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How to “Get Down” in Foodie Town | Great Eats in the Windy City There’s SO much to love about Chicago this time of year, festivals, gallery openings, rooftops, not to mention the beach. No matter what you choose, your “Windy City” experience is at a deficit if you don’t take advantage of the awesomeness that is the local cuisine.  Whether you’re here for a visit, or a resident looking to explore a few great places, check out a few of my fav spots! #Properlife indeed. 694 Wine & Spirits | 694 N. Milwaukee Ave.  #properlife Cozy. Intimate. Knowledgeable staff. Yummy wines and cheeses, along with a few other “bites” If Chris (owner) is there, you’re in for a special treat! Ask him for recommendations, always a winner. Alhambra Palace | 1240 West Randolph St. #properlife Beautiful Architecture. Great  appetizers. Who doesn’t love a little belly-dance with their meal? My recommendation? Hummus, Tabouleh, and Dolmeh. Big Star | 1531 North Damen #properlife Taco + Margarita heaven. Bustling. Fast, friendly, and knowledgeable staff. Great bartenders. I’ve eaten here twice in the past week, and that’s saying alot. Being originally from Texas, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a taco-snob. My recommendations? Delicious mushroom tostada, pickled vegetables, Big Star margarita, horchata, guacamole. Bijan’s Bistro | 663 North State Street #properlife One of my favorite “late-nighters”. Open until 4am. My recommendation? Open-Faced Portobello Mushroom Tartine and Portabello Mushroom Soup. Blackbird | 619 West Randolph #properlife I. Love. Tea. Blackbird has some high-quality teas, although they don’t market it as their specialty. Small venue, notable quality Black Dog Gelato | 859 North Damen #properlife A little further north, this little spot made my tastebuds sing! The Chicago Diner | 3411 North Halsted #properlife Another “late-nighter”, for veggies and non-veggies alike that just want good food after a night on the town sans the unhealthiness.  EPIC Restaurant | 112 West Hubbard Street #properlife Nice rooftop. Beautiful architecture on second floor. My recommendation?  Truffle French Fries and Sorbet Trio Falafill | 3202 North Broadway Street Fast, healthy option. High quality. Falafill is one of my FAVORITE falafel spots in the city. New food is prepared daily by a health-conscious chef with an awesome palette. My recommendations? Try a bit of everything ;o) Flight 1551 | 1551 North Wells St. #properlife Great Wines. Luscious bites. Great location. I just tried this spot for the first time a few weeks ago, and A+ on the service, quality, not to mention they have “house made” truffles available. Swoon! Japonais | 600 West Chicago Ave. #properlife How about dinner along the Chicago River? My recommendation? When I was a fish eater I loved their sushi and tuna tartare. Now I usually have their flatbreads and Japanese Sweet Potato Soup. Karyn’s on Green | 130 South Green Street #properlife  If I had a dollar for every meal I have eaten here… Beautiful ambiance. High quality vegan food. Lovely staff. Great Mixologist at the bar. Love the Butternut Squash Soup, and Portobello Mushroom Steak with potatoes. Feel free to try the elixirs and enzymes as well. Le Colonial | 937 North Rush Street #properlife Great food. Great wines. Great Location. Nice fusion dining concept. Located in the “Gold Coast”, I’ve enjoyed dining here for years. My recommendations? Vegetable-Curry Tofu with Sweet Potato. MANA Food Bar | 1742 W. Division #properlife Fast service. Fresh food. Small plates available. My recommendation? Collards, ANY of their polenta dishes, red cabbage. Market Bar | 1113 W. Randolph #properlife Multiple dining options. Nice space. Great “starter” spot. I’m an avid “roof-ie” I love almost any place with a view. Their Yoga pizza had me at “hello”. MORE Cupcakes | 1 East Delaware Place #properlife It wouldn’t be “proper” if I didn’t add this to the list. Delicious! My recommendation? Valhrona (Dark chocolate w gold leaf) Ralph Lauren Restaurant | 115 East Chicago Ave. #properlife You never know who you’re sitting next to. I love the sorbet here, as well as the seasonal flowers and offerings. A great place for a quick chat, or to “people watch”. Red Kiva | 1108 West Randolph #properlife I just ADORE the owner Julie. She knows tons about the city, and can give some great recommendations over art and an margarita pizza.  Tamarind | 614 South Wabash Ave. #properlife High quality. Great service. Reasonable prices. I’ve been dining here since college. Their menu is consistently good, and so is their staff. My recommendations? Vegetable Green-Gurry Tofu with Brown Rice, Sweet Potato French Fries, Avocado, Coconut, Banana Smoothie (no tapioca, TRUST me, delicious). If you like Green Tea, they have a few great blends. Wow Bao | 175 West Jackson #properlife  Fast. Healthy bites. Very reasonable pricing. Delivery available. My recommendation? Veggie Bao (edamame), Coconut Bao, Green Tea Ginger Ale. ZED 451 | 739 North Clark #properlife  Great location. My FAVORITE Chicago brunch locale. Great architecture. Rooftop love. Delicious food. Accommodating staff. Multiple dining options. Again, if I had a dollar for every time I “wined it or dined it” here (in fact, this Sunday I’ll be there at 1 for brunch AGAIN). My recommendations? Brunch. They offer it both Saturday and Sunday.

