Chicago.com
Lincoln Park is known for its great restaurants, shopping, and nightlife. I live, go to school, and work one of my two jobs in Lincoln Park—so I thought I’d share some of my favorite places with those who don’t spend all of their time in LP, but want to know what it has to offer. This will be sort of like my guided tour of my favorite things to experience in a day in Lincoln Park.
First, you’ll need breakfast. There’s no better place than Toast (746 W. Webster Ave). Toast is a breakfast/lunch restaurant that is known for their comfortable but modern setting, friendly service, and amazing french toast. Though a little pricier than I usually go for (on average I end up spending $10-$16), it’s a great treat. You haven’t lived until you’ve tried one of their menu items. Toast is a very popular place, so a word to the wise: on a weekend you’ll need to make a reservation—Saturday morning waits can be up to an hour just for a two person table, so plan ahead. Even if you do go last minute, I’ve waited that hour myself and it was 100% worth it.
After breakfast you’ll have the energy to go shopping. I suggest a first stop at the Blues Jean Bar (2210 N. Halsted St). This cozy boutique is best place to find your perfect pair of jeans and a cute top to go with. They have an array of denim brands, styles, fits, and washes that you “order” from a real wooden bar inside the store. Their selection of shirts and accessories for men and women will keep you browsing for a while. I always find several things I want every time I go in. Blues Jean Bar also carries TOMS shoes, which give a pair to children in need every time you buy them for yourself. The store has a great selection of colors and styles to choose from. I got my first pair of TOMS there and I am still satisfied with them almost a year later.
There is more great shopping all along Halsted and down to Armitage. Some of my favorite places to look around in are Fox’s (designer discount) and Francesca’s (a boutique chain that stocks unique tops, skirts, dresses, and accessories). There are also lots of other popular shops along this street as well, such as BCBG, Aldo, Bebe, Arden B, and Lucky Brand. Now that you’ve shopped your heart out, you’re going to want lunch.
Nookie’s (2114 N. Halsted) is a diner-style restaurant with vintage décor and a great lunch menu. Their selection of burgers can be made in any style you like (even veggie burgers!) are a great lunchtime deal. They also have daily soup specials and delicious breakfast items you can order any time of day. The large portions and home-like feel invite you to stay and enjoy yourself.
After a relaxing meal, why not relax some more? Nail Fairy (1249 W. Fullerton) is a nail salon and spa. Nail Fairy has a great selection of colors and is really reasonably priced. A manicure is only $15 and it includes an arm and shoulder massage. I hardly ever got my nails done before I found this place — it’s affordable and the staff go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable. One thing to note: they ask you if you want to pay after the massage and before they put the polish on — At first I thought this was weird, but they do it so you don’t ruin your fresh nails trying to get your wallet out of your purse, so I definitely recommend paying before they apply the paint. I always leave satisfied and completely relaxed, plus I always smell amazing from the lotions they use during the massage.
Once you’re looking good, you’ll want to go out for dinner and entertainment. For dinner I suggest Pasta Palazzo (1966 N. Halsted St.). Definitely a place for pasta lovers, this restaurant has a fantastic menu and a funky bistro atmosphere. They use very fresh ingredients and their menu is simple and traditional. I suggest the grilled asparagus appetizer and the Conchiglie Gorgonzola (shells with spinach, gorgonzola, cream, and fresh tomatoes – I get it every time) for the main course. Dishes are fairly priced ($8-10) and the portions are large, so they make great leftovers.
Next for the nightlife part of your experience, head over to Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln Ave). This new venue is owned and operated by the same guys who own Schubas Tavern. Lincoln Hall features a restaurant and bar area and a stage with floor space for concerts (with it’s own bar) and a second floor viewing area (also with it’s own bar). Great local and national acts play this venue constantly. The tickets are not expensive and the sound is always impeccable.
Now that you’ve experienced my favorite things to do in Lincoln Park, I hope you come back from another fun-filled day in my neighborhood.
Nella Pizzeria Napoletana is the newest venture from the owners behind Francesca’s Restaurants in Chicago. Chef Scott Harris and partner Nella Grassano opened this authentic pizzeria in November of last year with the hope of bringing the passion and the craft of Italian pizza making to the heart of Lincoln Park. Their wood burning pizza oven was imported straight from Naples, and with the help of Corporate Chef of Mia Francesca Massimo Salatino, their recipes have stayed modern and yet still reminiscent of their originals.
We started out with a seafood salad to share. This insalata di mare was bright and fresh with large pieces of cuttlefish, squid, octopus and shrimp. It was served with arugula dressed in lemon juice, sweet peppers, fresh herbs and olive oil. It was a great combination of flavors and a complete surprise from the monotonous, one note seafood salads I’ve had before. This was perfect for a warm day and really whetted our appetites. And thank goodness, because we were in for a feast!
As for the pizza, we went with the recommendation of the General manager Jeff Downing – Prosciutto e Rucola, a white pizza with smoked mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, fresh arugula, shaved parmesan and olive oil. Let me tell you, growing up in the Midwest and living with the corn fed stereotypes most “Coastal Americans” give us, I really appreciate fresh, quality ingredients. Italian food isn’t always all about carbs. True Italian cooking almost always revolves around vegetables and seasonal local ingredients, and Chef Salatino has definitely taken advantage of this. I would absolutely recommend this pizza to every one of our readers. The leftovers were great too!
