Chicago, Illinois – South Loop/Pilsen/Chinatown Posts

Artisanal wine, local craft beer and small batch spirits presented in inviting and locally owned storefront. Visit historic Printers Row Wine Shop for personalized and knowledgable service. Many interesting events.

Modern and refined Vietnamese kitchen in the heart of Pilsen. Ca Phe Da is a more casual, adjacent cafe, specializing in Vietnamese sandwiches, pastries and cocktails.

Bustling Chinatown favorite serving enormous selection of Dim Sum.

Get your blues fix in the South Loop. Enjoy Louisiana style creole and soul food with your music.

Lovely Pilsen chocolate kitchen turning out elegant creations. Sipping chocolate and espresso served.

Choose your soup base and noodles then pick as many ingredients as you would like from colorful food chart. All you can eat meats, fish and vegetables in modern space on the west end of Chinatown Square. Exotic mushrooms, fish balls, taro root and so many other ingredients make for unlimited combinations of goodness. Visit the sauce bar for your dipping pleasure. Most items cook in three minutes or less; lobster and crab legs available at extra charge.

Just south of Downtown is Chicago’s official Chinatown; not to be confused with the collection of Asian shops and restaurants up north on Argyle Street. Chinatown has grown considerably in recent years and a great place to start with your visit is Chinatown Square. This two-story outdoor mall was designed by Harry Weese in 1993. Lots of places to eat, shop and explore with the added bonus of late-night options for dim sum, roast duck and smoothies. Be sure not to neglect wandering Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, the main commercial streets in the area.

Captain Cafe & Bakery; Great spot to enjoy all of your favorite traditional Chinese pastries. Sesame balls, custard egg tarts, moon cakes and sticky rice galore. 2161 s china pl.

Aji Ichiban; Watermelon seeds, dried plums, muscat, lychees, rice candy, melon gummies, candied fish and much more to explore. Samples galore. 2117 china pl.

Lao Sze Chuan; Award winning Sichuan Chinese cuisine with huge menu of interesting items. 2172 s archer.

String Ramen House; Small modern Japanese cafe across from Chinatown Square. Serving freshly made noodles and lots of ramen. 2141 s archer.

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!”

Pork, beef and chicken cooked over woodburning fire. Live music on stage, often celebrating American roots.

Nice mix of many things Pilsen.

Mid-century for the home with new sprinkled-in. “Where vintage modern meets handmade.” Rotating featured artists.

Opening in 2014. Climb the stairs to this 1892-built public hall. Will again be serving the community with live music and other programs; creature comforts down below. Dramatic; Longman & Eagle magic here.

House made draft punches served by the glass, carafe or bowl. Descend the stairs and go for Milk Punch and savor the whey (no curds). Solid bar snacks.

Front and center on the main floor, farm-to-table beer-focused food with loads of beer on tap. “The ordinary” is often intriguing.

Bottle store selling artisanal and craft beers upfront; bar in the back. Integral part of Bridgeport, “the community of the future.”

Introducing visitors to 3,000 years of creativity and showcasing the diversity of Mexican cultures.

Hand crafted sodas since 1926 in over 25 flavors. Visit the production facility and watch the process done by hand.

Independent and member-owned since 1961; the kind of bookstore that makes you want to buy everything. aka Seminary Co-op Book Store.

House made tortillas and all the other Mexican foods you would expect from this Pilsen neighborhood busy dining spot. Serving early until late.

Book your reservations well in advance and be prepared to be wowed at this off the beaten track gastronomy experience. Fine dining redefined by removing pretension and preconceptions; intimate space seats 24 with wide open views of the kitchen. Hang in the kitchen and meet the chefs during dinner.

Comfortable restaurant serving the University of Chicago community with a varied menu of breakfast items, burgers, pizza, salads and much more. Next door is bakery and sandwich shop.

Bridgeport shop specializing in savory pies and pasties. Flakey and buttery Royal pies are made using produce grown at Royal Farms when possible.

Cafeteria service features reasonably prices, ample portions and homemade biscuits. Come for breakfast, lunch or dinner and dine on top-notch omelettes, roast beef, baked chicken, short ribs, beef tips and white fish. Diverse crowd of all ages and walks of life. Established long ago. Be sure to step across the street and head up the stairs to marvel at the Hyde Park Bank Building lobby.

Corned beef, pastrami, chicken noodle soup and chocolate phosphates since 1942. Cafeteria and delicatessen with steam table featuring daily specials such as short ribs, stuffed cabbage, kasha, “chop suey,” oxtail and tongue.

High quality Jewish-style delicatessen served in a “retro-diner.” Pays respect to deli food and culture; don’t forget a chocolate egg cream.

Great divey and homey Pilsen bar with above average bar food. Friendly, hipster and artistic crowd.

Brightly lit dining room with an emphasis on seafood. Boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, frog legs, oysters, clam strips, perch and catfish. Fried shrimp are the standout. Loads of free parking, at the bridge, 24-hours. Yes… 24-hours.