From coffee shops with fresh fruit pastries to Vietnamese bakeries with cookies cooked in pork fat, Uptown has a wide variety of bakery and dessert establishments to take your sweet tooth on a world tour.

Drink Happy Thoughts  |  drink-happy-thoughts.com
Happy Monday Coffee Roasters is the heart & soul of everything that owners Craig & Yamel do. The name Happy Monday is not an oxymoron, it’s a way of life. They say “Do something you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Craig & Yamel wake up every day and do what they love, and make the most of it, no matter what day it is. They travel the world in search of the most delicious coffee they can get their hands-on before roasting them from in their Roasting Lab. Their goal is to serve Uptown by always providing fresh ideas and to make your coffee experience more than something to help you wake up, get you to work, help you stay awake during finals, or give you that warm fuzzy feeling after a sip. They shoot for the stars when picking new beans, creating their menus, developing drinks or creating a new bag. “I think people will love this one!” is literally the thought process behind each idea; but most importantly, cultivating friendships, with each farm and customer. After three years of wholesale & roasting, they decided to bring some love to Uptown by opening Drink Happy Thoughts on Montrose Avenue. Their mission is simple: Serve you a fresh cup of coffee, provide a great value with an amazing experience, and to see you SMILE!

Emerald City Uptown  |  emeraldcitychicago.com
Emerald City Coffee offers Chicago coffee and delicious pastries made from scratch in a fun and welcoming environment. Whether you’re just in the mood for a quick coffee, looking for a simple yet delicious lunch, or perhaps seeking a place to write the novel you've always wanted to write, they’ve got you covered. Emerald City is dedicated to being a center of the community, and are always ready with a nice kick in the pants to get you over that finish line.

Everybody’s Coffee  |  everybodyscoffee.com
Everybody’s Coffee is more than just a coffee shop. In 2012 the cafe was opened to be a place of welcome for everybody and to provide a space of connection and creativity. Everybody’s Coffee was founded by a racially diverse group of women and men committed to helping the Uptown community through coffee, relationships, and resources. From neighbors in Uptown to coffee growing partners, the focus has always been relationships. Everybody’s Coffee is connected with a faith community and partnered with Cornerstone Community Outreach, an amazing organization that helps feed and house families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Everybody’s Coffee is also committed to growing and strengthening their business and community by actively fighting racism and inequity and seeking knowledge and education about ways to do better, one cup of coffee and one conversation at a time. Everybody’s Coffee roasts and sells all Fair and Direct Trade coffee because they want to support and build relationships with farmers at origin. Sustainability means being involved from crop to cup. The coffee they sell must not only be good for the farmer but also be good for the land and do good the community.

First Sip Cafe  |  firstsip.cafe
Sisters Gigi and Erin Hoang are the two behind First Sip Café, Argyle Street’s new, hip, Insta-ready, and BYOB coffee shop that has quickly been embraced by locals needing a place to work, study, or meet. More than a coffee shop, First Sip aims to be a community space to hang out and fuel your creativity. Before opening, the pair used their booth at the Argyle Night Market to test out different flavors. Erin says it wasn’t easy coming up with four drinks each week, but by the end of the Market’s nine weeks, they had a long roster of taste-tested, local-approved concoctions to serve in the café. Erin, Gigi, and their parents immigrated to Chicago in August of 1997 when Erin was just four. She says her mom is someone who naturally excels at cooking and tasting food and soon after coming to the U.S. she started working as a cook and then became a chef. Café Hoang, located a block away on Argyle Street, followed soon after–when Erin was in the second grade. Erin is excited about Argyle Street’s future and the fact that Uptown’s Pan-Asian “Asia on Argyle” commercial district is seeing new investment, more collaboration, plus a second generation of immigrants that are working to modernize and update the area. She wants the area to be more festive and colorful, which is why she and Gigi–on a whim–painted their façade a bright green days before opening. Already, First Sip Cafe has hosted a book launch, a pop-up dinner, pop-up market, monthly featured artists, Friday night happy hours, and coffee mixology sessions.

Klein’s Bakery & Cafe  |  kleinsbakerycafe.com
Klein’s Bakery, home of the golfeado, is Chicago’s main source for the distinctive sticky bun topped with cheese. This cousin of the cinnamon roll features a couple of twists that Americans’ Cinnabon-trained palates won’t see coming. Intrigued? The only place to satisfy your curiosity is Klein’s Bakery & Cafe. Jessica and her sister Dayana Klein opened their Uptown bakery, at 4155 North Broadway, in spring 2017. Though they lack formal pastry training, the women learned to bake at the elbow of their grandmother, who owned a cake shop. Klein’s Venezuelan customers, who make up a quarter of the bakery’s clientele, may know what they’re getting into when they order a golfeado, which is typically eaten as an afternoon snack with coffee, but the Americans need a word of caution. Similar in that both baked goods share the same swirled shape and are both made from a yeasted sweet dough, but that’s about where the commonalities end. While the golfeado’s filling does include cinnamon, it also incorporates shredded cheese and shredded unrefined sugar cane, called papelón. But wait, there’s one final flourish that definitively sets the golfeado apart from its sticky bun relative. When they’re served, golfeados are topped with a slab of cheese instead of a schmear of icing. Along with the golfeado, top sellers include the cachito, a croissant-shaped bread roll stuffed with ham.

