Eats
Dogs for Days
One of the few South Side vendors to offer the veggie rendition of the encased meat treat, H-Dogs was founded by a culinary master and a vegetarian real estate developer. According to Eileen Rhodes, the vegetarian half of the team, H-Dogs’ menu aims to promote wellness in Bronzeville. »
Bloody Good Pie
Pleasant House Bakery was utterly charming. A chalk sign on the wall advertised pasties, royal pies, and “bangers and mash.” The entire kitchen, where two men were busy rolling dough and filling pies, was visible behind the counter. On a nearby table, a sprig of purple-blossomed chive rested in a small glass. The British... »
Fresh Ideas
Responding to the needs and expectation of their neighbors, the Experimental Station has launched numerous programs since the fire, in hopes of serving, equally, the diverse communities around it. Over the years, this commitment has manifested itself in areas of art, culture and politics. But perhaps the station’s greatest success has come through an... »
Grapes of Change
Bill Lavicka, an eccentric rehabber and preservationist, has proposed turning the Raber House into a winery and vineyard. The rehab initiative, which he refers to as the “Chateau Chicago” project, aims to transform the long-abandoned building into a multiuse space for grape cultivation and wine sales. »
Bronzeville on the Bayou
Sitting before a massive dish of red, steaming Creole-style jambalaya, my mind echoed with Hank Williams’s famous line: “Son of a gun, we’ll have big fun on the bayou.” However, I did not find myself in a Southern backwater town but at Le Fleur de Lis, Bronzeville’s self-proclaimed “newest and best Creole restaurant,” located... »
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatyballs
On certain days, an average-looking pickup with a brushed stainless-steel food cart attachment parks along 57th Street. The name of the cart is emblazoned on the side of the cab: “Meatyballs Mobile” has arrived. »
Good Fro-Yo Soul
Playing the obedient son, I made sure to leave every bone of my Harold’s fried chicken exposed before heading over to Zberry—Hyde Park’s first and only frozen yogurt shop. »
Chicago-Style Shrimp
The restaurant—if a room with six deep fryers and a few fridges can be called a restaurant—has been unofficially named the best fried shrimp house in Chicago. Although Frank’s is located in Brighton Park, its famed Chicago-style shrimp (not the New Orleans variety) attracts business from across the South Side. »
