort food, and a bright, graphic space. It’s the trendy, family-friendly choice for pancakes, hash browns, and burgers that feel more cheffy than classic greasy-spoon fare.
Must-Try Dishes:
Bull’s Eye French Toast with fried chicken, The Hash Browns with white cheddar, Chili Crunch Burger
What makes it special: A chef-driven diner from Stephanie Izard where brunch plates and burgers come with playful global twists.
Worthy Picks
7.8
Kazka City Cafe is a newer Ukrainian café and bakery on Lincoln that leans into syrniki, stuffed potato pancakes, and ornate cakes in a highly designed, photo-ready space. It’s more casual than the bigger names in Lakeview but increasingly draws a brunch and coffee crowd looking for something different from the typical American menu.
Must-Try Dishes:
Syrniki pancakes, Potato pancakes with smoked salmon, Honey cake
What makes it special: A design-forward Ukrainian café where syrniki, potato pancakes, and elaborate pastries offer a different take on Lakeview brunch.