Maggie Sivit

“The neighborhood’s not what it used to be.” Expressed as a sigh, this refrain is all too familiar in Hyde Park and Kenwood. For some, the real neighborhood was long ago disfigured by the neoclassical and neo-gothic constructions that line the Midway—imprints of the University of Chicago’s founding and the 1893 Columbian Exposition. Halfway through the next century, another chorus claims history’s proper course was thwarted by the destructive force of urban renewal. During this period, the vital cultural artery of 55th Street was drained of its blood, leaving townhouses where clubs once stood. And while these moments don’t lack significance, they are merely convenient benchmarks extracted from a lengthy history. A neighborhood existed long before the 1890s, and exclusion didn’t simply begin or end. Neighborhoods are eternally being made and remade; they are inherently never what they used to be.

Today, no great changes appear on the horizon. Hyde Park and Kenwood are mostly residential and tree-lined, amber and beautiful in the autumn. The lake still reflects each sunrise, sending plumes of fog rolling west in the springtime. Most of the plans for major new additions to the neighborhood are concentrated along Hyde Park’s 53rd Street. Two new developments will be adding glass and steel to an area known for brick, while new businesses procured by the University will appear in older storefronts. Surely more changes will come, but for now this area is a place for schoolchildren and undergraduates, working parents and professors, and of course, the President and those peculiar parakeets.

Best of the Best Bookstores
O’Gara & Wilson
Hyde Park is a book-lover’s paradise. The labyrinthine basement location of the Seminary Co-op carries the world’s largest collection of academic titles. Powell’s on 57th Street is awash with a changing stock of cheap reads, new and used. 57th Street Books, meanwhile, offers new books without the sterile glare and burnt coffee of Barnes & Noble. However, it is the antiquarian and used bookseller O’Gara & Wilson that makes Hyde Park appear celestial in the eyes of a bibliophile. The city’s oldest used bookstore, and according to Saul Bellow the nation’s best, is known for collecting books with a history. Recently the store acquired the libraries of Kenwood Rabbi Arnold Jacob Wolf and Hyde Park Alderman Leon Depres. Arranged with great care, each shelf in the store provides an opportunity to rejoice in what owner Dough Wilson called the “tactile adventure” of handling a volume in a recent interview with the Chicago Weekly. Yet, it is small charms like a taxidermy goose and stuffed moose head that add a whimsical atmosphere to this classic Hyde Park establishment. 1448 E. 57th St. Monday-Friday, 11am-7pm; Saturday, 11am-8pm; Sunday, 12pm-6pm. (773)363-0993. ogaraandwilson.com (Tyler Leeds)

Best Breakfast Sandwiches
Z&H
Good ideas catch on. The first Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe opened along Kenwood’s 47th Street in 2008, and the company’s second installment arrived in Hyde Park last year.  Their sandwiches are known for their fine ingredients and a dose of imagination, but Z&H also has a respectable breakfast lineup. It might be tempting to begin your day alone on their counter with some prosciutto and triple crème cheese on a croissant (the “Tenzing Norgay”), but don’t forget to grab a coffee confection. Their new machines look flashy, but they’re clearly not just for show. An odd assortment of gourmet cheeses, meats, and grocery items rounds out Z&H’s offerings. Take advantage of the fleeting warm weather and escape the rush inside by sitting on the tranquil back porch, accessible through the back alley. Two locations: 1126 E. 47th St. and 1323 E. 57th St. Monday-Friday, 7am-7pm; Saturday-Sunday, 8am-6pm. (773)538.7372. zhmarketcafe.com (Tyler Leeds)

Best Comic Shop
First Aid Comics
James Nurss, owner of First Aid Comics, knows how to run a practice. Waiting behind the desk, Nurss greets customers by name, pointing them toward to a new arrival or a rare acquisition. If you have any questions, Nurss emerges from behind the counter to help, revealing his full-length white doctor’s coat, the outfit of a specialist. With shelves lining the walls from floor to ceiling, and stock running from flimsy paper comics to thick, large-folio graphic novels, it would take nothing short of a specialist to curate this collection. Mixed throughout the store are more indulgent items—a Thor replica hammer for sale, a collection of mint-condition action figures, and a series of superhero adorned glassware. But, Nurss also offers group sessions. In the back of the store is a game room, a place for card tournaments and community get-togethers. Waiting for tournaments to begin, regulars often thumb through the $1 comic boxes, hoping for a good find. 1617 E. 55th St. Monday-Tuesday, 11am-7pm; Wednesday, 11am-8pm; Thursday-Saturday, 11am-7pm; Sunday, noon-5pm. (773)752-6642. firstaidcomics.com (Tyler Leeds)

Best Thing in Cobb Hall
The Renaissance Society
Tucked above and away on the fourth floor of the UofC’s Cobb Hall, the Renaissance Society’s vaulted exhibition room attempts to push ahead of the curve. As the Society approaches its centennial, it can look back on exhibits that have featured works by Picasso and Matisse, long before those artists had their paintings reproduced in coloring books. Today, the Society’s mission is to offer the South Side a chance to see contemporary art before it is enbalmed in the textbooks of the next generation. Not every exhibit spawns a star—the venue is too intimate to have such sway—but the Society has a record of taste and the nerve to take risks. Art exhibits, if anything, ought to be tasteful and risky. Cobb Hall 418, 5811 S. Ellis Ave. Tuesday-Friday, 10am-5pm; Saturday-Sunday, noon-5pm. (773)702-8670. Free. renaissancesociety.org (Tyler Leeds)

Best Record Store
Hyde Park Records
Corporate media outlets  may criminalize such behavior, but loitering completes Hyde Park Records. Regulars wander in, chatting up employees or casually sifting through crates. If you linger among the CDs, the regulars will mostly ignore you. Atop the displays, recent critical darlings will appear, wrapped in plastic alongside dirtier jewels. Overall, the backstock leans toward established ’90s indie rock. You know a discerning eye is at work when you see music recorded two decades ago adorned with a bright yellow “NEW” sticker. This isn’t a trick, of course, but rather a signal for collectors. While purchasing such a CD may garner the modest approval of an employee, to get in with the regular crowd you have to get dusty. Hidden in the vinyl crates are old jazz and blues LPs, tempting enthusiasts from across the city to come dig. If your own excavation leads to an unfamiliar record sleeve, hand it off to one of the regulars in exchange for a history lesson. 1377 E. 53rd St. Daily, 11am-8pm. (773)288.6588 (Tyler Leeds)

Best Film Screenings
Doc Films
Doc Films, the nation’s oldest continually running film society, can trace its beginnings back to a couple of Soviet film nuts in 1932. Every quarter of the UofC’s academic year, Doc assigns a theme to each weeknight, ranging from the academic (“The Post-Classical Western”) to the whimsical (“Gore! Monsters! North Carolina?”). On the weekends, the society indulges in recent box-office hits. Admission is only five bucks, even if the night features a director appearance or rare print. The upcoming season promises to hit home. Kartemquin Films, founded by three UofC alums, will be celebrating its 45^th anniversary with showings. The group earned international recognition for its Homeric documentary “Hoop Dreams,” which traced the high school basketball careers of two South Side ninth graders lavished with promises of stardom. Adding a bit of levity to the season, Friday’s series will feature the works of Woody Allen. Meanwhile, a series showing films from dGenerate will offer a glimpse into the independent film culture of contemporary China. Max Palevsky Cinema. 1212 E. 59th St. Times vary. $5 for one film, $30 for quarterly membership. (773)702.8574. docfilms.uchicago.edu(Tyler Leeds)

Maggie Sivit

Boarded-up storefronts not withstanding, 63rd Street is a pretty happening place. A terminus of the Green Line, “L” cars rumble above Cottage Grove. Underneath, Daley’s serves up steaming omelets, as it has since the restaurant opened in the 1930s. Across the street, shoppers rush in and out of a grocery store. Along the sidewalk, the displays of multiple clothing boutiques and beauty supply stores sell their wares to teenagers passing by. Just south of the “L” tracks, there are Jamaican restaurants and the world’s second Harold’s Chicken Shack. But the food, shoes, and booze end after only three blocks, and the activity comes to a dead stop.

