A new Italian restaurant on Taylor Street? Big deal. But Davanti Enoteca is no pizzeria/pasteria/trattoria with red-checked tablecloths. Rather, it’s a smart, friendly small-plate phenom with insanely good food, like the focaccia de recco—warm, oozy cow cheese between thin layers of just-baked crust. Don’t miss the truffled egg toast, wherein truffle oil soaks into brioche and mixes with eggs and Fontina, or the roasted fresh hearts of palm, which make you wonder why anyone ever put those miraculous stalks in a can. Pork cheek ragù over polenta (pictured) flaunts the kind of simple flavors that are quickly making the owner, Scott Harris (Mia Francesca, Nella, The Purple Pig), a legend. 1359 W. Taylor St.; 312-226-5550.

Photograph: Anna Knott