Rootstock Wine & Beer Bar

The novella-length menu at this cozy, low-key Humboldt Park alcove contains loving and helpful descriptions of an impressive selection of wines and beers. But if you still have no idea where to start, ask—everyone behind the bar is willing to let you taste through options until you find a wine you’ll love. The list includes lots of gems, most for less than $10 a glass, and the majority of bottles are under $100. To fuel all the wine-drinking, the food menu includes an array of small plates served until 1am. The food leans gastropub, and the menu changes daily, but you’ll always be able to order an excellent cheese and charcuterie plate, with a silky, housemade chicken liver pate and a rotating selection of interesting cheeses. This is the kind of warm, simple neighborhood place you’ll never want—or need—to leave.