How to “Get Down” in Foodie Town | Great Eats in the Windy City


There’s SO much to love about Chicago this time of year, festivals, gallery openings, rooftops, not to mention the beach. No matter what you choose, your “Windy City” experience is at a deficit if you don’t take advantage of the awesomeness that is the local cuisine. 

Whether you’re here for a visit, or a resident looking to explore a few great places, check out a few of my fav spots! #Properlife indeed.

694 Wine & Spirits | 694 N. Milwaukee Ave. 

#properlife Cozy. Intimate. Knowledgeable staff. Yummy wines and cheeses, along with a few other “bites” If Chris (owner) is there, you’re in for a special treat! Ask him for recommendations, always a winner.

Alhambra Palace | 1240 West Randolph St.

#properlife Beautiful Architecture. Great  appetizers. Who doesn’t love a little belly-dance with their meal? My recommendation? Hummus, Tabouleh, and Dolmeh.

Big Star | 1531 North Damen

#properlife Taco + Margarita heaven. Bustling. Fast, friendly, and knowledgeable staff. Great bartenders. I’ve eaten here twice in the past week, and that’s saying alot. Being originally from Texas, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a taco-snob. My recommendations? Delicious mushroom tostada, pickled vegetables, Big Star margarita, horchata, guacamole.

Bijan’s Bistro | 663 North State Street

#properlife One of my favorite “late-nighters”. Open until 4am. My recommendation? Open-Faced Portobello Mushroom Tartine and Portabello Mushroom Soup.

Blackbird | 619 West Randolph

#properlife I. Love. Tea. Blackbird has some high-quality teas, although they don’t market it as their specialty. Small venue, notable quality

Black Dog Gelato | 859 North Damen

#properlife A little further north, this little spot made my tastebuds sing!

The Chicago Diner | 3411 North Halsted

#properlife Another “late-nighter”, for veggies and non-veggies alike that just want good food after a night on the town sans the unhealthiness.

 EPIC Restaurant | 112 West Hubbard Street

#properlife Nice rooftop. Beautiful architecture on second floor. My recommendation?  Truffle French Fries and Sorbet Trio

Falafill | 3202 North Broadway Street

Fast, healthy option. High quality. Falafill is one of my FAVORITE falafel spots in the city. New food is prepared daily by a health-conscious chef with an awesome palette. My recommendations? Try a bit of everything ;o)

Flight 1551 | 1551 North Wells St.

#properlife Great Wines. Luscious bites. Great location. I just tried this spot for the first time a few weeks ago, and A+ on the service, quality, not to mention they have “house made” truffles available. Swoon!

Japonais | 600 West Chicago Ave.

#properlife How about dinner along the Chicago River? My recommendation? When I was a fish eater I loved their sushi and tuna tartare. Now I usually have their flatbreads and Japanese Sweet Potato Soup.

Karyn’s on Green | 130 South Green Street

#properlife  If I had a dollar for every meal I have eaten here… Beautiful ambiance. High quality vegan food. Lovely staff. Great Mixologist at the bar. Love the Butternut Squash Soup, and Portobello Mushroom Steak with potatoes. Feel free to try the elixirs and enzymes as well.

Le Colonial | 937 North Rush Street

#properlife Great food. Great wines. Great Location. Nice fusion dining concept. Located in the “Gold Coast”, I’ve enjoyed dining here for years. My recommendations? Vegetable-Curry Tofu with Sweet Potato.

MANA Food Bar | 1742 W. Division

#properlife Fast service. Fresh food. Small plates available. My recommendation? Collards, ANY of their polenta dishes, red cabbage.

Market Bar | 1113 W. Randolph

#properlife Multiple dining options. Nice space. Great “starter” spot. I’m an avid “roof-ie” I love almost any place with a view. Their Yoga pizza had me at “hello”.

MORE Cupcakes | 1 East Delaware Place

#properlife It wouldn’t be “proper” if I didn’t add this to the list. Delicious! My recommendation? Valhrona (Dark chocolate w gold leaf)

Ralph Lauren Restaurant | 115 East Chicago Ave.

#properlife You never know who you’re sitting next to. I love the sorbet here, as well as the seasonal flowers and offerings. A great place for a quick chat, or to “people watch”.

Red Kiva | 1108 West Randolph

#properlife I just ADORE the owner Julie. She knows tons about the city, and can give some great recommendations over art and an margarita pizza. 

Tamarind | 614 South Wabash Ave.

#properlife High quality. Great service. Reasonable prices. I’ve been dining here since college. Their menu is consistently good, and so is their staff. My recommendations? Vegetable Green-Gurry Tofu with Brown Rice, Sweet Potato French Fries, Avocado, Coconut, Banana Smoothie (no tapioca, TRUST me, delicious). If you like Green Tea, they have a few great blends.

Wow Bao | 175 West Jackson

#properlife  Fast. Healthy bites. Very reasonable pricing. Delivery available. My recommendation? Veggie Bao (edamame), Coconut Bao, Green Tea Ginger Ale.

ZED 451 | 739 North Clark

#properlife  Great location. My FAVORITE Chicago brunch locale. Great architecture. Rooftop love. Delicious food. Accommodating staff. Multiple dining options. Again, if I had a dollar for every time I “wined it or dined it” here (in fact, this Sunday I’ll be there at 1 for brunch AGAIN). My recommendations? Brunch. They offer it both Saturday and Sunday.