Top Restaurants in Evanston: The Alcove Evanston

The Alcove’s only ‘secret menu’ item: the soufflé.

Hidden below Evanston’s very own metra station lies Alcove Evanston a contemporary restaurant. They offer high-quality service and food with a lovely ambiance that includes indoor and outdoor dining. Also, spoiler alert it may be home to the best meal and dessert my partner and I have tried in the whole state of Illinois.

You may know it as Chef’s Station as it only became named Alcove in 2020 as the pandemic hit. Before the craziness that was 2020 Chef Elio Romero and his team decided to do some major renovations giving the restaurant a new fresh, contemporary, and clean look. Unfortunately, as dining bans hit Illinois they had to quickly adapt. Eventually, they were able to fully re-open and are happy to see their guest returning as more and more get vaccinated.

To learn more about Alcove Evanston, I spoke with their General Manager, Mike. Just from our conversation, I could hear how proud Mike was of not just the restaurant but, Chef Elio Romero and everything he has done to shape the restaurant into what it is today. Chef Elio is truly inspirational as he is self-taught and has worked his way up the chain for over 15 years to now owning the Alcove. He is very careful about each aspect of the restaurant from plating, the menus, ambiance, and more.

Alcove Evanston, not only offers a wonderful fine dining experience but they have a collection of wines from around the world and they are one of the few restaurants in the area that serve Fois Gras and Souffles!

Come Monday night I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I learned about the Alcove and had to go try it out for myself. Wow, my partner and I were beyond blown away. We easily made reservations before opening and were quickly seated in an open patio to enjoy the sunshine here in Evanston (We will be back for indoor dining as the ambiance was calming and extremely welcoming).

Tuna tartare (Photo from Alcove Facebook), bar seating, soufflé, (diner’s full meal—lamb, octopus, duck)

To start we glanced through the wine selection and to our surprise they offered not just by the bottle or glass but, also half bottles. Perfect for any couple or friends looking to relax. We tried a spectacular bottle of Malbec at a great price that paired perfectly with our meal.

For appetizers, we had to try their grilled Spanish baby octopus which is a favorite among many. Grilled to perfection it was served with avocado, cauliflower, and a sauce that was licked up until it was gone. As someone who loves grilled octopus, I was so happy to try this.

For the main course, we enjoyed their mini lamb meatballs and maple leaf duck breast. These dishes were so good it was almost difficult to have a full conversation beyond omg and wow.

The meatballs were packed full of a strong lamb flavor and served with the most delectable chimichurri sauce and eggplant. I love eggplant, but this took it to a new level.

As for the maple leaf duck breast, well, no words can truly describe how delicious it was. Not only were the duck and beets great, but the ricotta gnocchi made me feel like I was back in Italy.

Lastly, to end our meal we couldn’t go home without trying a soufflé. The flavors change and this week they offered lemon and a Grand Marnier. We went with Grand Marnier and it was impressive. Served with a chocolate Grand Marnier sauce and gelator this put all of our quarantine souffle attempts to shame. Chef Elio, if you do read this we are curious to know if you bake 3 at a time or not?

Overall, easily one of the best meals I have had in Evanston and even Chicago. They have many other dishes that look interesting from a grilled rack of lamb, short ribs, to a goat cheese tart! There are also weekly specials like an Alaskan halibut with Patagonian red shrimp and English pea ravioli with wild ramps in saffron.

Whether you are looking to celebrate, a new date night spot, or just a good meal with friends I highly recommend coming and checking out Alcove Evanston, this is not a place to miss! Plus, they will be having a 3-course Mothers’ Day Brunch so be sure to reserve your spot now.