Evanston Remains Among Nation's Best Suburbs For Food Lovers

EVANSTON, IL — For a suburb, Evanston has truly "destination-worthy" dining, according to a new list. Last month Thrillist identified 11 suburbs around the country distinguished by food that's truly worth a trip to town.

Evanston was one the only Illinois suburb and one of just three in the Midwest region to make the website's list. Previously, it suggested, there was little reason for foodies to make a trip to Evanston, but the city's diverse range of offerings now offer many culinary reasons to make a detour north of Howard Street.

The website highlighted Edzo's for its "gorgeously griddled burgers," Found for its "refined rusticness," The Peckish Pig as the spot to satisfy "pork cravings," the curry goat at Claire's Korner, Taiwanese cuisine at 527 Cafe, the cocktails at Ward 8 and the Evanston institutions of the Chicken Shack and Bennison's Bakery.

At the end of last month, renowned downtown restaurant Boltwood permanently shuttered after four years, with its owners citing the high cost of doing business.

During a recent discussion of City Council goals, several aldermen said downtown Evanston restaurants said they have trouble attracting top staff, who often prefer to work in Chicago in return for better pay and a shorter commute.

For the rest of the week, numerous Evanston eateries are among the dozens of participating restaurants in North Shore Restaurant Month, with menu specials and deals on offer.

In alphabetical order, here are the other 10 cities selected in the Thrillist list, which are identical to those it released in 2017:

• Annandale, Virginia
• Beaverton, Oregon
• Bellevue, Washington
• Dearborn, Michigan
• Decatur, Georgia
• Dublin, Ohio
• Larkspur, California
• Pearland, Texas
• Round Rock, Texas
• Winter Park, Florida