While nightclubs formerly stretched all along 63rd, their signs blinking into the Chicago night, today empty lots are a frequent sight. Along the northern edge of 61st Street, new glassy constructions loom, casting shadows across the neighborhood. Further progress into Woodlawn stalled by an agreement with the community, the University of Chicago is cramming its southernmost expanse with new buildings.

Yet, the social divide is not as clear the physical, despite unofficial University warnings to avoid straying south of 61st. Set alight by their frustration with Hyde Park’s historically isolated position on the South Side, many student and community groups have expanded the reach of their activities into Woodlawn. Every day, scores of students work with neighborhood elementary school kids on their math homework. Meanwhile, residents of both areas have worked to establish community gardens between 61st and 63rd Streets. Furthermore, many businesses and organizations like Robust Coffee and the Woodlawn Collaborative, who offer free programming in the performing arts, bookmaking, serve patrons from both communities. Undergraduates frequent Blackstone Bicycle Works to learn how to fix popped tires from Woodlawn teenagers. While tension exists, collaboration is growing.

Best Raw Vegan Deli
B’Gabs Goodies
Picture the best pad Thai you’ve ever had—the sweet peanut sauce, crunchy bean sprouts, shredded carrot, and the vitamin K-rich curly-leaf kale. If that last ingredient threw you off a bit, you’re not alone. B’Gabs Goodies is a vegan deli known for such healthy twists. Run by Gabrielle Darvassy, a woman who is as kind and motherly to her customers as she is to her elementary school-age son (and the store’s cutest employee) Marley. Before fixing your creamy and naturally sweetened smoothie, she’ll ask you for your food allergies and taste preferences. You’ll be having flashbacks to the smoothie’s vivid, fruity notes for weeks. The bill of fare is deceptively imaginative and complex—their plainest item, the veggie sandwich, uses a flax seed “bun” wafer to hold together a garden of greens and avocado. The restaurant’s interior is cozy but sparse. A few mismatched tables appear in the front, while dozens upon dozens of herbs, spices, and teas fill shelves in the back. With Darvassy’s friends and family members often preparing dishes and handling the register, a trip to B’Gabs makes you feel like part of the family. A home-cooked meal without the cooking, you’ll leave the shop feeling happier and healthier than when you entered. 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Tuesday-Saturday, 9am-3pm. (773)251-3071. bgabsgoodies.com (Kelsey Gee)

Best Meeting Grounds
Robust Coffee Lounge
Located a short walk from the University of Chicago’s South Campus Residence Hall, Robust Coffee Lounge was originally projected to be a student hang-out and study spot. While the industrial-chic decor, breakfast options, unlimited free Wi-Fi, and comfy seating make it a perfect place to settle down with a laptop, Robust has also attracted a significant following from more permanent Woodlawn residents. The clientele are generally quiet, their faces captivated by laptops or distracted by the fluffy, fruit-filled Belgian waffles on their plates. But by noon, the volume is turned up as folks stop in on their lunch break for corned beef sandwiches. The storefront is embellished with advertisements of specials and a wall displays the many accolades Robust has won. Continuing the legacy of the former Backstory Café, Robust acts as a meeting place for both undergraduates entirely new to the city and residents whose Woodlawn roots go three generations back. 6300 S. Woodlawn Ave. Monday-Friday, 6am-8pm; Saturday-Sunday, 7am-7pm. (773)891-4240. robustcoffeelounge.com (Maria Nelson)

Best Cemetery
Oak Woods Cemetery
Every life is fitting of a monument, though few are lucky enough to see theirs erected. Roland Burris, the former Illinois attorney general, is a notable exception. Though still living, his (self-financed) Oak Woods Cemetery memorial is already emblazoned with his feats and the epitaph reads, “TRAIL BLAZER.” It’s hard to blame him for wanting to be interred amid such greatness—the site contains thousand of monuments, some dignified, others garish, scattered across its 180 acres of man-made hills and ponds. Among those entombed are Jesse Owens, Enrico Fermi, Harold Washington, and Ida B. Wells. Surrounded by a row of elm trees, the remains of over 5,000 Confederate soldiers and prisoners of war lay beneath a 46-foot-tall Confederate memorial. Victims of starvation, the soldiers died imprisoned in Camp Douglas along modern-day Cottage Grove Avenue. Nearby, city officials and crooks like “Big Bill” Thompson and James “Big Jim” Colosimo are venerated by ornate limestone obelisks and mausoleums—matched only by the white bronze statues and angelic figures marking big businessmen like Hyde Park founder Paul Cornell. The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers regular $15 tours of the gravesite, but if you have a free afternoon, a self-guided stroll will let you explore in peace. 1035 E. 67th St. Daily, 8am-4:30pm. (773)288-3800 (Kelsey Gee)

Maggie Sivit

From far away, the towering condo buildings of the South Loop appear crystalline and new, the products of more than 30 years of development. Yet the streets tell a much different story, worn by the highs and lows of the neighborhood’s past. Once the place to live in Chicago, Prairie Avenue hosted some of the city’s most recognizable families, including the Pullmans and Fields. At the turn of the 20th century, however, factories moved in, and the area’s wealth gravitated north to the increasingly affluent area along the Gold Coast. All but eleven of the original houses on Prairie Avenue were demolished to make way for printing factories, manufacturing plants, motor show rooms, and low-income boarding houses.

With the decline of one community came the rise of another. The studios of Record Row on South Michigan Avenue recorded some of Chicago’s seminal artists, from Muddy Waters to Memphis Slim to Bo Diddley. Sprinkled across the surrounding neighborhood were vibrant blues, jazz, and soul clubs, a scene ignited by the Great Migration that was rapidly transforming the entire South Side.

Since the 1960s, developers have moved in to build the South Loop up and up. The boxy behemoth McCormick Place has drawn massive numbers of business travelers to the neighborhood. New townhouses, vaguely reminiscent of the Prairie Avenue extravagance of old, line many side streets. Amid the recently constructed high-rises, hints of the neighborhood’s past sit tucked in worn storefronts and down back alleys. Don’t be blinded by the sheen of the new steel and glass towers—despite the many twists and turns of Chicago’s past, the South Loop has been here since the start.

Best Time Machine
The Glessner House Museum
The Glessner House belongs to a different Chicago. Billowing smokestacks, corrupt politicians, rough-and-tumble streets, this Chicago followed the tides of industrial progress. The home’s stone fortress façade is unmistakable. Windows like arrow slits and a wall of giant granite impose on the street a sense of awe and fear. Designed by American legend H. H. Richardson (famous for the Trinity Church in Boston), the home was built in 1885 for businessman John Glessner and his family. Glessner was an early champion of the Arts and Crafts Movement, reflected at every turn inside the house: intricate woodworking by Isaac Scott, ornate silver pieces, imported English textiles, and even a lavishly inlaid Steinway. Amid these proto-modernist details, it is easy to see the house’s influence on such architects as Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright. The garrison-like exterior of the house protected the Glessner family from the cruel streets of the growing industrial district, while the inside showed off the opulence that was its fruit. The contrast between this warm interior and the imposing walls outside strike a chord about that old Chicago—the tensions between industry and nature, and the stark divide between rich and poor. Walking through the house you get a sense of how far the city has come. Or, depending on your view, how little. 1800 S. Prairie Ave. Wednesday-Sunday, 11:30am-4pm. (312)326-1480. glessnerhouse.org  (Isaac Dalke)

Best Perch
Little Branch Café
With old tree stumps-as-barstools, Little Branch Café offers its patrons a surprisingly organic experience within the faceless glass of a new high-rise. The dark wood floor and stylish paper light fixtures create a cozy atmosphere to enjoy in-house and locally made pastries and coffee. Still, it strives to be much more than just a high-quality coffee shop. The café offers a full-service bar and a gelato counter. Wednesday through Friday, Little Branch even serves a modest dinner menu, with entrees such as “Chicken & Waffles” and a croque-monsieur crepe. It’ll come as no surprise that their delicious hot paninis are aimed at the lunchtime office crowd. Slowly expanding operations since it opened in 2007, Little Branch is quickly turning into the South Loop’s best spot for light fare. And, as the name suggests, it’s a great place to alight for a rest after a tiring day. 1251 S. Prairie Ave. Monday-Tuesday, 7am-4pm; Wednesday-Friday, 7am-10pm; Saturday, 8am-10pm; Sunday, 8am-4pm. (312)360-0101. littlebranchcafe.com (Isaac Dalke)

