Chicago’s burgeoning status as a world-class dining destination can made it difficult to keep track of all the new restaurants in the city. But as Bliss Resto in Ravenswood makes clear, even the new lunch spots in residential North Side neighborhoods are upping their game. 

Since February 2019, this restaurant on the corner of Montrose and Ashland Avenues aims to be appealing enough for a casual dinner date, efficient enough to work into the lunch-hour rotation and affordable enough to make it a takeout or delivery standard. The menu features a wide selection of Asian cuisine, but the kitchen’s specialty is traditional Thai fare. Yelpers especially appreciate the basil duck, pad see ew, and penang curry. As the weather gets warmer the house-made Thai iced tea might hit the spot, and if you have a sweet tooth, regulars say you won’t regret pairing it with the green tea cheesecake.