Chicago, Illinois – Andersonville/Uptown/Edgewater/Rogers Park Posts

Community-focused spots for spectacular coffee and light snacks. Smack in the middle of Uptown.

Super friendly spot hidden in the heart of Andersonville. You will spend the day lingering.

Close-up magic on the outskirts of Andersonville and Uptown. Beautifully appointed deco space with terrazo and all the trimmings, housed in former commercial laundry. Cocktails and snacks available. Catch a full show or spontaneously stop in at the bar for some slight-of-hand card trickery.

Freshly milled flour helps produce the breads, croissants and pastries baked and served in this sophisticated Andersonville cafe. Coffee and sandwiches available.

Well edited selection of art supplies, writing instruments, desk accessories, fine papers and ceramics. Presented in a lovely shop.

Enter the spectacular 1928 Lawrence House, a former apartment house in Uptown. Bring your espresso to the vaulted historic and intriguing lobby full of artifacts and sip away. Cocktail perfection at Larry’s. Check out the backyard, boxing rink and basement original swimming pool if you can.

Unique blends featured in simple, modern cafes. Serious about coffee.

Well edited selection of home furnishings and interior design studio.

Mooncakes, sponge cakes, dim sum, honey noodles, walnut cookies, butterfly cookies, lotus root cakes, winter melon tarts, baked and steamed buns of all kinds including custard, bbq pork, ham and egg, coconut… and much more. Order your special occasion cakes here.

Yes, you might be lucky enough to capture this event, or better yet, participate in it. It moves all over town so the chances you will see it are slim… and only once a month! Celebrate your bike and explore neighborhoods of Chicago you never knew existed. Grab some Dew&JD and your favorite candy to share with this vibrant community. Plan to attend the last Friday of every month at Daley Plaza for an energy-charged ride. “Happy Friday!”

Handmade jewelry presented beautifully on the northern edge of Andersonville. Lots of customization.

Great place to enjoy a beer and listen to the house band play country music till the wee hours; almost guaranteed to hear “Ring of Fire.”

Watch Clover, Lefty, Monkee, Squirrely, Amtrak, Other, Chock and Namy perform in this outrageously clever and wonderful puppet show staged on the back of a bicycle. Travels all over but often can be spotted on Clark Street in Andersonville a block north of Foster on the east side of the street.

Middle Eastern and Mediterranean savory handmade pies, breads and pitas baked on the premises. Excellent selection of groceries, spices, dried fruits, nuts and candies. Cafe serving excelling sandwiches, plates and salads.

In business since the Depression, well worn Andersonville bar with trolls, gnomes and historic murals. In season, stop in for glögg.

Huge selection of dealers showcasing antiquities.

One of the rare places that serves frozen custard in Chicago. Fine selection of candies as well.

Every neighborhood would be a better place if they had a Growling Rabbit.

Stew Supper Club; Sauce Maker; Bread Baker, sandwiches and local products extraordinaire.

Friendly neighborhood bicycle shops with expert service and repairs. Urban, road, cyclocross and mountain bikes for everyone.

Restaurant, bar and live music venue in the heart of Rogers Park.

Beautifully designed contemporary space on Howard Street across from Evanston. Locally roasted coffees and handcrafted furnishings. Among the most attractive coffee cafe spaces anywhere.

Large menu of Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine. Channa cakes, saltfish and bammy and oxtail are top notch choices.

Designed in 1925 by Rapp and Rapp, for the Balaban and Katz Corporation. Theatre contains 4,381 seats and its interior volume is larger than any other movie palace in the United States. It occupies over 46,000 square feet. Closed since the 1981, hopefully it will open someday.

Theatre “comprised of improvisation, sketch, full-length plays, cabaret, and full-length musicals.”

Uptown ballroom concert venue with exuberant Moorish details, completed in 1926.

Perfectly preserved 1940s jazz lounge featuring spectacular performances nightly. No speaking during the music. Look for Ceres in the corner Part of the Ignite Curiosities Perfection Collection.

Museum and cultural center for the education, celebration and interpretation of Swedish American history and culture in Chicago.