La Patisserie P  |  1050 W Argyle St.
For a truly satisfying and one of a kind pastry, treat yourself to a delight from La Patisserie P Euro-Asian Bakery. Owner and classically-trained baker Peter Yuen will astound you with artisan bread, French pastries, or a custom cake. La Patisserie sits on the north side of Argyle Street, and wonderfully reflects Peter’s more than 30 years of experience and award-winning style. From the cookies and tarts to fresh bread and croissants, this bakery offers something to tempt taste buds of every age and from every culture. So much more than a coffee and doughnut shop, La Patisserie P is the place to find authentic Asian pastry as well as the finest Western confections from an accomplished baker. Peter Yuen apprenticed under Masters in Hong Kong for a decade, and then graduated from Chicago’s own French Pastry School in 2000. This diverse background, as well as an excellent reputation among regional establishments, makes Peter’s La Patisserie P unlike any other bakery in the city. While you’ll find a wide array of truly satisfying treats, La Patisserie P is most well known for their decadently delicious breakfast pastries. Soft savory buns are also a mainstay, with stuffings like barbecued pork, chicken, Chinese sausage, or bean paste. Peter Yuen’s croissants are so exceptional he’s represented the U.S. at the World Cup of Baking. In fact, his croissant is considered by some to be one of the best in the world.

From live honky tonk and country western to jazz and spoken word, there’s no shortage of unique places to unwind and have a drink in Uptown.

Baton Show Lounge  |  thebatonshowlounge.com
This well-known drag venue has been operating Since 1969. Over the years, special guests have included Joan Crawford, Sammy Davis Jr, Kirk Douglas, Robert Wagner, Shirley MacLaine, Joan Rivers, Madonna, Janet Jackson, RuPaul, and Chris Farley.

Big Chicks  |  bigchicks.com
It took a few years for Big Chicks to become Big Chicks. First, Michelle Fire had to tend to the old men. They were World War II vets, transplants from Appalachia, retirees who lived in the SRO next door. Fire inherited them when she bought the bar in 1986; they’d been drinking there, tucked away in this dark watering hole in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago’s Far North Side, since 1944. There was a cane on every bar stool. She couldn’t kick them out. Or rather, she wouldn’t. She served them drinks and slowly made renovations around them. Technically, these old guys were sitting in a gay bar now, but they didn’t know or didn’t care. They arrived at 7 a.m., drank all day, put their chihuahuas on the bar and let them lap from whiskey glasses, just like they always did. Fire, who previously bartended at a late-night gay bar called the Loading Dock, had never seen anything like it. It went on like this for years. Two and a half years of renovations to make the place presentable. Four years, five years, until the sexy gay boys finally showed up. By then a lot of the SRO guys weren’t around anymore. Some of them had been banned for bad behavior; a lot of them had died. For a moment Big Chicks looked like it had lost the only client base it had. But one snowy night, one of Fire’s bartenders, Don, looked out the window. A bunch of queens were exiting a taxi, looking around, wondering why the hell they were in Uptown. They skittled into Big Chicks. Another cab followed; same thing. Don called Fire over. “I think we have a gay bar,” he said.

Carol’s Pub  |  carolschicago.com
This late-night dive has been a popular spot for cheap beer and live country music for decades. Dancing, live music, and shenanigans fill the bar and dance floor to the wee hours.

The Green Mill  |  greenmilljazz.com
Once a haunt of Al Capone’s, this oldest jazz club in the U.S. opened in 1907, and retains the aura of the Prohibition-era speakeasies. The Green Mill also became home to the Uptown Poetry Slam on Sunday nights, and is the longest running poetry slam in the country.

Uptown Lounge  |  uptownlounge.net
The north side’s finest & friendliest late night hangout for 17+ years! Karaoke, live music, and special events keep you going until the late hours of the night. Come as you are, everyone is welcome to pile in for a good time! Explore their selection of 100+ craft beers and relax in a booth or belly up to the bar with the coolest staff in the city.

For a classic American burger, there are no lack of options in Uptown. From fine dining to a cheap date at a local greasy spoon, you’ll have your fill in Uptown!

