"It’s easy to meet strangers with similar great taste at Avec, a restaurant in the West Loop with communal tables and Mediterranean dishes. But accidentally nudging someone while reaching for the last dab of short rib hummus is common here, as consistent as the excellence of their rotating small plates. The space is all about sleek wood—for its stools, tables, and bar—which keeps the atmosphere bright, even when Avec inevitably gets busy with people. Get a reservation in advance, and plan on talking to seat neighbors also fixated on Avec’s must-order chorizo-stuffed medjool dates. " - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru, nick allen