Grab a seat in the huge outdoor patio near a water feature, order a charcoal broiled Moody Burger and pitcher of beer and be happy.  In the wintertime let your eyes adjust to the darkness, sit by a fireplace and toss your peanut shells on the floor.  Your wallet will be happy too.

Independent bookstore since 1979 specializing in feminist issues.

Beautifully choreographed shop featuring lovely greeting cards, letterpress, wrapping papers, curiosities and home accessories. Interesting and expert framing services and designs. Fabulous eye for detail Additional shops in Lakeview.

Scout’s approach to design is  “to take familiar elements—simple and unadorned—and make them feel interseting and sophisiticated again.”

Family owned and operated shoe store serving the entire family; expert service. Kids get a free balloon.

Feast on pho at this intimate storefront on bustling Argyle Street. Banh Xeo (Vietnamese pancake) and Goi Cuon (spring rolls) are also top notch.

Rustic but refined Italian homestyle cooking. Well edited menu of interesting items.

Rogers Park institution. serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and full bar. Vegan friendly but full array of specialties. Lots of live music. Visit the General Store.

“Globally inspired New American cooking” in Andersonville. Cheerful and happy; great breakfast spot with a beautiful secret garden.

Super elegant and perfectly preserved lounge serving some of Chicago’s best pizza. Late night. One of Chicago’s best kept secrets.

Large and bustling Vietnamese spot at the entrance of Argyle Street district. All sorts of pho, sizzling crepe, noodles and full array of the expected Vietnamese foods. Share a table and make new friends while spinning around your foods.

Reasonably priced Banh’ Mi sandwiches served on perfect French baguettes baked daily with mayonnaise, pickled daikon, carrot, onion, cilantro, jalapeno and soy or fish sauce. Ba Le Special (pate, ham, pork roll and headcheese) is the one to order. Wash it down with Cafe Sua Da (Vietnamese iced coffee).

Huge and bustling dining room specializing in roast and barbecue duck. Extensive Chinese menu but be sure to order the  Beijing duck dinner carved tableside and comprised of bao with crispy duck skin and hoisin, duck fried rice and duck soup with wintermelon. Accompany it with Chinese broccoli and soft shell crab. Efficient carry-out service available.

Homey and unpretentious Japanese restaurant without sushi or sashimi. Potato croquettes, soba, sukiyaki and udon should not be missed. BYOB.

Part of the community since 1920s, bakery with overwhelming selection of butter cookies, breads, marzipan cakes, sweet rolls, pastries, petits fours, coffee cakes, Swedish specialties and much more. Grab a number and a complimentary shot of coffee and enjoy the crowd.

Belgian style mussels, Montreal-style smoked meat and duck reuben are stand-outs. Mind boggling selection of beers. Relax and enjoy the wait; it’s worth it; adults only; open 365 days. Part of the Ignite Curiosities Perfection Collection.

Traditional Korean cuisine in a warm, contemporary and dimly-lit space.  Inventive sojutinis or opt for straight-up soju.

Throwback to Andersonville’s Scandinavian roots, bight and cheerful storefront open for breakfast and lunch. Order the Viking breakfast with limpa toast, salt pork, Falukorv sausage, Swedish pancakes with lingonberries and fried potatoes. Sit at the counter and gaze at the magical murals, vikings and ships. Lunch includes Smorgasar, Swedish meatballs, Pippi Longstocking omlette and brown beans.

Family owned and operated coffee cafe on a sleepy stretch of Granville. Providing a wonderful sense of community in Edgewater, Metropolis roasts their own beans a few blocks away and provides caffeine for many other local spots.

Cool modern vibe with a terrific eye for detail located at the north end of Andersonville. Coffee beverages, snacks and classic mid-century places to chill.

Eat vegetarian without missing meat. Enjoy breakfast all-day, spectacular nachos, camembert + avocado on baguette and tuna plate are standouts. Full selection of coffee drinks, wines and interesting cocktails. Cafe frappe, NY egg cream and decadent Chai.

Grab a pillow, lay on the floor and watch the world go by. Extensive and well edited gift shop and travel books in the rear. Part of the Ignite Curiosities Perfection Collection.