Socca

This seasonally focused Lakeview French-Italian country eatery is named for the chickpea-flour cake popular in southeastern France. The menu shifts seasonally, but you can expect appetizers such as steamed mussels with garlic, white wine, tomato confit, lemon and herbs; pizzettes (individual thin-crust pizzas); pasta dishes; and bistro classics such as pan-roasted hanger steak with garlic-herb butter and pommes frites. (Regardless of what you order, a side or starter of the pommes frites, served with a decadent truffle-cheese fondue, is a must-we think they're among the best in town.) The wine list features picks from Italy and France as well as a California-heavy U.S. selection with ample by-the-glass options and a few flights. The restaurant also hosts regular wine dinners and events. Socca's dining room is casual and lively, with a neighborhood bistro vibe. Sunset-hued walls and floor-to-ceiling windows on a corner location give the space an open, airy feel.

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Lakeview restaurants, Chicago restaurants, Chicago restaurants, French restaurants, Italian restaurants