eat & drink in chicago
Lovely Bakeshop, Photo Morgan & Owens, June/July 2008
- Chicago Restaurants
- Frontera Grill
- 445 North Clark Street
(312) 661-1434
downtown Great for a quick counter lunch. I had strict instructions to try the catfish tacos. The fish was grilled to perfection and just the fuel needed for a return to the shopping trail.
- Lovely Bakeshop
- 1130 North Milwaukee Avenue
(773) 572-4766
bucktown/wicker park It seems not everyone knows about this charmed spot. A long counter and large tables host people plugging away on their computers as they eat. Don't miss the macaroons—crispy/chewy outside, oozy coconut inside...I could eat 10! Oh my God, I think I did. The bell-pepper soup with a tuna-salad croissant is a somewhat healthier route and no less yummy (well, almost).
- Marigold Indian Restaurant
- 4832 North Broadway Street
(773) 293-4653
Uptown Delicious Indian food courtesy of, funnily enough, an American chef who dreams up atypical dishes like duck-leg dum (duck confit with stir-fried green beans and tomato chutney). It's located east of Andersonville in nearby Uptown; I had dinner there, and the nighttime drive along the lakeshore was so picturesque.
A few doors down is The Green Mill, an old Al Capone hangout that's great fun for an after-dinner drink and a little swing dancing if you're feeling it.
- Pasticceria Natalina
- 5406 North Clark Street
(773) 989-0662
Andersonville This new bakery is owned by a young couple, Natalie and Nick Zarzour. She's Sicilian, he's Lebanese, and they're as appealing as their pastries—which I'm still running off my bottom. One of my favorites is the crostata alla mandorle, with layers of apricot marmalade and almond paste. The place doesn't open until 11 a.m., just in time for a prelunch snack.