Golden House Restaurant & Pancake House  |  4744 N Broadway
The Golden House has probably never been graced the elite heights of any critics' lists of best breakfast restaurants in Chicago, usually reserved for such prominent names as Ann Sather or Lou Mitchell. By comparison, there's nothing fancy or assuming about Golden House. It's a restaurant from another era, real names no gimmicks. As you walk in you'll find yourself surrounded with shiny booths padded with... ruby red-colored vinyl.  The menu features a unique illustration on its cover, perhaps because the breakfast at Golden House reminded the artist of pancakes at their grandparents' summer home in what would appear to be the Wisconsin Dells, or perhaps Eau Claire or Rice Lake. If you're looking for a good, dependable breakfast place that will deliver the old favorites, stop into Golden House restaurant.

Kāl’ish Plant Based Diner  |  kalishvegan.com
Don't confuse Kāl’ish with an activist organization that promotes peace, love, happiness, and all things butterflies - even though all of that is important to them. At Kāl’ish, they create a dining experience that weighs less on our bodies and our environment than animal based alternatives, while being profitable and long lasting. The pound for pound reality is that animal based ingredients (while they may be appealing to some) are more taxing on our bodies and the ecological health of our planet than plant based ingredients. The challenge is to make plant based foods delicious, crave worthy, and worth the effort you put into getting there. If Kāl’ish fails to live up to the challenge - they will find a way to make it right. While not all involved with Kāl'ish are vegan they understand that many of their guests are, and who hold deep beliefs for animal welfare, they honor you for that. It is their hope that for those of you whose convictions bring you to them that you will appreciate the effort & resources they have invested to serve you and introduce others to indulgent vegan foods.

My Buddy's  |  mybuddyschicago.com
My Buddy’s is your home away from home. The kind of neighborhood place that makes problems seem smaller and life’s happiest moments seem so much sweeter. Everyone is welcome at My Buddy's!

Urban Grill Chicago  |  urbangrillchicago.com
The inspiration to start Urban Grill Chicago came from a lifelong desire of the owners Marcus and Brittany Ward to have a restaurant that they could call their own. To leave behind a legacy of great food and exceptional service to live on forever. In the words of their founder Mrs. Ward, “We’re a restaurant that sells customer service, we just happen to have great food!” Urban Grill Chicago is looking to serve the Uptown community with the highest level of customer service there is. They are beyond grateful that the Uptown community is home to their flagship location!

Cantonese cuisine refers to the cuisine of the Guangdong province of China and the surrounding regions in the Pearl River Delta, including Hong Kong. It is one of the Eight Culinary Traditions of Chinese cuisine and is prominent outside China due to the large number of Cantonese emigrants. Siu mei dishes, such as roast duck, is the Chinese rotisserie style of cooking and is a staple on Argyle Street.

Sun Wah BBQ  |  sunwahbbq.com
Sun Wah started its journey in New York’s Chinatown where it was crammed into a storefront hardly wider than nine lengths of roast ducks. Its founder, Eric Cheng continually refined his skills as a Hong Kong style barbecue chef there. While Sun Wah did well, it was still a crowded fish yearning for larger oceans. Eric and wife Lynda took their four toddlers and made Chicago their destination. In the spring of 1987, Sun Wah opened its doors in its initial Uptown Chicago location a few doors away from the Argyle Redline Station. Over the next two decades, Sun Wah accumulated a legion of enthusiastic admirers and fans who delighted in exploring its voluminous menu. The children became fixtures on weekends and holidays as the year-over-year growth required all hands on deck. This proved to be an invaluable experience for them as it provided the fundamentals that would help not just maintain, but expand their parents’ heart and soul. In September 2008, three of the four children grasped the baton to lead Sun Wah into its next phas and the doors at Argyle closed with a scribbled note directing patrons to the new location just around the block’s corner on Broadway. This carriage garage at 5039 North Broadway was entirely renovated with thematically proper brick structures and tile floors. The open feel of the new dining room with its barrel-vaulted ceiling gives patrons a fantastic environment to enjoy themselves. Sun Wah’s growth and renown is far beyond what Eric could have hoped for and reaffirms that the American dream in the land of opportunity can be obtained with a lifetime of dedication and hard work.

