RESTAURANT REVIEW – GATHER

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Located at 4539 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lincoln Square, Gather is one of those restaurants where you get to taste amazing food and have an incredible dining experience. According to their site, “When you walk into Gather, you walk into our home. With our friendly and knowledgeable staff, open kitchen design and approachable wine list, we’ve created an atmosphere perfect for celebrating every day.”

During the months of May through September, Gather has their Farmer’s Series. They source their food from local farms and ranchers who are “raising awareness of the long-standing connection between family farms and their historic stewardship of natural resources.” Their farm to table experience has been a highlight for several years since they opened in 2012. For those who go to the Farmer’s Markets in their neighborhood, you’ve probably heard of several of their featured farms like Spence Farm and Green Acres.

One of the best parts of the experience at Gather is that you can bring your vegan friends to taste their offerings. When ordering your meal, you simply need to let the server know that you want a vegan version of the dish and they’ll do their best to accommodate you. As someone who is not vegan, I’ve enjoyed their flavors, even the Brussel sprouts which is a personal favorite.

The menu changes with the seasons. A couple of staples that don’t change include the whipped ricotta, which is made exclusively by their chef, and crispy Brussel sprouts. When it comes to family dining, it’s worth noting that they have a Sunday Family Dinner which is ideal for parties of 4 or more and is very affordable at $26 per adult. I would highly suggest making a reservation as this is one of their special nights and they get booked rather fast. Their brunch menu is quite good too and is an even mix of breakfast and lunch foods. The wine and cocktails/spirits list also follows the philosophy of farm to table in their choices.

Gather is open Monday through Sunday at various hours. It’s best to check ahead of time especially on holidays, like today when they are closed.  Their average price ranges between $11 and $30.

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO