Matthias Merges (Yusho, Billy Sunday), Charlie Trotter’s right-hand man for 14 years, opened A10 on November 5, the same day his mentor died.

In doing so, he simultaneously paid tribute to Trotter and stepped outside the Asian-leaning comfort zone he created at Yusho to delve into crispy veal sweetbread saltimbocca, orecchiette laced with rapini, and a smoked double pork chop. At first, not everything worked—too much oil here, too much salt there. But six months in, Merges and his chef de cuisine, John Vermiglio (another Trotter alum), have found their groove. Between Trotter’s legacy and A10’s savory medium-rare rack of lamb with parsley spaetzle, the fifth of November should be a holiday in Chicago.

Perfect for: Hyde Parkers starved for a new neighborhood option