The 14 best restaurants in Uptown

This no-frills joint tempts passersby with lacquer-skinned roast ducks hanging by their necks in the steamed-up window. The menu is expansive but inexpensive: The Pei Par BBQ duck and the Hong Kong–style barbecued pig are sublime in their simplicity, savory and slick with fat. Chinese broccoli arrives jade-green and crisp, and the beef chow fun comes out charred and tasting of the properly smoking wok. Even the egg rolls are notable, dotted with bits of roasted pork. Our advice? Order lots and eat the leftovers at home.

When the French controlled Vietnam, baguettes crossed cultures, and one of the finest results of this is the banh mi sandwich. They’re plentiful in this area, but this bakery creates most of the bread restaurants use, so go try the source, a cute and colorful counter-service spot with stimulation galore. Jump in line for the barbecue pork or the Ba Le special, which piles housemade pâté, headcheese and pork onto a baguette with tangy carrot and daikon slivers, cilantro and jalapeño. Grab a coconut custard (served in an actual coconut!) for an interesting ending.

In Thai, Immm means "I'm stuffed," which is an appropriate name for this Uptown restaurant that has a mile-long menu of traditional delicacies. If you visit with a group of friends, it will ensure that you're able to try a bit of everything—from the refreshing green papaya salad that's studded with peanuts and dried shrimp to gaeng tae poe, a rich tamarind red curry with pork belly and spinach. Flank your meal with an order of fried shrimp wontons to start and mango sticky rice for dessert.

For some, Sundays are for church. For others, it’s dim sum. This spot offers one of the largest selections in town and proves the most consistent overall. Families flock to the giant banquet space to settle in for the barrage of carts that wheel past, brimming with a dozen different dumplings (shrimp-peanut, chive and pork stand out), fluffy buns (barbecue pork and pan-fried veggie-pork are awesome) and various fried and steamed morsels of hangover-absorbing snacks. Don’t miss the taro puff, ribs, pot stickers and sweet egg-custard tarts.

Thought this was just a bar to belly up to with a Belgian brew in hand? One bite and you’ll know there’s much more. Our perfect night involves sampling the drafts at the bar while slurping down the famous ale-steamed mussels, but you could also class it up, grab a proper table and dig into seasonal rotations such as wood-roasted spring chicken with morels and favas, available in the spring. Beer geeks know this is the place in town to school their palate on craft brews, and they do come in droves.

It will probably take you longer to peruse the lengthy menu at this traditional Vietnamese restaurant than it will to scarf down your order when it arrives. It's all part of the charm. Skip the pho in favor of the deeply aromatic bò xảo ớt, or lemongrass chili beef stir-fried with hot peppers, onions and bell peppers. Save room for sometimes sweet to cap off your meal—the bánh chuối hấp nước dừa is a rich but satisfying steamed banana cake with sweet coconut milk sauce.

Known simply as "Tank" to most, this spot is the answer for indecisive diners wandering Argyle Street. For Vietnamese-food pros, authentic picks are done well; for novices, the staff is apt with helpful suggestions. Lotus-root salad is everything this cuisine can be—limey and minty with shrimp flavor, crunchy peanuts and a subtle chili kick. The pho is among the best around.

What this fine-dining restaurant lacks in size it makes up for in decadence. Each course of the prix-fixe menu is expertly plated to showcase the freshest ingredients the kitchen can get its hands on—from spring peas and watermelon to trout roe and uni. It's the kind of place where each dish appears at your table as an edible masterpiece—begging to be adored before it's devoured. Brass Heart is also one of the only fine-dining spots in town to serve an entirely vegan tasting menu, though you must book at least 48 hours in advance. 

Traditional Jewish delis are synonymous with carnivorous delights, from pastrami and corned beef to lox. Imagine our surprise, then, when a Jewish vegan deli opened in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood. What could easily sway into blasphemy is made lovable by husband-and-wife team Andy and Gina Kalish, who painstakingly recreate the classics sans meat. Vegan versions of smoked whitefish, corned beef, pastrami and lox grace the menu, as do iconic add-ons like homemade bagels, latkes and giant black and white cookies.

The unassuming restaurant feels more like the waiting room at a doctor's office—decor includes fish tanks and stacks of magazines—but the food transcends the surroundings. Start with fried dried beef, a more supple version of beef jerky that comes with an addictive lime, fish sauce and chili dipping sauce. The menu focuses on excellent pan-fried noodles and rice dishes, like pad kee mao, which has lightly crisp edges and spicy black bean sauce, and tender, roast duck tossed with basil and served over rice.

What started as a food truck has blossomed into a brick-and-mortar business with two locations (the other is in Humboldt Park). And it's not hard to see why—the indulgent eats at Lucy's deserve to be consumed while sitting down. Diners can indulge in stacked burgers, fried chicken, loaded fries and decadent milkshakes. Here for the poultry? Go with the spicy fried chicken sandwich, laced with cooling coleslaw and American cheese. Looking for something richer? The Juicy Lucy's double patties are hiding a pocket of melty American cheese. Get your sugar fix in the form of a milkshake, vintage soda or soft serve cone.

Seafood’s the name of the game at this modest Chinese staple, so start off right with clams bathed in a spicy black bean sauce or a huge spicy-and-salted crab, deep fried and tossed with onions and peppers. Not feeling seafood? A dish of Szechuan string beans adds some green to the table, while the crispy chicken is a half or whole bird with golden, crackly skin and fresh lemon and spiced salt.

Sure, it’s mostly known for brunch and rightfully so: You haven’t had a Bloody Mary until you’ve had one here with the corn arepas. But anybody who’s tried one of Tweet’s layer cakes (also served at the bar next door, Big Chicks) knows dessert here is a must. Whether red velvet or yellow cake with chocolate frosting, these cakes taste as if they were baked by a loving mother, or at least a loving den mother—which is exactly what Tweet’s owner, Michelle Fire, is.