Best Headbanging
Reggies Rock Club
For anyone looking for a taste of Chicago’s gritty rock scene, Reggies is the city’s go-to venue south of the Loop. Whether punk, hard rock, metal, grind core, or eclectic fusions, Reggies reels you in week after week as a three-in-one record store, music joint, and rock club. The 21+ music joint offers a full bar and restaurant with a mini stage that features smashing late-night sets. The more cavernous all-ages and 17+ rock club next door has hosted big names such as L.A. Guns, Brit punk legends the Adicts, and underground thrash metal masters DRI. If you ever find yourself wandering around the South Loop, keep your eyes open for a mash of leather, mo-hawks, piercings, and tattoos taking a smoke break. Follow the crowd in through the pitch-black doorway, pass by the merch booth and anchor yourself next to the giant speakers with a good pair of earplugs. Don’t worry, even the regulars take such a precaution. But if you need to feel a bit tough, the moshing won’t be too long coming. 2105 S. State St. See website for show times and cover charges. (312) 949-0120. reggieslive.com (Marina Grozdanova)

Best Afterlife
Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven
The Rolling Stones’ track “2120 South Michigan Avenue” grooves atop a punchy guitar and soulful harmonica. A steady beat completes the quick, fun number,  framing the interplaying treble. However, the actual 2120 South Michigan Avenue, now Willie Dixon’s Blues Heaven Foundation, would be better immortalized by a three-part epic. Once the home of Chess Records, the old studio recorded blues hits by the likes Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters. However, by the late 60s Chess was mired in a royalties controversy and eventually succumbed to financial ruin. Boarded up, the building was purchased in 1992 by Dixon’s widow to house the foundation her husband created before passing. The foundation now serves as an office, museum, and concert venue. Inside, memorabilia from the Chess Records era covers the walls. In the back rooms, the foundation organize programs to assist aging blues musicians while supporting up-and-comers. Outside, in an enclosed pavilion called the Blues Garden, they host blues concerts in warmer months. 2120 S. Michigan Ave. Tours available Monday-Friday, 11am-4pm; Saturday, 12pm-2pm. $10. (312)808-1286. bluesheaven.com (Tyler Leeds)

Best Place to Spot a Snowy Owl
Northerly Island
Northerly Island (actually a peninsula) hosted Chicago’s second World’s Fair in 1933-1934 before it was converted into an airport. Eighty years later, that airport, called Meigs Field, entered into Chicago political lore when former mayor Richard M. Daley controversially bulldozed the runway under the cover of night, stranding sixteen aircraft on the tarmac. The move cleared the way for completion of a small holdover from the 1909 Burnham Plan. After nearly a century, the island offers a glimpse of Burnham’s grandiose vision of converting the city’s islands into parkland. Wild prairie hosts native flowers and the island is a stopover for migratory birds (and the best place in the state to spot a snowy owl). A stroll along the island’s paths reveals one of finest views of Chicago: the downtown skyline rising up at a distance from behind tall, windblown grass. If you don’t make it there by the time snow blankets the island, grab a pair of cross-country skis at the island’s field house—the views will still be astounding, if a bit bleak. 1400 S. Lynn White Dr. Field house open Monday-Sunday, 9am-5pm in the late spring, summer, and autumn; Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm in the winter and early spring. (312)745-2910 (Gregor-Fausto Sigmund)

Maggie Sivit

Bridgeport is one of Chicago’s “up-and-coming” neighborhoods. New foodie havens, a booming arts scene, and hopping nightlife beckon twenty-somethings and art types from across the city. While it is certifiably hip, Bridgeport feels strangely isolated from its surrounding communities in terms of geography and character, which gives it a quirky, organic hometown vibe.

Halsted Street, historically Bridgeport’s main drag, is lined with family businesses. One restaurant is cluttered with what looks like the merchandise from a resale shop; down the street, a New Agey specialty store sells love potions. While each shop has its own niche, their respective owners are not afraid to talk up neighboring establishments: listen and you can hear customers and staff chatting about a local bike shop, or spreading word that Godzilla has made a special appearance at a nearby toy store.

Like many South Side neighborhoods, Bridgeport—originally called Hardscrabble—has a long history of racial tensions and gang wars mirroring its arc of ethnic change. Remnants of Bridgeport’s Eastern European roots can be seen in the architecture: steeples from countless Catholic and Orthodox churches rise above Bridgeport’s streets, though the church-goers are a few generations removed from those Irish, Lithuanian, and Polish immigrants. More recently, the neighborhood has seen a large influx of Chinese and Mexicans. The neighborhood’s ethnic diversity contrasts starkly with that of the surrounding communities, which has perhaps insulated it further from change and strengthened its strong sense of identity.

Despite the wave of redevelopment that has landed Bridgeport the “it-thing” tag, the new is not incongruous with the old. Those dedicated to the burgeoning art and restaurant scene are also committed to preserving Bridgeport’s historic architecture and culture. Instead of competing with one another, the new and old combine to create an atmosphere where it seems everyone is your neighbor, even if they live miles away.

Best Place to Drown in Marinara
Ricobene’s
In the shadow of the Dan Ryan-I55 interchange, the cars create a draft to flap a White Sox flag beside a neon sign calling out, “Eat At Ricobene’s.” Founded in 1946, Ribocene’s was in the neighborhood decades before the highway was built, and it still draws deep from these roots. Inside, the walls are filled with faded black-and-white photos of family portraits, children beaming on bicycles, and newlyweds. From back in the kitchen, ’50s R&B drifts out, a bit distorted by the sounds of the grill and fryer. Based on the quality of the food, the restaurant may well be there long after the soaring overpass has crumbled away. Offering truly classic Chicago fare, from deep-dish pizza to fat and greasy fries to hotdogs-hold-the-ketchup, this place is authentically Chicago. Yet as the menu suggests, Ricobene’s is most recognized for their “Famous Breaded Steak Sandwich.” Waves of thin-sliced steak, puddles of “red gravy” (similar to a basic marinara) and mounds of mozzarella all barely fit into the thick Italian bread. Decaled in a conservative 1940s font, the drug-store-style window modestly claims, “Good Food.” Yes, my friend, good food.  252 W. 26th St. Monday-Thursday, 9:30am-12:30am; Friday-Saturday, 9:30am-2am; Sunday, 11am-12:30am. (312)225-5555. ricobenespizza.com (Isaac Dalke)

Best Global Grocery
Cermak Fresh Market
If you ever need a quick indication of a neighborhood’s ethnic makeup, take a look within the local grocery store. Bridgeport’s Cermak Fresh Market, part of a local chain, reveals a community that doesn’t quite fit into any single mold. Equal parts standard supermarket fare, Italian cheeses, Asian-style seafood, and Hispanic seasonings, this market stays well-stocked with every culture’s basics. With its reasonable-to-cheap prices and haphazard layout, Cermak seeks to optimize the grocery shopping experience in terms of both amusement and savings. Twenty-five-pound bags of various rices are found beneath peaches and plums, while the baby food is next to olive oil. One aisle begins with Italian fare like dried pasta, transitions via canned tomatoes, and ends with Mexican treats and a floor-to-ceiling display of six-pound hominy cans. Perhaps Cermak Fresh Market also reflects Bridgeporters’ tendency to buy groceries in bulk.  3033 S. Halsted St. Daily, 7am-9pm. (312)460-3460 (Maria Nelson)

Best Geometric Shape
Co-Prosperity Sphere
The 5,000-plus square foot gallery of the Co-Prosperity Sphere acts as classroom, concert space, party floor, and de facto headquarters of post-Marxist bohemian activism. A self-proclaimed “experimental cultural center,” the Sphere is the brick-and-mortar outpost of the Public Media Institute, a non-profit that organizes the annual ten-day long Version Festival, which highlights the cutting edge of art, music, and arts education every spring.  The same folks turn out Lumpen Magazine, a publication that blends the aesthetic with a hard-line political agenda. The main instrument of the group’s cultural activism is the Co-Prosperity Sphere School, a weekly gathering that aims to teach its eager pupils about art in Chicago. By providing a community space that serves art through production, display, and education, the Co-Prosperity Sphere is taking an active role in actualizing their desire to transform Bridgeport into a “Community of the Future.”  3219-21 S. Morgan St. Hours by appointment. (773) 837-0145. coprosperity.org  (Candice Ralph and Tyler Leeds)

