US - Midwest Friendly Illinois Bretheren (and Sisters)

[Raj]

It’s hard to recommend much in the immediate Wrigleyville corridor near Addison and Clark. One exception is Kombini and Kombai , which is an awesome little sake shop about two blocks south of Wrigley field . They also serve beer and wine and have a food menu focusing on Japanese and pan Asian cuisine.

For bookstores , Three Avenues and Unabridged are great independent shops that are pretty close to Wrigleyville.

For bakeries , try Daeji Dough Company on Belmont Ave for Korean inspired baked treats. Other bakeries worth checking out, and not too far from Wrigleyville, are Verzaney (Lincoln Park - be prepared for amazing croissants ) and Del Sur (Ravenswood - be prepared to wait in line).

Gramaphone is a long running record shop just south of Wrigleyville.

Finally , as OceanOfMead said, soul food on the northside can be sus. You might want to try Cleo’s; the original location is on the south side , and they recently opened up a second location in Lakeview , not too far from Wrigleyville.

Hope you enjoy the trip!

 

[OceanOfMead]

Uncommon ground still on the edge of Wrigleyville being awesome. Haven’t been here in a decade and the beer and food are kickass. Also should have mentioned Tango Sur. BYOB Argentinian steak house in this area. We were going to go there until we rolled up and there was a horror fest at music box taking all the parking.

 

[vav]

looking like i'll be in Wrigleyville for a few days late July

been a solid 30 since i've been in that neck of the woods. anything essential in terms of bookstores, record shops, nice bakeries and soul food? or any quality off the beaten path restaurants?

probably gonna be 6-8 of us in total but no set plans so going to freelance with one or two of the homies some of the time.

for ones not mentioned, Myopic Books in Wicker Park is one of the finest bookstores in the city, employee owned and over 30 years old. Also recommend Perpetual Books also in Wicker and if you're ok with a hike, Powell's down in Hyde Park.

 

[furley]

for ones not mentioned, Myopic Books in Wicker Park is one of the finest bookstores in the city, employee owned and over 30 years old. Also recommend Perpetual Books also in Wicker and if you're ok with a hike, Powell's down in Hyde Park.

sweet

i'll have a car and should have some time to meander a bit. adding these to my list.

 

[vav]

sweet

i'll have a car and should have some time to meander a bit. adding these to my list.

if you like occult books, also highly recommend alchemy arts/hexe haus up in edgewater too.

 

[SwedishJesus]

This one hits 2.5/3 of your criteria:
Rendang Republic

Indonesian spot adjacent to Wrigleyville. The main entree is served with collard greens, and they do a fried chicken thigh sammy. Heard good things.

 

[OceanOfMead]

for ones not mentioned, Myopic Books in Wicker Park is one of the finest bookstores in the city, employee owned and over 30 years old. Also recommend Perpetual Books also in Wicker and if you're ok with a hike, Powell's down in Hyde Park.

That Playboy guide to bartending I am always posting from came from Myopic.

 

[thewimperoo]

Daughter had a High School skating competition in Evanston so I stopped at the new Saint Errant taproom on the way home. Never actually stopped in here when it was Temperance. Nice spot with a good outdoor area.

5% XPA with all New Zealand hops called Fescue, and a still BA Stout. Both are excellent.

They're only 10 years late in getting the taproom going. But hopefully it works out for them, and the beers remain strong or even get better. They've always put out some bangers, but the consistency wasn't always there with the various locations they were brewing out of.

 

[OceanOfMead]

I am not upset that there are multiple HF tappings around town and I will not be around for them. I will be upset if I miss the seasonal ramp ranch pizza at Middlebrow.