A relative newcomer to the Chicago dining scene, Sepia wasted no time creating a deafening buzz in its already-happening West Loop neighborhood. Situated inside an 1890s print shop, Sepia’s décor craftily mixes the old and new, and the restaurant’s charismatic French owner Emmanuel Nony makes every guest feel at home with an affable tableside visit. Sepia’s brunch is also a big hit with foodies and hungover West Loopers alike, offering dishes like a flatiron steak with two eggs and duck fat-fried potatoes (which works all-too well with the pear caipiroska made with pear vodka, kumquats and hand-muddled limes). For dinner, new chef Andrew Zimmerman specializes in contemporary American cuisine with a twist, including the massive Berkshire pork chop with fennel and apricots, and a delicate skate wing with sugar snap peas and raisin-caper sauce. Booze aficionados flock here for mixologist Peter Vestinos’s creative cocktails, which feature handmade syrups and bitters.

Sepia Information:

• Contemporary American menu. Lunch (Monday-Friday), dinner, Sunday brunch.