Hon Kee BBQ & Seafood  |  honkeerestaurant.com
Those ducks hanging in the window? Yeah, you’re going to want to order one—you’ll want to experience the interplay of the crispy skin, the soft fat and the rich, gamey meat. You’ll also want the spiced, hot shrimp encased in an addictively crisp and salty coating; the sweet roasted pork with scrambled egg over rice; and the fresh dumplings, so thin you can see the pink shrimp and cabbage hiding within. Don’t miss Hon Kee for the occasional bowl of shrimp wonton with noodle, duck and roast pork, or inexpensive plate lunch of mixed BBQ on rice. If you’re lucky, they be stirring up Filipino style soup, BBQ pork and eggs on rice. While it’s not listed on the menu, the mix of thin noodle, shrimp dumpling, tender beef and scattering of head to tail bits and pieces is something special. BBQ pork w/egg on rice is a study in simplicity, and reminds locals of the type of home-style breakfast dishes they grew up with. Add a drizzle of the house chili oil and it will be a dish that you will definitely order again, and soon. Hon Kee has a full menu and wide range of Chinese BBQ. Go with a group and you can also share a mixed BBQ plate on rice with roast pork, duck, and chicken. Your friends will thank you!

As the infamous window paint at Jake’s Pup in the Ruf says, “only a rooster can get a better piece of chicken.” While poultry is a staple in nearly every community, Uptown has a wide variety of unique dishes that include chicken. From spicy fried sandwiches at Lucy’s to vegan “chik’n” salad at Sam and Gertie’s; there’s no lack of comfort food in Uptown.

Sam & Gertie’s  |  samandgerties.com
Sam & Gertie’s is an homage to Sam and Gertrude Stuart, both immigrants, who crossed an ocean and borders to find one another and a safe home to build a life, work hard, raise a family, celebrate judaism, and make good food. They had three children: Elaine, Herschel, and Floreen and ten grandchildren… None of whom are vegan. Sam was a great businessman and Gertie an impeccable homemaker and cook. One has to believe had they been around today, they would be filled with shtolts and freyd to have their names on the world’s first vegan jewish deli. As the world’s first vegan Jewish deli, the menu includes traditional and gluten-free bagels, salad sandwiches, and traditional dishes such as “Zish’s potato knishes,” as well as deli salads and “a bisl more.” The couple’s grandson, Andy Kalish, said that, “there are vegan delis owned by Jewish people, but they are broader deli or sandwich shops. We are the worlds first.” Kalish added that “we just want to work with plants. The world is just a better place if we eat more plants.” “If it makes a penny and people happy, why not?” – Sam and Gertie.

Lucy’s  |  lucyschicago.com
Damian and Jessica Warzecha are both Immigrants who opened our first food truck in Chicago in 2013. After years of menu testing, rebranding, and searching for the killer concept, they finally came up with Lucy’s in 2015. Their signature Spicy Fried Chicken was an instant success and they knew they were onto something. It was big, bold, and delicious: the students they originally served at University of Chicago were raving fans. In 2017, they opened their first Restaurant in Humboldt Park and their 2nd location in Uptown in February of 2020. Lucy’s restaurant is an experience: a throwback into the 1960’s. It’s a celebration of the liberation of women, the best music ever created, and a nod to the freedom and fervor that existed at the time. They create a vibe that takes you back to the advent of rock and roll and the fight for equality.

Uptown has long been home to social activists and advocates, immigrants and refugees, and artists and entrepreneurs of every stripe. The coffee shops in Uptown have been the melting pot and “third place” for those whom have helped shape the area as it is today. Uptown is a community where all belong, so what better way to soak in the rich diversity of this historic neighborhood than to sip on a warm drink at a sidewalk cafe or in a cozy, welcoming coffee shop.

Drink Happy Thoughts  |  drink-happy-thoughts.com
Happy Monday Coffee Roasters is the heart & soul of everything that owners Craig & Yamel do. The name Happy Monday is not an oxymoron, it’s a way of life. They say “Do something you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” Craig & Yamel wake up every day and do what they love, and make the most of it, no matter what day it is. They travel the world in search of the most delicious coffee they can get their hands-on before roasting them from in their Roasting Lab. Their goal is to serve Uptown by always providing fresh ideas and to make your coffee experience more than something to help you wake up, get you to work, help you stay awake during finals, or give you that warm fuzzy feeling after a sip. They shoot for the stars when picking new beans, creating their menus, developing drinks or creating a new bag. “I think people will love this one!” is literally the thought process behind each idea; but most importantly, cultivating friendships, with each farm and customer. After three years of wholesale & roasting, they decided to bring some love to Uptown by opening Drink Happy Thoughts on Montrose Avenue. Their mission is simple: Serve you a fresh cup of coffee, provide a great value with an amazing experience, and to see you SMILE!

Emerald City Uptown  |  emeraldcitychicago.com
Emerald City Coffee offers Chicago coffee and delicious pastries made from scratch in a fun and welcoming environment. Whether you’re just in the mood for a quick coffee, looking for a simple yet delicious lunch, or perhaps seeking a place to write the novel you've always wanted to write, they’ve got you covered. Emerald City is dedicated to being a center of the community, and are always ready with a nice kick in the pants to get you over that finish line.