Best Traditional Italian
Gio’s Cafe and Deli
Located on the corner of two quiet residential streets, Gio’s Cafe and Deli has the charm and red-checkered tablecloths of a small town pizza parlor without the greasy, half-baked pizza. Instead, Gio’s offers imported and homemade pasta, Italian paninis, fried appetizers, and chicken entrees. Because it is both a cafe and market, you can grab lunch on the go, eat alone at a table, or just stop in to chat with the incredibly friendly staff. The best part of Gio’s, however, isn’t on its plates—it’s on their shelves. Imagine your kindly Italian grandmother’s pantry, multiply each item by five, and put it up for sale, trinkets and all. Stop into Gio’s if you are craving fresh pasta, top-notch bruschetta, or high-quality Italian olive oil, but also if you ever need a two-inch tall cheese grater, a six-pound can of chickpeas, or a pizza cutter whose handle is an Italian chef figurine. 2724 S. Lowe Ave. Monday-Saturday, 8am-9pm. (312)225-6368. gioscafe.com (Maria Nelson)

Best Savory Pastries
Pleasant House Bakery
If you’ve ever fancied a hearty meal from the other side of the pond, make a trip to try a royal pie from the Pleasant House Bakery. Despite the name, royal pies are closer to peasant food—hot, and filled with rib-sticking ingredients like steak and ale (or for vegetarians, mushroom and kale). The restaurant is tiny enough that the whole kitchen is visible behind the counter, so you’ll probably get to see Art Jackson, the owner, filling up the pastries while his wife Chelsea takes your order. However, truth be told, it’s not the pies but the little details that make this restaurant stand out: a simple radish salad from the owners’ garden, home-made sodas, delectable deserts, or the Vanilla Ice Pandora radio station in the background. Try visiting on a Friday, when the owners fry up fish-and-chips for a crowd. 964 W. 31st St. Tuesday-Thursday, 11am-9 pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-10 pm; Sunday, noon-8 pm. (773)523-7437. pleasanthousebakery.com (Sharon Lurye)

Best Watering Hole
Maria’s Packaged Goods & Community Bar
For those weary of trekking north for quality booze, look no further than Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar. A bar in the guise of an ordinary storefront, Maria’s provides two layers of alcoholic inception: the first, a liquor store, and the second, a tavern concealed behind an old freezer door. Boasting one of the largest selections of craft beer in the city, Maria’s has 16 artisan brews on tap and over 300 in bottles. Beers range in price from $2 for a “random shitty beer,” $3 for “bartender’s choice,” and up to $6 for microbrews. If beer isn’t your preferred way to get buzzed, Maria’s concocts mixed drinks rivaling Chicago cocktail heavy-hitters such as The Whistler. Chandeliers crafted from beer bottles cast a ruddy glow indoors, but during the warmer months patrons can bring drinks to a back patio area. Clientele ranges from old Bridgeport regulars to newly transplanted hip-young-things. True to its moniker, this joint is clearly a community watering hole. 960 W. 31st St. Sunday-Friday, 4pm-2am; Saturday, 4pm -3am. (773)890-0588. community-bar.com (Anna Fixsen)

Best Nature Walk
Henry C. Palmisano Nature Preserve
Rededicated last November in honor of the late outdoorsman and local sporting goods store owner Henry C. Palmisano, this 27-acre green space has had many lives. Until 1970, it was Stearns Quarry, a 387-foot-deep limestone mining site. After that, the gaping hole in the ground became an unnamed dump for construction waste. In 2004, the Chicago Park District began taking proposals for renovation, and shortly thereafter the location became Site Design Park, or Park No. 531. Today, in addition to Palmisano Nature Preserve, this natural recluse just south of the Stevenson Expressway is known by some as Mount Bridgeport—named for the man-made hill rising up out of the old quarry to tower over the surrounding houses along Halsted. Navigate around the hill, however, and the park reveals a self-contained water recirculation system replete with a retention pond and vegetation specifically selected to filter road salts in the winter. Meanwhile, a 1.5-mile long elevated walkway and a gravel running track snake through the park. The design also facilitates activities like fishing and kite flying, while preserving historical features such as the quarry’s limestone wall and mining elevators. Walking along the secluded quarry, it’s easy to leave behind the bustle of the city. Yet the top of Mount Bridgeport claims one of the best views of the Chicago skyline. 2700 S. Halsted St. (Maria Nelson)

Best Roast
Bridgeport Coffee Company
Founded in 2004, Bridgeport Coffee Company was the first product of commercial redevelopment along the intersection of 31st and Morgan. Once the old time neighborhood of the Daley political dynasty, this intersection is now known for drawing a crowd of fashion-conscious students and young professionals. Bolstered by Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar and Pleasant House Bakery across the street, Bridgeport Coffee Co. acts as the scene’s focal point. Nonetheless, this coffee shop is also simply a great place to sit all day with a pot of mango black tea, a microbrewed cup of on-site roasted coffee, or a Filbert’s root beer bottled a few blocks west in McKinley Park. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming with tasteful wood paneling and accents, chalkboard menus, and old photos of Bridgeport landmarks. The staff is chatty and will poke fun at customers while sharing their secret to Chicago’s best cup of coffee (hint: it’s the delicate, light roast). 3101 S. Morgan St. Monday-Friday, 6am-9pm; Saturday, 7am-9pm; Sunday, 8am-7pm. (773)247-9950. bridgeportcoffeecompany.com  (Maria Nelson)

Maggie Sivit

Flying into Midway Airport, travelers catch a glimpse of a quaint scene of Americana—white lawn furniture, above-ground pools, and soccer balls abandoned in backyards. Quivering within the airplane’s jet stream, the mid-century homes vanish just as they appear within reach. While the air terminal is just a stopover on many flyers’ trips, the neighborhoods surrounding Midway—West Lawn, Clearing, and West Elsdon among them—continue to offer a comfortable if not quiet refuge.

Before the airport was built, the railroad drew working families to the area west of the Grand Trunk tracks. The industrial plants in Clearing provided jobs, and immigrants from Germany, Italy, Ireland, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Lithuania streamed in. To this day, West Lawn remains a small but vibrant cultural center for Lithuanians in Chicago and beyond—home to the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture and one of the only Lithuanian-language printing presses in the country.

The pace of growth quickened during World War II when the airport expanded and factories were put to work for the war effort. One-story bungalows popped up in rows, the rising middle class seeking the neighborhood’s grassy lawns and tree-lined streets. But the population explosion was matched by an outburst of violence. Ethnic and class tensions escalated over the integration of the neighborhood and in 1946, erupted into race riots at 60th Street and Karlov.

The demographics shifted in the last quarter of the 20th century, but these neighborhoods retain their ties to the American dream. There is now a sizable Mexican community—in West Lawn and West Elsdon Hispanics make up 50% of the population—while Arab families and businesses are moving in. Though the homes, which in the 1950s surely must have been pictures of the future, are now showing signs of wear, the Midway area remains a place for families and ambitions to touch down and then take off.

Best Plantain Sandwich
Kapeekoo
A quiet restaurant with fans lazily spinning overhead and fake palm trees in planters, Kapeekoo doesn’t feel like a destination vacation to the Caribbean. But order a jibarito and it’ll taste like you’re there. A sandwich with fried plantains instead of bread comes hot and not too salty, and is filled with your choice of meat, vegetables, and cheese. Ask for the chili sauce on the side, which brightens the salty-savory flavors with spice. The sweet plantains are tender and perfectly caramelized, and the beans are well seasoned. The list of exotic offerings can be daunting, but our waiter patiently explained the flavors and textures of the dishes we didn’t recognize. “Careful,” he cautioned as he brought out our freshly fried guava cheese empanada, “the insides are, like, 300 degrees.” Wait for the molten sugar to cool before washing it down with some coconut soda. 6336 S. Pulaski Rd. Tuesday-Friday, 11am-9pm; Saturday-Sunday, 12:30pm-9pm. (773)284-9400. kapeekoo.com (Rachel Wiseman)

