Tessa's
photo: Steven Johnson
Forget Distinctive Cork's name and its West Suburban strip-mall setting – inside, there's a hip, urban vibe to go with the "sharings" (New American small plates, cheese and charcuterie, sweets) and "pairings" (moderately priced global wines by the taste, glass, bottle or flight); the loftlike space (formerly La Piazza) boasts local artwork courtesy of the Naperville Art League, a sound-dampening ceiling and live jazz on Friday nights (192 W. Gartner Rd., Naperville; 630-753-9463).
The generous, moderately priced menu at Tessa's, a modern tavern in the Western 'burbs, offers Italian classics (including a long pasta roster and pizza both thin and stuffed), elegant entrees (Kobe beef rib-eye, monkfish saltimbocca) and lunch-hour sandwiches – plus family-style dining options and a nice little affordable wine list; housed in a vintage building, the upscale setting is outfitted with rich wood and brick, a tin ceiling and comfy red banquettes (16 W. Jefferson St., Naperville; 630-357-9200).