Everybody’s Coffee  |  everybodyscoffee.com
Everybody’s Coffee is more than just a coffee shop. In 2012 the cafe was opened to be a place of welcome for everybody and to provide a space of connection and creativity. Everybody’s Coffee was founded by a racially diverse group of women and men committed to helping the Uptown community through coffee, relationships, and resources. From neighbors in Uptown to coffee growing partners, the focus has always been relationships. Everybody’s Coffee is connected with a faith community and partnered with Cornerstone Community Outreach, an amazing organization that helps feed and house families and individuals experiencing homelessness in Chicago. Everybody’s Coffee is also committed to growing and strengthening their business and community by actively fighting racism and inequity and seeking knowledge and education about ways to do better, one cup of coffee and one conversation at a time. Everybody’s Coffee roasts and sells all Fair and Direct Trade coffee because they want to support and build relationships with farmers at origin. Sustainability means being involved from crop to cup. The coffee they sell must not only be good for the farmer but also be good for the land and do good the community.

First Sip Cafe  |  firstsip.cafe
Sisters Gigi and Erin Hoang are the two behind First Sip Café, Argyle Street’s new, hip, Insta-ready, and BYOB coffee shop that has quickly been embraced by locals needing a place to work, study, or meet. More than a coffee shop, First Sip aims to be a community space to hang out and fuel your creativity. Before opening, the pair used their booth at the Argyle Night Market to test out different flavors. Erin says it wasn’t easy coming up with four drinks each week, but by the end of the Market’s nine weeks, they had a long roster of taste-tested, local-approved concoctions to serve in the café. Erin, Gigi, and their parents immigrated to Chicago in August of 1997 when Erin was just four. She says her mom is someone who naturally excels at cooking and tasting food and soon after coming to the U.S. she started working as a cook and then became a chef. Café Hoang, located a block away on Argyle Street, followed soon after–when Erin was in the second grade. Erin is excited about Argyle Street’s future and the fact that Uptown’s Pan-Asian “Asia on Argyle” commercial district is seeing new investment, more collaboration, plus a second generation of immigrants that are working to modernize and update the area. She wants the area to be more festive and colorful, which is why she and Gigi–on a whim–painted their façade a bright green days before opening. Already, First Sip Cafe has hosted a book launch, a pop-up dinner, pop-up market, monthly featured artists, Friday night happy hours, and coffee mixology sessions.

Klein’s Bakery & Cafe  |  kleinsbakerycafe.com
Klein’s Bakery, home of the golfeado, is Chicago’s main source for the distinctive sticky bun topped with cheese. This cousin of the cinnamon roll features a couple of twists that Americans’ Cinnabon-trained palates won’t see coming. Intrigued? The only place to satisfy your curiosity is Klein’s Bakery & Cafe. Jessica and her sister Dayana Klein opened their Uptown bakery, at 4155 North Broadway, in spring 2017. Though they lack formal pastry training, the women learned to bake at the elbow of their grandmother, who owned a cake shop. Klein’s Venezuelan customers, who make up a quarter of the bakery’s clientele, may know what they’re getting into when they order a golfeado, which is typically eaten as an afternoon snack with coffee, but the Americans need a word of caution. Similar in that both baked goods share the same swirled shape and are both made from a yeasted sweet dough, but that’s about where the commonalities end. While the golfeado’s filling does include cinnamon, it also incorporates shredded cheese and shredded unrefined sugar cane, called papelón. But wait, there’s one final flourish that definitively sets the golfeado apart from its sticky bun relative. When they’re served, golfeados are topped with a slab of cheese instead of a schmear of icing. Along with the golfeado, top sellers include the cachito, a croissant-shaped bread roll stuffed with ham.

Feasting on an array of dumplings and baos is a fun way to try a variety of delicious foods. From soup dumplings and chicken feet to barbecue pork buns and egg tarts, there’s always something new to discover in Uptown.

Furama Restaurant  |  furamachicago.com
Dim sum is a style of Chinese cuisine. It is prepared as small bite-sized portions of food served in small steamer baskets or on a small plate. Dim sum is generally considered Cantonese, although other varieties exist. Dim sum dishes are usually served wit h tea and together form a full tea brunch. An Uptown institution for more than three decades, Furama continues to deliver quality dim sum. The restaurant keeps it old school by servicing the banquet room with roaming food carts for diners to choose from. With dozens of options readily available, it’ll take several visits to sample everything.