Best Cheap Socks
The Sock Shoppe
Socks don’t get much respect. They get worn thin until they look like Swiss cheese, lost in the wash, and totally forsaken during sandal season (unless you’re from Vermont). Too frequently they’re afterthoughts on jaunts to the mall, always playing second fiddle to the hot new pair of kicks you bought with them. But one store on 63rd and Pulaski has been giving socks their due for the last 42 years. The Sock Shoppe carries a wide selection of different knits, shapes, and sizes, and since many of the socks for sale are factory irregulars, they’re super cheap. Neon cutout signs list the prices in permanent marker: three pairs of wool thermal socks for under $6—even cheaper than you’ll find online—and multiple sets of funky decorative socks for even less. They also sell loungewear, plain T-shirts, and uniform elements. But for the best deal, stick to the socks. 4012 W. 63rd St. Monday-Saturday, 9am-7pm; Sunday, 10am-7pm. (773)582-4787 (Rachel Wiseman)

Best Old Fashioned Five-and-Dime
J & R Variety Store
Like that photograph of your mustachioed uncle from the ‘70s, J & R Variety gives off a comforting air of nostalgia. Bright floral frocks are displayed on the wood-shingled wall above racks of aprons and sweatshirts. Hanging from the ceiling, smiling paper sun decorations shine over the dimly lit aisles. J & R Variety is one of a dying breed of five-and-dime stores that were once frequently found in the city and sold everything from clothes to pots and pans, sewing materials to toy soldiers. Now, big box mammoths like Walmart and Target have made these mom and pop shops almost obsolete. But J & R holds on. It’s still owned and operated by the family that has worked at the store since 1956. And though some of their wares look as vintage as the décor, they’ve got all the modern necessities for your home. But the friendly service by the owner and his daughter, quirky plastic swan planters, and typewriter paper supplies make every shopping trip seem like you’re traveling in time. 6318 S. Pulaski Rd. Monday-Friday, 9:30am-6pm; Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 11am-4pm. (773)735-4995 (Rachel Wiseman)

Best Annals of History
The National Archives
If history is a kind of collective memory, then this low-lying building on Pulaski and 73rd is its hard drive. Here at the Chicago branch of the National Archives and Records Administration, you’ll find a treasure trove of historical documents, covering everything from westward expansion to African American history to space exploration technology. One of only fourteen locations in the country, the National Archives on Pulaski hold more than 78,000 cubic feet of hardcopy and microfilm materials, including letters, maps, photographs, and blueprints that date as far back as 1800. Though the research room can seem a bit stark, you’re not alone: Abraham Lincoln, Marcus Garvey, Enrico Fermi, Lorraine Hansberry, and (gulp) Al Capone all live here in the records. If you’re doing genealogical or academic research, you might want to call ahead to make sure they have what you’re looking for. Anyone can use the archives, provided you are over the age of 14 (they prefer old things, what can we say). Make sure to bring a pencil and a notebook, you won’t want to forget what you see. 7358 S. Pulaski Rd. Monday-Friday, 8am-4:15pm. (773)948-9001. archives.gov/great-lakes/archives (Rachel Wiseman)

Maggie Sivit

At the intersection of King and 26th, a fifteen-foot statue waves commuters through the “Gateway to Bronzeville,” a suitcase dangling in his spare hand. The figure is a monument to the early 20th-century Great Migration, a massive resettling that sparked a black cultural renaissance rivaled only by Harlem. Out of the upswing emerged such luminaries as Ida B. Wells, Bessie Coleman, Gwendolyn Brooks, Richard Wright, and Louis Armstrong. While the cultural and intellectual products of the era spread around the world, segregationist zoning regulations strictly defined the boundaries of African-American settlement, and Bronzeville became the heart of Chicago’s “Black Belt.” In 1962, the Chicago Housing Authority constructed the sprawling Robert Taylor Homes along Bronzeville’s western edge, at the time the nation’s largest public housing complex with a peak population of 27,000. Poor design and services contributed to high unemployment and crime rates, which inevitably spilled into the community as a whole. Since the project was demolished (the last home fell in 2007) and the city implemented its controversial plan for mixed-income redevelopment, residents have stepped in to preserve their heritage. New boutiques, restaurants, and hangouts have gradually begun to emerge out of the buildings that once held the thriving Black Metropolis. While the golden days of poets and jazz are gone, today a bold community is committed to keeping its history, independence, and ingenuity alive. These days, there is a renewed sheen to the streets of Bronzeville.

Best Hidden Nightclub
Meyer’s Ace Hardware
Unless you’re in sore need of a garden hoe, hardware stores don’t usually inspire a lot of excitement. Nevertheless, any jazz aficionado setting foot in this Ace should find their heartbeat quickening in tempo. The building opened as the Sunset Café in 1921, drawing headliners such as Carroll Dickerson and a young Louis Armstrong. As the club grew in popularity, Sarah Vaughan, Nat “King” Cole, and Charlie Parker all took the stage. Dale and David Meyers, current owners, are the second generation to manage the hardware store—their father bought the old club from Louis Armstrong’s manager in the ’70s. The Meyers brothers are always happy to show customers their office, a portion of the stage whose accordion-shaped wall still holds its art deco backdrop. If you’re lucky, they’ll pull out a drawer of yellowed photos, menus, and sheet music before showing you around the second floor, which holds more artifacts from the old venue. Walking back through the store, you can faintly hear the syncopated clops of feet jitterbugging to Cab Calloway or faded echoes of Earl “Fatha” Hines working the ivories. 315 E. 35th St. Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm; Sunday, 11am-2pm. (312)225-5687 (Bonnie Fan)

Best Biscuits
Ms. Biscuits
Former Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer was once a regular at Ms. Biscuits’ small storefront along South Chicago Avenue. But after thirty years in business, those doors shut for good in 2002. Six years later, Ms. Biscuits’ nephew Dylan Reeves reopened the diner across from an early 20th-century baked-goods factory near Washington Park. These days, customers get seated on small round tables in a warm interior decorated by still lifes on exposed brick. The wait can be long, attributed to growing popularity (rumor has it that they’re extending their hours while adding Johnny Cakes and fried green tomatoes to their menu), but the wait staff couldn’t be more hardworking. The menu features classic breakfast food, including steaks, turkey, salmon croquette, and pancakes with a greater circumference than that of a fat baby’s waistline. Of course, the buttered griddle biscuits still follow the original and well-guarded Ms. Biscuits recipe. 5431 S. Wabash Ave. Daily, 5am-2pm. (773)268-8088 (Bonnie Fan)

Best Comedian-In-Chief
Brian Babylon
Brian Babylon knows how to please a crowd. In one set, he’ll get the house laughing at his ability to exploit white guilt in order to secure more paid vacation time. In the next, they’ll be reeling from his impersonation of that Jamaican singer on the Green Line. His “Obama” is so dead-on you may have heard his voice on BBC America talking about the South Side in the President’s characteristically clipped baritone. For Babylon, it all started when comedy club Jokes and Notes opened in 2006 on 47th and King. Since his first sets there as the “Prince of Bronzeville,” he has stood onstage everywhere from the Laugh Factory in LA to London’s Jongleurs. Still active at Jokes and Notes, which he considers the best open mic in Chicago, Babylon helps to bring in comics from all over the city. You can hear him on the air during his Morning AMP show with WEBZ-affiliated Vocalo 89.5 FM or as a guest on NPR’s “Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me.” Of course, it’s best to catch him off-air at one of his “5th Thursdays” shows at Jokes and Notes. Find the Prince online at vocalo.org/blogs/user/brian (Bonnie Fan)

Best Pre-Game Popcorn
Mother Butter’s Popcorn
Step into Mother Butter’s storefront and your nostrils will fill with the warm scent of Tim and Jennifer Donnelly’s little popcorn kitchen, where a bit of New Orleans punctuates both the décor and the corn. Butter blends such as Louisiana Hot or Jerk Seasoning and gourmet popcorn flavors like Bayou and Cajun are available to sample. The store also offers a few Southern-style sweets like “gophers”—caramel pecans covered in chocolate. Taking an old-school “culinary” approach, Mother Butter’s dashes each batch of popcorn—kept small for taste quality control—with a blend of spices that accentuates the different textures of the various corn varieties. For those unable to choose between the sweet homemade caramel and the salty cheddar, score both with the Chicago mix.” Located a stone’s throw away from U.S. Cellular Field, Mother Butter’s can elevate your Sox game fare from tasty to decadent. Plus, bags of the good stuff start at only one buck. 17 W. 35th St. Monday-Friday, 10:30am-8pm; Saturday, 11am-7pm; only open on Sundays when the White Sox play. (773)548-7677 (Bonnie Fan)

