Julius Meinl

Description:

• Austria's premier coffee roaster chose Chicago -- and, even more mysteriously, a location near Wrigley Field -- for its first U.S. outpost. The result is a mix of Austrian style (upholstered banquettes, white marble tables, newspapers hanging on wicker frames) and American cheeriness (lots of natural light, smiling waitstaff, smoke-free air). The excellent coffee and hot chocolate are served European-style on small silver platters with a glass of water on the side, but it's the desserts that keep the regulars coming back. Try the apple strudel or millennium torte (glazed with apricot jam and chocolate ganache), and for a moment you'll swear you're in Vienna.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2010