Lao Sze Chuan  |  laouptown.com
The first Lao Sze Chuan opened in 1998 in Chicago’s Chinatown and has since become one of the most beloved Chinese restaurants nationwide. The brainchild of Chef Tony Hu, Lao Sze Chuan prides itself on providing traditional Sichuan cuisine with high-quality ingredients. In 1999, Lao Sze Chuan was recognized by the Chicago Tribune as “One of the Best,” receiving a “three fork” rating, considered a prominent accomplishment for a Chinese restaurant at the time. Although Lao Sze Chuan has flourished to a chain of nine locations total since humble beginnings, their mission to offer, elevate, and promote gourmet authentic Chinese cuisine and provide exceptional customer service has never wavered. Grade A chefs are skillfully trained in Sichuan cuisine to provide the most authentic flavors at all locations. To this day, Lao Sze Chuan lives by the mantra “One Style For One Dish, A Hundred Dishes Have A Hundred Different Tastes,” a saying that keeps their most frequent customers coming back for more. Lao Sze Chuan is not only recognized locally as the Best Chinese Restaurant in Chicago by multiple mainstream food columns but has also received numerous national accolades including “The Best Chinese Restaurant”; “The Most Authentic Chinese Food”; one of the “Top Ten Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.”; and “Best Chinese Restaurant for Celebrating Chinese New Year.”

Ethiopian restaurants bring new meaning to the term “finger foods.” At these restaurants you will find little to no utensils as it is tradition to eat your meal with you hands! Injera flatbread is shared amongst guests and used to scoop up the wide variety of main courses displayed on a family sized plate.

Demera  |  demerachicago.com
Demera opened its doors in November of 2007, and quickly rose in both popularity and prestige, winning awards and recognition from local and national publications alike. Over a decade later, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant has grown to become one of Chicago’s favorite Ethiopian restaurants and a staple of the Ethiopian-American community of Chicago. Situated within the vibrant and colorful neighborhood of Uptown, Demera serves Chicago residents and visitors daily, allowing guests to experience Ethiopian hospitality and a whole lot of flavor.

Selam Ethiopian Kitchen  |  selamkitchen.com
Selamawit “Selam” Abebe has always been passionate about cooking. When she was a little girl, she spent hours in the kitchen of her parent’s restaurant in Addis Ababa, making a mess but learning delicious traditional Ethiopian recipes. Today, she's still the same little girl playing in the kitchen. She remains faithful to the Ethiopian traditions, flavors, and ingredients which are organic and local. Solomon Abebe spent his childhood experimenting with food - meat recipes primarily. As a teenager, he paid close attention to his family’s cooking in Addis Ababa and perfected his craft over time. In 1985, Solomon fled to Sudan where he, as a refugee, kick-started his cooking career in the Embassy of the United States of America.

Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine  |  tesfacuisine.com
Tesfa is a place of an authentic experience and taste of delicious Ethiopian cuisine. Tesfa’s family originates from a small village in the southernmost part of Ethiopia near the border of Kenya. Drought, tribal conflict, and war forced the family to move from place to place and business to business to find somewhere better to call home. Through it all the family always carried hope in their hearts. In Ahmaric, the language of Ethiopia, Tesfa means “Hope.” We all hope to find somewhere better to call home. We all hope to provide something lasting for our family. We all hope to have something that contributes to making the world a better place. This is our hope. Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine hopes to contribute to making our community a better place by serving fresh, healthy, authentic Ethiopian food, providing a gathering place for friends and family, and sharing in the hope for a better tomorrow.

Hailing from the Pacific coasts of Japan, sushi and raw fish can be found all over the Third Coast that is Chicago. From a contemporary take at Agami and a conveyer belt style at Wabi Sabi to Ora Sushi where tradition thrives and Pokiology where Hawaii’s take on raw fish (poke) shines, Uptown has many options where you’ll find your catch!

Agami  |  agamisushi.com
This hip Uptown contemporary Sushi restaurant housed in the former Goldblatt’s building continues to impress their guests with innovative Maki rolls, incredibly fresh Nigiri and Sashimi, Asian inspired Entrees from the kitchen and delectable Signature Cocktails. With an Urban/Underwater theme, Agami features a chic lounge, and semi-private and private booths that allow for a more intimate dining experience.

Pokiology  |  pokiologychi.com
Poke is a native Hawaiian dish originally eaten by fisherman seasoning the leftover cuts of their catch to serve as a snack. Although this dish has native Hawaiian roots, Japanese and other Asian cuisines have heavily influenced it through the additions of soy sauce, green onion, sesame oil , seaweed, and other ingredients.

From fresh tortas to original flavors from the highlands of Oaxaca and the pacific coast, Mexican food in Uptown goes far beyond the typical fare found throughout Chicago. Experiences range from a late night craving after a concert at the Riv or Aragon, to a white tablecloth dinner for date night.