Most Heritage on the Walls
South Side Community Arts Center 
One of the few remaining WPA-commissioned art centers, this brownstone building stands as a testimony to the cultural influence of the Bronzeville community. The late Margaret Burroughs, co-founder and renowned artist, described the “mile of dimes” it took to buy the former manor and open the center in 1941. Both artisans and community members—from churchgoers to bootleggers—walked that mile until the doors opened. The center has both catalyzed and weathered social change throughout the civil rights era, remaining a haven for African American culture. Over the years, the center has hosted important showings of work by Charles White, William Carter, Eldzier Cortor, and George Neal. Inside, the original New Bauhaus-style interior maintains the holes that once held the artwork of these legends, now ready to support the neighborhood’s next generation of artists. 3831 S. Michigan Ave. Wednesday-Friday, 12-5pm; Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, 1pm-5pm. (773)373-1026 (Bonnie Fan)

Maggie Sivit

In 1853, two trains riding along rival lines collided at what is now the intersection of 75th and South Chicago Avenue. Seeing opportunity in the mangled steel’s violent geometry, Chicago entrepreneur Paul Cornell made a wise investment. To prevent future crashes, the government mandated all trains to stop at the crossing, bringing in hundreds of visitors daily. Cornell’s investment turned the land surrounding the intersection into a commercial and housing center for travelers and residents alike. Envisioning the transit hub as a suburb, developers built homes for a working-class population that equated private property with prosperity. Following a familiar trajectory, the population transitioned midway through the twentieth century from Irish, German, and English to African-American.

Since that time, nearly half the area’s population has slowly bled away. The long stretches of residential streets are in decay, leaving buildings abandoned and lots empty. Nonetheless, a critical mass has gathered along the area’s commercial thoroughfares. Throughout the day, a steady stream of foot traffic makes its way along 71st, 75th and 79th Streets. Locally owned restaurants offer innovative approaches to common American fare, and enclaves of immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean have imported their tropical flavors to the Midwest. Keeping the lights on past midnight, a growing lounge scene on 75th mixes the scampering of jazz with the city’s late-night hum.

Best Gourmet Burger
Burger Bar
Imploring customers to “Skip breakfast, eat burgers” Burger Bar allows such a habit to be pursued responsibly. In addition to their lean beef, the restaurant offers salmon, turkey, and veggie patties, using each as a platform for imaginative seasonings. The jerk burger features exactly what you’d expect—a zesty glaze of jerk sauce—while the “savory salmon” comes with remoulade tarter sauce, raw onions, and veggies. The fries complete the burger experience, as they’re crisp and won’t leave your fingers with a greasy sheen. Try the sweet potato fries if you want a bit more flavor, but order a side of the fried okra if you know what’s good for you. While gourmet burger chains are now ubiquitous on the North Side, their corporate interiors have nothing on the front-porch atmosphere of Burger Bar. The staff are kind and talkative, offering you advice on your order from behind the bullet-proof glass, while small details and written specials taped to the wall, beer bottles turned into salt shakers add some personal charm. 622 E. 71th St. Monday-Saturday, 11am-8pm. (773)846.2874 (Tyler Leeds)

Best Senegalese 
Yassa African Restaurant
“Are you hungry?” asks Madieye Gueye, the owner of Yassa African Restaurant, as he sits down at the table with us. “When you come to Yassa you have to be hungry.” He’s right—the portions barely fit on the plate here at the city’s only Senegalese restaurant. Their trademark, yassa, is a mixture of the “chef’s secret spices,” diced onion, and piquant mustard, a traditional sauce from Senegal so central to the restaurant’s menu that they borrowed its name. Featuring chicken, lamb, fish, or shrimp, the dish comes smothered in the special spice blend and served up with a smattering of sautéed onions and carrots. Cut the spice with a side of djolof rice or atieke, a cassava-based cous cous that is otherwise a bit bland. And make sure to order one of their homemade drinks. Bissap, a juice made from dried hibiscus flowers, is refreshing and recalls the taste of pomegranate. The honeydew drink tastes remarkably natural in spite of its slime-green color, which incidentally matches the sponge-painted walls. 716 E. 79th St. Monday-Thursday, 11am-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-11pm; Sunday, 11am-10pm. (773)488-5599. yassaafricanrestaurant.com (Maria Nelson and Rachel Wiseman)

Best Sequined Bras
N’Dulge Boutique
The fashion police at N’Dulge Boutique are always ready to serve and protect the public from a drab wardrobe. Sharita, a shopaholic and Chicago police officer in her free time, opened the store in May to showcase and sell the eye-catching clothes she loves. “She’s flashy,” says Sharita’s laconic boyfriend, wearing a Bluetooth while manning the cash register. Slinky rayon-spandex dresses, faux fur vests, and burgundy jumpsuits hang on racks at the front of the store. Cases display sparkling metallic bangles and heavy costume jewelry pieces, while bejeweled brassieres twinkle on their hangers—red, turquoise, and orange. The five-inch snakeskin heels exhibited on the wall look deadly—to walk in them you’d have to break a couple laws of physics, and maybe even a bone. The store design is almost as sumptuous as the apparel: plush, jewel-tone pillows line a bench and glass chandeliers hang over a bar in the back that is used for parties. A nearly complete set of letters hammered into a wall read, “INDULGE YOUR ELF”. At N’Dulge, there’s more than enough extravagance to go around: indulge your elf and yourself. 421 E. 75th S. Monday-Saturday, 11am-7pm. (855)638-5432 (Rachel Wiseman)

Best International Cuisine
Wings Around the World
“Girl, we don’t do plain wings,” the employee said to a customer who had inquired, tutting from behind the sliding glass window. Wings Around the World offers juicy and tender non-breaded chicken wings, cooked-to-order in batches of five to a thousand. The main draw, however, is the selection of over forty gourmet flavors gathered from around the world. Not only reserved for the chicken, the house-made rubs and sauces may be added to shrimp, catfish, perch, cod, or the most popular alternative, tilapia. Flavors range from the smoky sweet honey jerk BBQ to the savory parmesan garlic, to the sweat-inducing spicy “Kamikaze.” The sides are all American, but not to be passed up—the “cheese wedge” alternative to lightly seasoned fries is really fried mac and cheese—and all meals come with a cold pop. Expect a wait when you go—but relax, it took Jules Verne 80 days to make it as far as the Wings employees do in a mere 20 minutes. 510 E. 75th St. Monday-Tuesday, 2pm-12am; Wednesday, 12pm-2am; Thursday-Friday, 12pm-4:30am; Saturday, 12pm-5am; Sunday, 12pm-7pm. (773)483-9120. flavorstoinfinity.com (Kelsey Gee)

Best Rib Tip
Uncle John’s BBQ
The whole production at Uncle John’s BBQ is visible through the chicken wire that covers the glass storefront. A spit rotates, men stand attentive at the woodchip grill, placing on new racks of ribs, rotating cuts of chicken, and taking pieces off once slow-roasted to juicy perfection. While the decision between rib tips, fried chicken, hot links, turkey, or brisket may seem vexing, you can’t go wrong with any of these carnivorous delights. All are tender, faintly smoky, and drenched with mild, spicy, or ‘mixed’ sauce. The meat comes presented on a bed of fries, with two slices of white bread and a cup of slaw on the side—a grand feast considering it comes in a paper bag.  339 E. 69th St. Monday-Thursday, 1pm-10pm; Friday-Saturday, 1pm-12am. (773)892-1233 (Isaac Dalke)

Maggie Sivit

Pilsen and Little Village are cousins—not only because families often extend across the neighborhood boundaries, nor simply because they are both port-of-entry regions for recent Mexican immigrants. These two are a pair, now more than ever, because of a growing exchange between the two.

Pilsen is a neighborhood of cultural juxtaposition. Dimly lit Café Mestizo, filled with studious patrons eating pasta salad, is just across the street from the abuelas watching lurid novellas inside of Gloria’s Tacos. When asked about some of the best places in Pilsen, one woman who works in the neighborhood snapped, “Do you mean real Pilsen or gentrified Pilsen?”

