Trattoria Demi

This unassuming Italian spot is proof that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover—or, for that matter, a restaurant by its dining room. The generic tables and chairs—usually filled with Northwestern students and young families—do nothing to hint at the sophisticated food that comes out of the kitchen. Creamy asparagus soup gets a crunchy disk of pancetta and a swirl of tangy balsamic; luscious lamb shank is pulled from the bone and stuffed into mezzaluna; and an organic chicken is cooked to juicy, crispy-skinned perfection.