CITY GUIDE
A local’s guide to Chicago
- By Adeshina Emmanuel
- Photos by Lucy Hewett
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Neighborhoods
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Popular culture paints Chicago as a politically fraught tale of two cities — one growing, cosmopolitan and chic, the other crass, dangerous and in decline. Beyond that Dickensian cliche, however, lives one singular complex metropolis that is rapidly changing yet anchored in history.
Chicago is a diverse cultural mecca along Lake Michigan with award-winning chefs and entertainment, arts and architecture, and views of the lakefront and skyline that will have you swooning upon arrival. If you stick to the central business district as a lot of visitors do, you won’t reap the full benefits of the city. Remember, Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, with 77 official community areas and a penchant for reinvention.
Meet Adeshina Emmanuel
Adeshina was raised by an African-American mother and Nigerian father in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood on the Far North Side, where he studied journalism at Loyola University in Rogers Park.
Want to get in touch?
Email bytheway@washpost.comRead more about Adeshina
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Near West Side
The Near West Side, where the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 began, is one of the city’s fastest-changing communities. A lot goes on within its diverse six square miles. The neighborhood features the United Center, a concert venue and sports arena where the Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls play. You’ll find college-town vibes around the University of Illinois at Chicago’s campus and a bustling nightlife scene in Greektown. It also boasts the hip West Loop — arguably Chicago’s hottest neighborhood — home to the city’s Restaurant Row and countless boutique hotels and chic shops. Find this neighborhood.
Hyde Park
Hyde Park, a diverse and historic lakefront community on the South Side, is about seven miles from Chicago’s bustling Loop. It’s home to the University of Chicago, and its Gothic imprint is hard to miss. The neighborhood is full of grassy boulevards, lakefront paths and prolific architecture that makes the neighborhood great for a leisurely walk or self-directed sightseeing. There’s also an array of independent bookstores, museums and an underrated restaurant scene to peruse. Find this neighborhood.
Neighborhoods
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Eat
5 Loaves Eatery
This family-owned South Side staple provides down-home Southern-style cooking in a cozy, unpretentious space. The restaurant, in Chicago’s Greater Grand Crossing community, serves breakfast and lunch at a reasonable price, offering an array of sandwiches, omelets and scrambles, griddle items and salads. But the real showstopper here is the fried chicken — golden brown, thick, crunchy and juicy inside.
BTW: Try a two-piece mixed chicken breakfast with cheesy grits, and substitute the regular pancakes for the lemon zest stack, which comes topped with homemade buttermilk syrup.
5 Loaves Eatery, 405 E. 75th St., Chicago, Ill. 60619
Birrieria Zaragoza
At this special Archer Heights taqueria, you always get the goat. The restaurant’s staple offering is chopped goat meat topped with its own broth, served with warm homemade tortillas on the side, along with onions, cilantro and lime. You can order a large or small plate, or purchase individual tacos.
BTW: Order a side of the hearty and spicy salsa de molcajete for an extra flavor kick.
Birrieria Zaragoza, 4852 S. Pulaski Rd., Chicago, Ill. 60632
Publican Quality Meats
Cheaper and in a smaller space than nearby Publican, this casual coffee bar and sandwich shop still offers a lot of what people love about its West Loop sibling: quality cuts and ingredients, an inventive menu and expert curation from the staff. It’s one of the more affordable brunch options in an area that doesn’t exactly specialize in the affordable.
BTW: If meat isn’t for you, try the “Biggles In Morocco,” a falafel sandwich with smoked baba ghanouj and date yogurt.
Publican Quality Meats, 825 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, Ill. 60607
Yassa African Restaurant
Yassa, a Senegalese restaurant in the heart of Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood (a.k.a. the Black Metropolis), cooks some of the best West African food in the city. The fare includes huge portions of traditional stews and rices, whole fish, chicken and lamb dishes — and it’s also veggie friendly.
BTW: If you’re unfamiliar with the cuisine, ask the staff for advice when you order.
Yassa African Restaurant, 3511 S. King Dr., Chicago, Ill. 60653
The Warbler
Here you’ll find great New American cuisine at a relatively affordable price. The vibrant, sun-filled space looks like a posh diner and has a strong roster of veggie options, elevated comfort food and well-crafted bird-themed cocktails. This is one of the best Chicago restaurants to open in the past few years, but somehow the farm-to-table haunt still seems to fly under the radar.
BTW: This is an ideal and well-positioned date spot — near a movie theater and a large park.
The Warbler, 4535 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60625
Long Room Chicago
The laid-back comfort of a favorite dive bar meets fantastic drinks and food at the Long Room. Locals flock to this neighborhood haunt for cocktails, an impressive selection of craft beer and biscuits from in-house partner the Biscuit Man.
BTW: The space functions as a coffee shop during the morning hours — perfect if you’re in need of a caffeine pick-me-up.