While the gentrification story is accurate, it’s too simple. Yes, affluent twenty-somethings are moving into the neighborhood, driving up rents and pushing rooted Latino families out. And the number of foreign-born residents in Pilsen has decreased dramatically in the last 20 years, but the young, educated children of the American Dream remain steadfastly committed to the barrio. Places like Working Bikes, which treats bicycles not as an ironic symbol but an important vehicle for working men and women, and Simone’s Bar, which has begun to host weekly karaoke nights where Latinos and non-Latinos alike gather to sing classic Mexican pop hits, are bridging a gap between the cohabiting communities.

In contrast, walking across Ogden into Little Village, also known as La Villita, or, half-jokingly, “the Mexico of the Midwest,” can feel like crossing a real border. Quinceañeras dresses fill storefront windows. On the sidewalk, old men push brightly colored plastic carts filled with paletería, while bored teenage boys occasionally sneer at passing “white hipsters.” Though signs in Little Village’s commercial district are almost always in Spanish, many neighborhood restaurants have begun warming up to visitors by offering menus translated into English, following Pilsen’s lead.

Those who worry that the neighborhoods will renounce their titles as the twin centers of the city’s Mexican-American community seem to ignore the fact that many of the area’s transplants are pulled by the ethnic sounds, sights, and smells. And arguably, both neighborhoods are benefiting from the new (bilingual) conversations about what it means to thrive as a community.

Best Fabric Selection 
Textile Discount Outlet
The Textile Discount Outlet is a 75,000-square-foot warehouse filled with shiny fabrics, glittery tulle, and thick polar fleece. No other place in Pilsen, or perhaps the entire city, can offer what this place does all under one roof—materials to make your daughter’s quinceañera dress, to reupholster your couch, or to colorfully decorate a birdcage. The store’s clientele is mixed: young women speak Spanish as they swap gauzy fabric swatches, middle aged men systematically gather stack after stack of seemingly unrelated fabric, and bossy old ladies snap at the the staff to cut just here and there. The stock caters to this wide range of personages and their projects—paper flowers and buttons in varying degrees of ostentation, dozens of tiebacks, and materials for belly-dancing costumes.  The fabric starts at around $3 per yard, and the staff is ready to direct customers to anything they need. 2121 W. 21st St. Monday, 9:30am-7pm. Tuesday- Wednesday, 9:30am-5pm; Thursday, 9:30am-7pm; Friday, 9:30am-2pm. Sunday, 10am-4pm (773)847.0572. megafabrics.com (Cecilia Donnelly)

Best Food from a Factory
Tortilleria Sabinas
When the school bell tolls, children overtake Tortillería Sabinas, the 50-year-old tortilla factory at 18th and Wood, and one of a host of tortillerías that supply the culinary staple of Pilsen and Little Village. The disordered rainbow of backpacks blocks the view, but once inside the big glass windows reveal how to make a perfectly circular corn tortilla. Unfortunately, there are no tours, since their insurance no longer covers the possibility of photo-snapping visitors getting sucked into one of the huge machines and flattened into perfect round circles appropriate for wrapping tacos. Nonetheless, with or without a chance to watch the tortilleros in action, make sure to bite into a hot, soft, almost sweet corn tortilla next time you visit. If you’re in a hurry, definitely pick up a bag of tortilla chips, and if you want a larger meal, the steaming tortillas at Sabinas are said to supply Nuevo Leon right next door. 1509 W. 18th St. (312)738.2412 (Cecilia Donnelly)

Best Cowboy Boot Selection
Durango Western Wear and Almacenes Maria’s
For most of today’s urban fashion boutiques, the art of outfitting the modern cowboy has gone the way of the buffalo. The presence of aging men in oversized sombreros lingering along the commercial strip of 26th Street, though, signals that this place might be your best bet. Entering Durango Western Wear feels like walking into, well, rural Durango, tumbleweeds excluded. They’ve got wide-collared button-ups embroidered with ornate crosses and flowers, and belt buckles as big and heavy as a gold brick. Female mannequins sport Almaneces Maria’s off-the-shoulder mini-dresses, belted blouses, and stretchy leggings. Pairs of disembodied legs, dressed in Wrangers and Levis,  mount overstuffed clothing racks. But Durango Western Wear really stomps out the (admittedly limited) competition when it comes to boots. Colorful ostrich print short boots, soft suede skinny heeled boots, pink painted and heavily bejeweled boots, boots that look like alligator snouts, boots made of glossy eel skin. Buyers beware: the more lavish the adornment, the higher the price. And with some pairs marked upwards of $400, these boots are made for walking, not riding. 4136 W 26th St. Weekdays, 10 am – 8 pm, Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm. (773) 762.2610 MariasChicago.com (Kelsey Gee)

Best Soy Taco
El Faro
Forget the rice and beans, vegetarians. Instead, rejoice at the city’s best restaurant for authentic vegetarian Mexican food. While for some Little Village taquerías the “vegetarian” means a torta filled with turkey or other non-beef meats, at El Faro there are dozens of dishes made specifically for vegetarian and vegan customers. The soy chicken and soy pork tacos are textured and seasoned perfectly, serving as hearty replacements for—if not perfect imitations of—their animal-based counterparts. Not into fake meats? Faro’s nopalitos guisados (a spiced cactus entree) and any of their egg dishes are just as good. The menu extends far beyond vegetarian fare, however, so fear not for your meaty friends. The waitresses are helpful and speak more Spanish than English, and the restaurant is packed at all times of the day with customers from around the city. While you’re there, make sure to say hello to the neighborhood’s sweetest elotero, David, whose van of spicy dried mangoes, candies, and nuts is always parked out front. El Faro, which means “lighthouse,” is a gastronomic beacon indeed. 3936 W. 31st St. Monday-Friday, 5am-11pm; Saturday, 5am-12am; Sunday, 7am-11pm. (773)277.1155. elfarorestaurant.com (Kelsey Gee)

Best Iced Coffee
Café Jumping Bean
“Cream and sugar?” the friendly waiter asks, a question that calls to mind immediate dental rot in a Dunkin Donuts world. At Café Jumping Bean, however, the $2 iced coffee is milky, lightly sweetened, and brewed from high-quality beans. Add a sandwich of fresh veggies and peppery tuna beside a half-cup of warm lentil soup, and your afternoon pick-me-up can become a meal. The café serves up an eclectic mix of Mexican licuados, hot soups, filling pastas, and focaccia-bread sandwiches. The food is as delicious and affordable as the coffee—Jumping Bean is committed to sticking to the neighborhood’s working class roots by keeping all of their meals as cheap as possible. Decorated with the work of neighborhood artists, the room buzzes with life—a middle-aged man talks shop on his Bluetooth; a model-thin student reads for class over a bagel; a curly-haired couple whispers to each other in Spanish; all sit cozily surrounded by the work of neighborhood artists. Your search for a caffeine fix couldn’t take you further from corporate humdrum. 1439 W. 18th St. Monday-Friday, 6am-10pm; Saturday-Sunday, 7am-7pm. (312)455-0019. cafejumpingbean.org (Kelsey Gee)

Best Free Art Classes
Pros Arts Studio
Currently housed within a Park District complex in lush Dvorak Park, Pros Arts is a community art program that runs youth camps all summer and art classes during the school year. The Clay Studio class is free and open to the public on Friday nights—often  visitors get their hands a bit dirty before heading out on a Second Friday art crawl. Pros Arts prides themselves on keeping Pilsen’s Mexican cultural and artistic traditions alive — this season participants in the clay class will make soup bowls for a pozolada cook-off fundraiser this winter. Attendees will enjoy the pre-Columbian soup, even having the chance to take one of the bowls home. But if soup and clay are not your thing, Pros Arts also puts on a Día de los Muertos parade and festival. Though they don’t have a standing gallery, their events showcase the art of all participants and serve as community get-togethers. Dvorak Park. 1119 W. Cullerton. Youth Classes, ages 6-12, Friday, 4pm-6pm. Community Classes, all ages, 6pm-8pm. (312)226-7767. prosarts.org (Cecilia Donnelly)

Maggie Sivit

Originally dubbed “Beverly Hills” in reference to a massive prehistoric ridge that spans it, the neighborhood has always been home to more upwardly mobile middle class families than California-style celebrities. Those weary of the bustling city have taken refuge in this burgeoning suburban community wedged between 87th and 107th Streets since the 1890s, starting with waves of English, then Irish, and finally African Americans. Today, while the outskirts of the neighborhood are home to commercial development, a continuous stream of traffic, and sun-baked sidewalks, the heart of Beverly continues to provide a respite from Chicago’s harsh urban scenery.  The pleasant clang of an approaching Metra train, brick buildings, tree-lined avenues, and soaring church steeples create quaint vistas straight from old-fashioned family sitcoms. Boasting many architectural gems, Beverly possesses a bevy of Frank Lloyd Wright homes, numerous examples of prairie-style architecture, and a 19th century replica of an Irish castle. Properties terminate in sloping, manicured lawns and the air is permeated by a quiet hum of lawnmowers and rustling leaves. In spite of the idyllic scenery, Beverly still has had its share of community strife. The installation of cul-de-sacs in the mid 90s restricted entry into the neighborhood to three locations, viewed by some as an effort to create a racially and economically gated community. Yet Beverly continues to change. A special clause in Chicago city contracts encourages employees to live within Chicago’s limits; Beverly has become a haven for cops trying to maintain their pensions as a result. But the hard-working spirit that established Beverly still persists, borne out in a down-to-earth community that is proud of its roots.

