There’s not much about internationally renowned chef Charlie Trotter that hasn’t already been said. Awards? He has them in spades. Books? He’s written them. TV shows? He stars in a cooking series. Which brings us back to Trotter’s food, and for that he uses only naturally raised meats, line-caught fish and organic produce to craft his world-famous fare. The formal waitstaff speaks in hushed tones when talking about Trotter’s exactingly prepared menu, which includes dishes such as chilled Snow Lake trout with watercress and crayfish, and Crawford Farm lamb rack with chanterelle mushrooms and fermented black garlic. Housed in an unassuming brick building in the tony Lincoln Park neighborhood, the understated restaurant—there is no art on the walls, as Trotter believes any art should be on the plate—provides a tasteful environment for what is always a remarkable evening. For those who want to see the restaurant’s inner workings firsthand, Trotter’s offers a table in the kitchen that comes with its own custom-prepared menu.

Charlie Trotter's Information:

• Contemporary American menu. Dinner. Closed Sunday-Monday