The next pizza (yes, we had two) was the Pizza Diavolo. Covered in homemade tomato sauce from my favorite San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, spicy salami, basil, and I think a hint of heaven, this pizza was definitely a keeper. Absolutely delicious. Their dough is so good with a slightly charred edge (what you’re looking for with a good wood burning oven) and soft center. This is not just a pepperoni pizza; far from it. The heat from the salami was just right and I’m pretty sure I had strands of melted mozzarella hanging from my face. Yes, I am that sexy. It was embarrassingly good. Perfect for a date, this pie is seductive.
For the lunch crowd, Nella offers a variety of fresh paninis as well. We tried a prosciutto crudo panino with fresh mozzarella, basil, and arugula. Noticing a theme? Prosciutto crudo is a different type of cured Italian ham, thicker than prosciutto di parma but just as savory. And talk about smart cooking, the sandwich bread is leftover pizza dough, cooked up in the oven into perfect rolls. This is a great idea for the local lunch crowd prowling the area. These hearty paninis would definitely keep me satisfied during a long work day and give me just enough incentive to go back for dinner.
Now, if you hang out with Cousin Vinnie, chances are you get treated right. Jeff and Chef Salatino had another surprise for us that wasn’t even on the menu yet. I’ll call it a Banana Galette. Or a Banana Tart. Or….a Banana Pizza. Whatever it’s called, it was amazing. Bananas were roasted in the pizza oven on fresh dough with sugar until they caramelized. Once it’s out of the oven, it gets doused with powdered sugar, mint, and a healthy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. We enjoyed ours with a cup of strong Mati espresso, perfectly complementing our dessert. My photographer Lauren Palminteri doesn’t like bananas. Or so she told me. I still have the fork mark in my hand where she stabbed me to get the last bite. Let’s hope they keep this on the menu and have band aids available for customers.
Nella is perfect for just about any occasion and even offers a private room for parties or special dinners. Great for families, the menu also provides kid friendly pizzas at parent friendly prices. It really is a treat to get to have a meal that was so completely enjoyable and it definitely makes my job more fun. Timothy our waiter was awesome and took great care of us. He and Jeff obviously love their jobs which made our lunch even better.
Don’t wait for the opportunity to eat at Nellas. Make some time and get there, before the seats are taken. I see this place being a huge hit for a very long time. Make it one of your favorites today.
Did you miss Valentines day? Don’t worry, all you need to do is to show your girl some Chicago history. A tree is all that is left at the site where the St.Valentine’s Day Massacre occurred on Feb 14th, 1929.
The tree is at 2122 N. Clark Street in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. Almost eighty years ago, four of Al Capone’s henchmen, posing as police officers, drew machine guns from their overcoats and murdered six members of Bugs Moran’s gang. Apparently, Capone didn’t like Moran cutting into his market. Moran was also muscling in on a Capone-run dog track in the Chicago suburbs. Jack McGurn is one of the people most frequently cited by researchers as a suspected planner.
No one was ever charged with the crime, and the warehouse where the slayings occurred was torn down in 1967. Now this unassuming tree sits on an open lot at the south end of an apartment building. Rumor has it during the month of February you can hear the shots from their Thompson sub machine guns. If you guys cant keep your girl at arms length at this scary peice of Chicago history….Even “Cousin Vinnie” thinks you might be outta luck.
If you are wondering where other Big Al hangouts are, don’t stress. The City of Chicago made it easy for us. The Chicago Department of Transportation has placed a sign there pointing out the architectural significance of those buildings. They are located at Michigan and Cermak, which doesn’t look anything like it did in the 1920s and 30s. Back then, two luxury hotels — The Metropole and The Lexington — were the center of those roaring times. That sign also indicates that this is where Al Capone and his gang were headquartered. City officials almost never like to connect Big Al with Big Shoulders. History is not always pretty, or something that we are proud of, but sometimes it’s best just to “deal with it”. You learn from mistakes that have been made and you move. People want to see sights like this. This is history, and I apprieciate living in a city that realizes it. This one is for you Chicago.
Some of the crew at Chicago.com (Jarred, and Vujadin, and I) went to have a night on the town, so we kicked the night off at the Tilted Kilt (www.tiltedkilt.com) located at 17 N Wabash. We had a platter of their nachos that are “big enough to choke an elephant” and drank some Bare Knuckle Stout. The pool tables in this joint are really cool; they have a picture of a hot Scot girl in a kilt embedded in the felt. I have to say sorry to Mike and my electrician friends for giving you such a shellacking at pool. Cousin Vinnie and Vujadin don’t mess around when it comes to pool. The servers were beautiful and very punctual, this is a great joint to kick back, relax and watch the game on a TV that’s bigger than your Aunt Edna’s neck (it has to be 18 feet), that’s not the only TV either they have 42 of them. The wings were delicious and you can also enjoy their “Scottish Cheese steak” that is shaved Rib eye steak, topped with grilled peppers, onions and melted provolone cheese. If you’re around the loop stop by and say hi.