Best Hats
Optimo
In a smoke-gray building off Western Avenue, Optimo is redefining the nearly extinct craft of hatmaking. The store, with a dark wood interior, old sewing machines and vintage hat forms, offers a wealth of timeless designs including the classic Fedora, the flat-top pork pie, the 47th Street, and the Montecristi Panama hat. Owner Graham Thompson, a former apprentice of famed South Side hatter Johnny Tyrus, uses techniques that belong to a tradition dating back to the 1930s. A back wall sweeps up two stories, dotted with beauties of all shapes and materials. Optimo does not actively market itself but instead relies on the reputation of its craftsmanship. Incidentally, word has spread and Optimo hats have graced the crowns of local South Side dandies, international patrons, and celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. But gentlemen must be prepared to shell out for gentlemen’s prices: most hats are in the $500 range. Quality is classy, though, and to that we can tip our hat.  10215 S. Western Ave. Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm. (773)298-1031 optimohats.com (Anna Fixsen)

Best Blueberry Pancakes
Beverly Bakery
With friendly service and damn good breakfast, Beverly Bakery gives off a small-town vibe that’s rare in the big city. Here, slow moving fans rotate above diners digging into heaps of pancakes, and the clink of dishes nearly drowns out the old timers chattering over cups of coffee. A large display case sits adjacent to the cash register, stuffed with goodies like buttery croissants, doughnuts, cupcakes, and gooey caramel rolls. The tasty omelets, hashbrowns, and what the menu boasts as “the best blueberry pancakes on the South Side” keep Beverly Bakery packed on weekends. The bakery also doubles as a coffee roastery. Gourmet blends of coffee are imported from 21 different spots around the globe and roasted in-house. Patrons can even have coffee roasted to their specifications. The Chiapas blend ice coffee and a fluffy almond scone make for an especially satisfying summer’s second breakfast, further justifying that this is where Beverly goes for breakfast again and again. 10528 S. Western Ave. Tuesday-Friday, 7am-2pm; Saturday-Sunday, 8am-2pm. (773)238-5580. beverlycoffeeroasters.com (Anna Fixsen)

Best Take-Out Vegan
Sistah’s Vegan
Sistah’s Vegan is easy to miss, plunked next-door to a shrimp and chicken shack in a strip of low-lying white buildings. A glass door ushers patrons into this pocket-sized eatery where reggae music bounces off the walls. While the décor—bright yellow walls punctuated here and there by African diaspora art—can be described as spartan, the spectrum of flavors in its vegan fare is anything but scant. Sistah’s dishes up favorites such as enchiladas, homemade lasagna, and barbecue seitan at reasonable prices (the most expensive item on the menu is $8.95). Fried seitan bites proved crisp and delicious, while celery sticks and vegan dipping sauces made a tasty side dish. Washing it all down with organic ginger beer offered a perfect ending to the meal. Sistah’s also offers dirt-cheap daily specials including $1 tacos on Mondays and $5 personal vegan pizzas on Fridays. While mostly designed for carry-out, customers can sit at small tables, and munch on country fries or tofu bites while watching planes from Midway Airport gain altitude over 95th Street. 2239 W. 95th St. Monday, 3:30pm-7:30pm; Tuesday-Saturday, 12pm-8:30pm. (773)445-4788 (Anna Fixsen)

Best First Date
Café 103
Tucked in scenic downtown Beverly, Café 103 is a little gem of a BYOB.  Serving contemporary American fare in a cozy yet chic atmosphere, the restaurant draws crowds from even the far North Side. Quaint Americana décor and earthy burgundy tones make the space warm and welcoming. The joint is small, but it features a diverse and delectable menu. For lunch, Café 103 offers a variety of gourmet sandwiches and salads. A highlight from their dinner menu is the grilled rack of lamb accompanied by ladolemono couscous with feta, roasted garlic, and spinach. A vegetarian-friendly fettuccini á la nage is served with roasted red peppers, summer corn, fresh tomato, thyme, and parmesan. Themed dinners spice up the midweek cooking slump, so instead of ordering Chinese takeout or heating up leftovers, you can have tapas on Tuesday and burgers on Wednesday. While their prices are a little on the steep side—their red snapper will have you out 27 bucks and they charge a $5 corking fee—the quality of food, the intimate space, and idyllic location make it the perfect spot for an impressive date, first or five hundredth. 1909 W. 103rd St. Tuesday-Saturday, lunch served 11am – 4pm; dinner served 5pm – 10pm (773)238-5115. cafe103.com (Anna Fixsen)

Best Way to Lose the Lovehandles
Running Excels
With the Chicago marathon around the corner, it might be time for some new kicks. Running Excels is the only shop of its kind on the South Side that fits both casual joggers and seasoned racers with the best in running gear.  The store is stuffed with racks of light runners’ singlets, socks, energy goo, and a wall of shoes. The workers have dozens of marathons under their belts and the knowledge to answer any running-related questions. The shop carries a wide range of sneakers, from racing flats to cross country spikes. Running Excels will conduct a stride analysis on treadmills in-store to identify one’s foot type and recommend the best footwear to ensure a proper fit. Less tangible prizes like a whittled waist line and companionship can be acquired through the store’s running club: groups meet several times a week for brisk morning jogs. And whether you run for pleasure or only when pursued, the cheery staff at Running Excels will give you ample motivation to break into a trot as soon as the glass front door shuts from behind. 10328 S. Western Ave. Monday-Friday, 10am-7pm; Saturday, 10am – 6pm; Sunday, 11am-5pm. (773)629-8587. runningexcels.com  (Anna Fixsen)

Jane Fentress

If you look at a map, you’ll see our city of neighborhoods carved into 77 “community areas.” The lines, drawn by sociologists in the 1950s, sometimes traced the perimeters of ethnic enclaves and sometimes created them. Flattening Chicago’s complex social geography, these semi-official designations remain in use, but even urban planners would admit they are not adequate. Borders shift and names change, reflecting the movement of people from one place to the next. Local identity is made in the minds of residents as much as it is inherited. It is a sum of experiences.

Contradicting visions of the city layer one on top of the other and crack—digging trenches and dissolving boundaries. The grand designs that Burnham and the Daley dynasty championed sculpted the general contours of the city, but memories, prejudices, and urban myths give Chicago its texture. Shared over dinner tables, old stories and photographs throw the city’s terrain into relief. Perhaps the only thing flat about Chicago is the expanse of grassland below its foundations.

Chicago’s grit poses a challenge to our senses and sensibilities, and demands an explanation, though none come easy. Our sense of place asks for a coherent reading. But the tensions and contradictions are what make it worth exploring.

There are many sides to the South Side, and we could never show all of them. In this edition of our “Best of” issue, we’ve tried to take a closer look at more neighborhoods than we have in the past, and this is what we encountered. Our newsprint guide can’t do justice to all the things that make a neighborhood great. Nonetheless, we’ve started to piece together a story of our city. Take this not as a roadmap but a point of departure.

• Hyde Park and Kenwood
• Woodlawn
• The South Loop
• Bridgeport
• Midway
• Bronzeville
• Back of the Yards
• Greater Grand Crossing
• Pilsen & Little Village
• Engelwood & Auburn-Gresham
• Chinatown
• Beverly