Sarah Grueneberg left Spiaggia to open her own restaurant, Monteverde, in late 2015, but while she brought along the masterful Italian techniques she honed there, she left the fine dining trappings on Michigan Avenue.
The vibe: Monteverde is bustling with the after-work crowd for cocktails and bites at the bar, and dinner dates in the dining room. We recommend going later for an easier time snagging a bar seat. The vibe is casual, but the food makes the evening feel special.
The food: Fill your table with a smogasboard of small plates, handmade pastas and shareable mains. You absolutely mustn't skip the burrata e ham starter—which comes with warm English muffin-like rounds called tigelle—nor the spaghetti al pomodoro, a simple but soul-affirming dish that stars Grueneberg's spot-on roasted tomato sauce.
The drinks: The cocktails have Italian tinges, like Aran-tini (a gin-based sip with Empirical plum, arancia rossa, and extra-dry vermouth) and Bay of Naples (apricot-infused rye, Calabrian amaro, bay leaf and lime). If you’re leaning toward vino, you can’t go wrong with any of the selects served by the glass.
Time Out tip: Avoiding gluten? No problem. Monteverde offers a lengthy GF menu, which is packed with pastas, shared plates, sides and snacks.
Updated with reporting by Lauren Brocato