Yes, we Chicagoans do eat plenty of deep-dish pizza, but we don't stop there. Chicago is home to an ever-expanding galaxy of sophisticated restaurants whose kitchens are energized by culinary stars. The average dinner price has risen accordingly, but if you're willing to splurge, you can experience one-of-a-kind meals from some of the top chefs in the country. Budget-minded diners can take refuge at a variety of fine ethnic restaurants, where a satisfying meal won't break the bank.

Best Spot for a Romantic Dinner: Few activities are more intimate than dipping lobster tails in fondue by candlelight at Geja's Cafe, 340 W. Armitage Ave. (tel. 773/281-9101), with a classical guitarist playing softly in the background. A strong challenge is being mounted by the North Pond, 2610 N. Cannon Dr. (tel. 773/477-5845), an Arts and Crafts-styled, Midwestern-flavored restaurant with a postcard-perfect setting in Lincoln Park. Not only does it boast a dramatic vista of the Gold Coast skyline, but the restaurant's out-of-the-way locale also requires diners to begin and end their meal with an idyllic stroll through the park.

Best Spot for a Business Lunch: A millennial take on the classic American steakhouse, stylish Nine, 440 W. Randolph St. (tel. 312/575-9900), offers super-slick environs, prime steaks, fresh seafood, a champagne-and-caviar bar, and -- most importantly -- tiny TV sets above the men's-room urinals for those who can't bear to miss the latest from CNBC.

Best Spot for a Celebration: Not only does Nacional 27, 325 W. Huron St. (tel. 312/664-2727), offer a grand setting and a menu of creative Latin American dishes, it also turns into a party on Friday and Saturday nights, when a DJ spins salsa tunes and center tables are cleared for dancing.

Best Scene: The Gold Coast's rich and beautiful flock to the bar at Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, 1028 N. Rush St. (tel. 312/266-8999), to gossip while sipping on massive martinis. Hang out with a drink (and maybe spot a visiting celeb) while working up an appetite for a super-sized steak.

Best View: Forty stories above Chicago, Everest, 440 S. LaSalle St. (tel. 312/663-8920), astounds with a spectacular view -- and food to match. Another dazzler, day or night, is the view from the Signature Lounge atop the 100-story John Hancock Building, 875 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/787-7230). Though this is really a bar, not a restaurant, the Signature Lounge is a good place to perch for a drink before or after your dinner. Closer to earth, diners on the rooftop terrace at Greektown's Pegasus, 130 S. Halsted St. (tel. 312/226-3377), get a panoramic view of the city skyline.

Best Value: At longtime city favorite Carson's, 612 N. Wells St. (tel. 312/280-9200), $20 gets you a full slab of incredible baby-back ribs, accompanied by a bowl of Carson's almost-as-famous coleslaw and a choice of potatoes. Lincoln Park residents swarm to RoseAngelis, 1314 W. Wrightwood Ave. (tel. 773/296-0081), where $20 buys a glass of wine, a massive plate of pasta, and a generous slice of possibly the city's best bread pudding.

Best for Kids: A meal at ESPN Zone, 43 E. Ohio St. (tel. 312/475-0263). Yes, you'll find a kids' menu here, but the main attraction is the enormous Sports Arena, where kids can work off some excess energy playing the interactive games.

Best American Cuisine: Tucked away at the edge of Randolph Street's trendy Restaurant Row, one sixtyblue, 1400 W. Randolph St. (tel. 312/850-0303), consistently delivers a refined menu that mixes American flavors and preparations with touches of practically every world cuisine.

Best French Cuisine: For fine French dining, Tru, 676 N. St. Clair St. (tel. 312/202-0001), represents the perfect convergence of artful cuisine and elegant ambience. For a more casual Parisian cafe experience, few places delight quite like Bucktown's charming Le Bouchon, 1958 N. Damen Ave. (tel. 773/862-6600), with its cozy atmosphere and delectable bistro fare.

Best Italian Cuisine: Even without the glamorous view of the Magnificent Mile, Spiaggia, 980 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/280-2750), would draw diners in droves with its gourmet takes on classic Italian cuisine. For a more casual, old-world experience, it's hard to beat Rosebud on Taylor, 1500 W. Taylor St. (tel. 312/942-1117), which has reigned supreme in Chicago's Little Italy neighborhood for as long as anyone can remember.

Best Steak House: Legendary Chicago restaurateur Arnie Morton no longer prowls the dining room, but Morton's, 1050 N. State St. (tel. 312/266-4820), remains the king of the city's old-guard steakhouses, serving up gargantuan wet-aged steaks and baked potatoes.

Best Pizza: In the town where deep-dish pies were born, Chicagoans take their out-of-town relatives to either Gino's East, 633 N. Wells St. (tel. 312/943-1124), or Lou Malnati's, 439 N. Wells St. (tel. 312/828-9800), to taste the real thing: mouthwatering slabs of pizza loaded with fresh ingredients atop delectably sweet crusts.

Best Pretheater Dinner: A local favorite, the Italian Village, 71 W. Monroe St. (tel. 312/332-7005) -- actually three restaurants run by one family under one roof -- knows how to get its clientele seated and (well) fed in time for a show. For Chicago Symphony Orchestra audiences, Rhapsody, 65 E. Adams St. (tel. 312/786-9911), is conveniently located in the Symphony Center building. If you're seeing a play in Lincoln Park, go for tasty tapas at Café Ba-Ba-Reeba!, 2024 N. Halsted St. (tel. 773/935-5000).

Best Wine List: Two spots take their food-drink pairings especially seriously: Try Zealous, 419 W. Superior St. (tel. 312/475-9112), if money is no object, and Bin 36, 339 N. Dearborn St. (tel. 312/755-9463), if you're looking for a more casual vibe.

Best Fast Food: A few steps above the standard food court, foodlife in Water Tower Place, 835 N. Michigan Ave. (tel. 312/335-3663), offers everything from Asian noodles and vegetarian fare to pizza and burgers.

Best Brunch: The luxury hotels along Michigan Avenue offer all-you-can-eat gourmet spreads, but the locals prefer the funky Southern-inspired combinations at Soul Kitchen, 1576 N. Milwaukee Ave. (tel. 773/342-9742), and the sinfully rich cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather, 929 W. Belmont Ave. (tel. 773/348-2378).