Voted coolest neighborhood in the country.

Magnífico is a Colombian family-owned coffee shop and roastery on Milwaukee Avenue in Avondale. The single-origin espresso and drip are roasted well, and the iced drinks are the highlight, though shots can vary by barista. Skip the overmixed muffins; the stuffed savory croissants and pan de bono are serviceable but underseasoned. The space is dark, warm and lively, with tall southwest windows. Go on a sunny day for the patio, the dogs and the weekend DJ.

Eden in Avondale has the space, the service and its own greenhouse, but the plates don’t keep up. Dishes arrive overbuilt and underseasoned. Order the squash blossom crab rangoon, crisp and the highlight of the menu, plus the burger and fries. Skip the signature tagliatelle and the tater tots. Go in spring, summer or fall for the quiet wraparound patio, a drink and a few small plates rather than a full dinner.

Traspasada is a reliable Avondale workhorse with a menu big enough for any Mexican craving. Order a burrito, big enough for two meals, or a torta, and go with chorizo or carne asada. Load up on the house-made salsa negra, smoky rather than spicy, and mix it with the red for heat. Chips are house-made, and the enchiladas in red or green sauce are good. Skip the mole, the chiles rellenos and the cup of corn. Friendly counter service and side parking make it easy.

Void is an Italian American spot in Avondale with a wink, set under a 15-foot Last Supper. Get the Spaghetti Uh-O’s, vodka-sauce O pasta with tiny meatballs poured tableside from a can, plus the lasagna, focaccia with pickled cherries, and steak with house giardiniera. Sober or not, try No-Lört, their zero-proof Malört, in a cocktail or a $7 beer-and-shot. Finish with the PB&J tiramisu. Fun, casual service that never takes itself too seriously.

Order the beef empanada first, fried, with the chimichurri. The chicken and ham and cheese are both worth getting. Spinach and cheese is the vegetarian option but not the standout. Skip the espresso. The yerba mate fits the concept better. Argentinian sandwiches and brunch dishes are worth exploring if you are staying for a full meal. Thursday through Saturday it becomes Ñ at Night through a side door: cocktails, DJs, and bar food. New ownership, new format, still finding its rhythm.

Order the sandwich: candied jalapeño butter and kale slaw give it something fresher than the category usually delivers. The schmaltz mashed potatoes are the side to get. The kale coleslaw is excellent. The mac and cheese is fine with a pimento sourness that distracts after a few bites. Biscuits are good and small; save the extra honey butter for morning toast. Chocolate toffee cookie at the end is the right size and the right call. Cage-free chicken, Midwestern sourcing, fryer oil recycled into biodiesel.

The brisket first, then the pulled pork, then whatever Allen would order which is the smoked sausage. Kansas City-style house sauces, thick and well made. The sides earn their place: mac and cheese with real depth, smoky collard greens, apple coleslaw with great crunch. Do not skip the cornbread — sweet, moist, compound honey butter, one of the best in the city. Counter service into a gorgeous dining room with river views. The summer patio overlooking the boat dock is one of the best in Chicago.

Dark Matter's Mesoamerican-themed location in Avondale. Arched painted windows, warm adobe tones, wrought iron chandeliers, and funky llama trinkets throughout. The most visually surprising location in the collective and one of the more transportive rooms in the neighborhood. Same great coffee, same Do-Rite donuts, completely different vibe.

Avondale sandwich shop built around midwestern comfort food and the regional flavors of central Illinois. The MaidWrong loose meat sandwich and Cubano are the moves. Tater tots are well fried. Everything is large, heavy, and priced fairly. Split with someone. This is an excellent hangover lunch and a questionable choice before anything that requires sustained focus. Small space, tough parking, more grab and go than sit down.

Avondale Thai spot with a respected pedigree and a menu that covers all the classics competently. The beef noodle soup broth is the highlight, though the meat portion skimps. The khao soi runs a little sweet and the som tum a little tame. Good outdoor seating. A reliable neighborhood option for Thai food in the area, not a destination.