Ema

"Ema is a Mediterranean small plates restaurant, and all the dishes are designed for sharing. You can keep it simple with basics like hummus and kefta, or order some of the more interesting dishes like the parmesan farro "risotto" with mushroom ragu. Whatever you do, make sure you order extra housemade pita—it’s excellent. Also good to know? There are plenty of round tables that can easily seat mid-sized groups, and they have a nice sidewalk patio, too." - adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"Skewers are by their nature an ideal street food, but that doesn’t mean everyone wants to chow down in humble digs. For an upscale take, there’s modern Mediterranean restaurant Ema from chef CJ Jacobson and Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, a breezy and beautiful spot in River North. A section of the menu is entirely dedicated to kebabs such as grilled halloumi, chicken kefta, lamb and beef kefta, and salmon with sweet peppers." - Naomi Waxman, Ashok Selvam

"Ema is a Mediterranean small plates restaurant, and all the dishes are designed for sharing. You can keep lunch simple with basics like hummus and kefta, or order some of the more interesting dishes like the farro "risotto" with sweet corn. Whatever you do, make sure you order extra housemade pita—it’s excellent. Also good to know? There are plenty of round tables that can easily seat mid-sized groups, and they have a nice sidewalk patio for day drinking, too." - adrian kane, veda kilaru

"Sticking a few tables on a busy sidewalk typically doesn’t count as a quality outdoor experience. And while that’s technically the set-up at Ema in River North, the fact that the area in question is walled off with fencing and plants makes it feel more secluded than your average sidewalk patio. Sit outside and share Mediterranean small plates. You’ll have just enough exposure to the energy of downtown, without having to be bothered by tourists asking directions to The Bean." - adrian kane

"This Mediterranean restaurant in River North is great for avoiding gluten. Their regular menu is already close to gluten-free, but they have a separate gluten-free one just in case—the main difference in a side-by-side comparison is that spreads (like hummus) are served with gluten-free crackers instead of flatbread. And while the flatbread is really good, the crackers hold their own. They don’t end up feeling like a consolation prize, even if they totally are." - adrian kane, veda kilaru, john ringor