Fiesta Mexicana Restaurant  |  fiestamexicanachicago.com
In 2020 the City of Chicago passed a resolution declaring October 31st as Fiesta Mexicana Day as recognition for its 41 years of service to the Uptown community as well as being female owned and operated. Fiesta Mexicana is one of the oldest operating restaurants in Uptown and has been family owned and female operated for 41 years. First with Lucy Matthew as founder and now, the tradition continues, with her daughter Tania D’Agostino.

Kie-Gol-Lanee  |  kiegol.com
After cooking for several years traditional Oaxacan food, the team behind Kie-Gol-Lanee decided to move from their hometown Santa Maria Quiegolani (Kie-Gol-Lanee), Oaxaca to Chicago in 2004. Their culinary experience was enriched when they started cooking contemporary Italian cuisine at Anteprima in the Andersonville neighborhood. In the summer of 2016, they saw the opportunity to take over the space where Riques Cocina was. In late July of 2016, they started working with Riques’ former owner, Chef Enrique Cortez, on a traditional menu that included original ingredients and flavors from their native state. At Kie-Gol-Lanee, you will find original flavors from the highlands of Oaxaca and the pacific coast including tlayudas, ceviches, birria, and tamales oaxaqueños, just to name a few. Their selection of aguas frescas include the famous horchata and tamarindo, as well as a unique squash cooler called chilacayota that you do not want to miss!

The long strands of noodles have a long life span, stretching all the way back to 25 CE China, but now are a staple all over Asia, Italy, and beyond. Although noodle forms and styles take different shape in different cuisines, they all have one thing in common, they’re delicious!

Double Happiness  |  1061 W Argyle St.
Double Happiness is hidden in plain sight on Argyle Street. A largely overlooked restaurant on the Vietnamese-Chinese strip in Uptown, Double Happiness at 1061 W Argyle Street is good enough that the restaurant deserves commemoration in its own right. On a street of shinier shops with neon signs, it is the definition of nondescript, a noodle joint that can be fairly described as an old folks’ diner—older staff, older clientele, and most definitely decor of an advanced age. Order chicken broth with noodles and whatever assortment of pork, seafood, fish balls, and fish cakes that you want to have floating in it (plus whatever from the jars on the table that you want to add, such as chiles and fried garlic). Number six, the hu tieu mi thap cam, is a simple but nearly perfect bowl, a clear, close to Platonic example of chicken broth with tender, precisely cooked bits of cuttlefish poking up from it. Number nine, the tieu chau radish cake with egg is made from daikon radish. The bitter base is almost lush with scrambled eggs and topping of scallions and crumbled bits of dried pork. Double Happiness draws a steady crowd conversing in Vietnamese, and you can see why it’s lasted over two decades as a comfort-food spot in the area.

Sun Wah BBQ  |  sunwahbbq.com
Sun Wah started its journey in New York’s Chinatown where it was crammed into a storefront hardly wider than nine lengths of roast ducks. Its founder, Eric Cheng continually refined his skills as a Hong Kong style barbecue chef there. While Sun Wah did well, it was still a crowded fish yearning for larger oceans. Eric and wife Lynda took their four toddlers and made Chicago their destination. In the spring of 1987, Sun Wah opened its doors in its initial Uptown Chicago location a few doors away from the Argyle Redline Station. Over the next two decades, Sun Wah accumulated a legion of enthusiastic admirers and fans who delighted in exploring its voluminous menu. The children became fixtures on weekends and holidays as the year-over-year growth required all hands on deck. This proved to be an invaluable experience for them as it provided the fundamentals that would help not just maintain, but expand their parents’ heart and soul. In September 2008, three of the four children grasped the baton to lead Sun Wah into its next phas and the doors at Argyle closed with a scribbled note directing patrons to the new location just around the block’s corner on Broadway. This carriage garage at 5039 North Broadway was entirely renovated with thematically proper brick structures and tile floors. The open feel of the new dining room with its barrel-vaulted ceiling gives patrons a fantastic environment to enjoy themselves. Sun Wah’s growth and renown is far beyond what Eric could have hoped for and reaffirms that the American dream in the land of opportunity can be obtained with a lifetime of dedication and hard work.

The long strands of noodles have a long life span, stretching all the way back to 25 CE China, but now are a staple all over Asia, Italy, and beyond. Although noodle forms and styles take different shape in different cuisines, they all have one thing in common, they’re delicious!

Munno  |  munnochicago.com
The Italian fantasy feels real as soon as you enter this homey wood-walled café, where the espresso is strong and the pastas are hand-rolled. Owner Nick Russo works hard to cultivate the romanticized Euro vibe, right down to the coterie of regulars who linger over Sunday evening Aperol spritzes, plates of adorably teensy, perfectly al dente prosciutto-filled ravioli, and the just-authenticenough Neapolitan-style pies overlaid with a particularly vibrant tomato sauce. Close your eyes and you may be able to convince yourself that you’re overlooking a Venetian canal rather than a dowdy stretch of Clark Street.

