Patrons at North Pond get generous helpings of Chicago skyline views and museum-quality Arts and Crafts decor in a 1912 Lincoln Park building. Chef Bruce Sherman’s seasonal French-American cuisine has been a fine-dining favorite since 1999, and his food stands out among the city’s best. Sherman practiced farm-to-table cooking long before it became fashionable, and as many as 50 Midwest sustainable farmers supply his restaurant. “It’s gratifying to see trends come up when I’ve believed in and practiced this approach for years,” he says. “It’s the right thing to do.”

A $33 three-course Sunday brunch is the most affordable way to dine here; tasting menus are $85. In summer, expect apricots, peaches and French heirloom melon with sockeye salmon. For dessert, try banana and coconut cake topped with dollops of pineapple sorbet. Reservations suggested. (773) 477-5845; northpondrestaurant.com [1]