WinnetkaTowne & Oak

It isn’t easy eating out with a little one. When you walk into a nice restaurant with an overstuffed diaper bag, a stroller that resembles a small tank, and a ticking time bomb of a baby, the looks you get from other patrons are enough to dissuade you from ever setting foot in public again. And that’s before the eating begins. The ensuing mess is the sort of disaster scene that typically requires the attention of FEMA. Which is all to say that since my daughter was born, my wife and I haven’t found many restaurants where we can truly relax and enjoy a nice meal as a family. But Towne & Oak, which opened in 2020, is an exception. The space is bright and airy, with plenty of room for stroller parking. (A necessity in this neighborhood, where strollers are even more common than luxury cars.) The bathrooms are spacious and clean, not least the changing tables. The friendly staff seems genuinely unbothered by the presence of so many kids. And the food — elevated café fare, from the butternut squash tartine ($15) to my go-to choice of steak and eggs, featuring a generous serving of tender hanger, crispy potatoes, and herb aïoli ($24) — is well worth the North Shore prices. Even my 1-year-old enjoys the eggs enough that she actually eats them rather than fling them to the floor. Now that’s an endorsement. 921 Green Bay Rd. towneandoak.com