1612 W. Irving Park Rd. #1, Chicago, Ill. 60613
Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar
This neighborhood favorite — named in honor of the co-owners’ mother, who used to run the joint and often works the front register — is the ultimate mash-up. It houses a liquor store, microbrewery, dive bar, beer hall and patio. On that patio, you can enjoy Korean-Polish fusion from attached restaurant Kimski, or pizza, fried chicken and ice cream from the aptly named Pizza Fried Chicken Ice Cream. The beer and cocktail list here is huge, and it rotates throughout the year.
BTW: The liquor store carries a wide selection of craft beers from the popular Bridgeport-based Marz Brewing, including its flagship wheat ale Jungle Boogie.
Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar, 960 W. 31st St., Chicago, Ill. 60608
LOCALS THINK YOU SHOULD KNOW
- Don’t call it “Chiraq.” This is Chicago.
- You’ll never know the real Chicago if you just stay downtown with the tourists. Chicago is a city of neighborhoods, with 77 official community areas to explore.
- We’re not all Cubs fans.
Do
Garfield Park Conservatory
The Garfield Park Conservatory features more than 2,100 plant species growing under glass in eight indoor show houses and on 10 acres of outdoor park. Admission is free, and the conservatory holds special exhibits and educational programs throughout the year. Take a walk through the conservatory, enjoy the tropical temperatures, and take in the lush sights and smells. There’s also outdoor picnic space and play spaces for kids.
BTW: The Fern Room is a highlight. Featuring a man-made waterfall and made in the likeness of prehistoric Chicago, the room is home to massive ferns and long-living plants.
Garfield Park Conservatory, 300 N. Central Park Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60624
South Shore Cultural Center Park
One of the most beautiful things about Chicago is the lakeshore, which spans more than 20 miles along Lake Michigan. Take a scenic walk, run or ride along the lakefront trail. Visit one of Chicago’s numerous beaches and sprawling lakefront parks and enjoy athletic fields, courts and concessions. If weather and safety permit, go for a swim in the lake or rent a kayak. There are also various wildlife sanctuaries along the lakefront for migrating birds and butterflies. One of my favorite lakefront destinations is South Shore Cultural Center Park, a former country club and national landmark that includes a nature sanctuary, butterfly garden, nine-hole golf course, beach and restaurant.
BTW: The architects of the cultural center also designed Chicago’s famous Drake Hotel.
South Shore Cultural Center Park, 7059 S. South Shore Dr., Chicago, Ill. 60649
Thalia Hall
You can find Thalia Hall, a landmark live-music venue originally designed as an opera house, off the 18th Street corridor in Pilsen. It’s a vibrant Mexican American community home to many artists and students. The venue is in the same building as many great food and drink options, including gastropub Dusek’s Board and Beer and basement bar Punch House.
BTW: Explore Pilsen beyond 18th Street — it’s an amazing neighborhood lush with art, history and some of the best Mexican restaurants in town.
Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St., Chicago, IL 60608
Music Box Theatre
A favorite of local cinephiles, Music Box Theatre is a historic movie theater in the Lakeview neighborhood. It specializes in independent, foreign, classic and cult films, so you won’t see many new blockbusters here, if any. The venue shows matinees on Saturdays and Sundays and late-night cult films on Fridays and Saturdays. There’s a showing of Christmas films with singalongs in the winter and a 24-hour horror festival in October.
BTW: Luella’s Southern Kitchen is nearby at 4609 N. Lincoln Ave., providing a strong dinner option if you have some time to kill before your feature or are hungry after the show.
Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60613
Stony Island Arts Bank
A former bank in South Shore that looks like a temple, the building was saved from the wrecking ball by artist Theaster Gates. It reopened in 2015 as an arts and culture hub and media archive that features parties, performances, screenings, panel discussions and more. It hosts several exhibitions a year and houses the entire collection of the legendary DJ Frankie Knuckles (the “godfather of house music”) on vinyl, along with more than 60,000 glass lantern slides of art and architecture donated by the University of Chicago and the Art Institute of Chicago.
BTW: The Black Cinema House also lives here and holds regular screenings and discussions. Check its calendar for events when you’re in town.
Stony Island Arts Bank, 6760 S. Stony Island Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60649
Chinatown
Chicago’s Chinatown is one of the largest in the country, and it has managed to evade the gentrification that has turned other cities’ Chinatowns into shells of themselves. The close-knit community showcases Chinese-inspired architecture, murals and art throughout the neighborhoods. The commercial heart of the area is Chinatown Square — a two-story outdoor mall with restaurants and shops. Other attractions include the Chinese American Museum of Chicago and Ping Tom Memorial Park.
BTW: Chiu Quon Bakery and Dim Sum is a great lunch spot for a sweet or savory bun and tea.
Chinatown, 2133 S. China Pl., Chicago, Ill. 60616
Adeshina Emmanuel
Adeshina was raised by an African-American mother and Nigerian father in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood on the Far North Side, where he studied journalism at Loyola University in Rogers Park.