Anna Maria Pasteria  |  annamariapasteria.com
A mix of modern and traditional Italian cuisine, Anna Maria Pasteria has long been a local favorite. Sisters Anna and Maria, originally from the Basilicata region of southern Italy, first opened the doors of Anna Maria Pasteria in 1989. Beginning at age seven, Anna fell in love with cooking, creating her first plate of Pasta e Fagioli, a simple peasant dish which is now an Italian specialty. Enamored with cuisine and hospitality, Maria followed the family tradition and put her heart into making the best and most heavenly Tiramisu. After nearly two decades, Anna and Maria continue to dedicate themselves to the finest home-made Italian cuisine and service. Each entree is prepared to order with only the finest and freshest ingredients. It is their desire to make your dinner at Anna Maria Pasteria a delight to your palate and a happy and memorable dining experience.

The long strands of noodles have a long life span, stretching all the way back to 25 CE China, but now are a staple all over Asia, Italy, and beyond. Although noodle forms and styles take different shape in different cuisines, they all have one thing in common, they’re delicious!

 
Immm Thai Street Food  |  immmchicago.com
Uptown Thai restaurant, Immm Thai Street Food, has been a part of the Chicago community since October of 2015. In the heart of Uptown Chicago, on Broadway Street by Argyle thery offer a cozy, welcoming, and delicious dining atmosphere as well as takeout. Their mission is to serve authentic and delicious Thai dishes made from family recipes. Love, care, and soul is put into every dish as they believe customer satisfaction is the driving force behind success. At Immm you’ll experience a flavorful meal made with fresh ingredients and delivered with superior service. Customer favorites include Boat Noodles, Pad Thai, Basil Egg Rolls, and Mango with Sticky Rice just to name a few. Immm also serves food found at food stalls and carts in the streets of Thailand. A cornerstone in the Uptown community, Immm has been recognized for their outstanding Thai cuisine, excellent service, friendly staff, and regualr participation in community events such as the Argyle Night Market. Immm is also known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using highquality fresh ingredients. Because they aim to make food as authentic as they can, some dishes may be very spicy or pungent. Others may contain bones or spices (seeds and leaves). In Thai, Immm means “I’m full” or “I’m stuffed.” If you want to do it as the Thai’s do, say “immm” when you’re done eating, follow by “arroy” if it’s delicious!

 
In-On Thai  |  inonthaichicago.com
A 2016 GNR winner (“Great Neighborhood Restaurant”), In-On Thai was a family-owned restaurant forced to close its previous location at 3821 North Broadway when most of the block was torn down to make way for redevelopment. For years its owners tried hard to find a new spot. Uptown United and the Uptown Chamber of Commerce first met owner Atichat Srisawangpan in 2017. Since then they provided assistance with securing a loan, negotiating a lease agreement, and receiving a grant through the City of Chicago’s Small Business Improvement Fund (SBIF) program for build-out of a new location. Now located at 4641 North Broadway in Uptown, Chef Inon Srisawangpan makes curry pastes from scratch each morning. That’s rather extraordinary for your average mom-and-pop Thai restaurant. While you’ll find many of the common American Thai standards from tom yam to pad thai to som tam to pad see-ew, there are many uncommon dishes offered at Uptown’s newest restaurant. Patrons can choose from seafood curry, Thai-style tuna salad, spicy ground pork and fish ball noodle soup, or crispy chicken curry with pickled vegetables. Known for its modern interpretation of classic dishes and its insistence on only using high quality fresh ingredients, In-On Thai offers delicious dining, takeout, and delivery from its new Uptown home!

The long strands of noodles have a long life span, stretching all the way back to 25 CE China, but now are a staple all over Asia, Italy, and beyond. Although noodle forms and styles take different shape in different cuisines, they all have one thing in common, they’re delicious!

Café Hoang  |  cafehoang.com
Cafe Hoang has quietly become one of the most popular and esteemed Vietnamese eateries in Chicago. The restaurant stands out boldly as among the best restaurant options in Uptown, revered for its noodles, meat dishes and more. In 1997, Doan Thi Sinh and her husband Huang Do immigrated to the U.S. through the Orderly Departure Program. After working for years at several Vietnamese businesses in Uptown, they decided to open their own business showcasing Hue cuisine. The couple opened Cafe Hoang in 2000. The menu at Cafe Hoang features Bo Tai Chanh, Beef Carpaccio Vietnamese style, Goi Ga, Vietnamese chicken salad, Banh Xeo, Vietnamese savory crepe, Hu Tieu Xao Hai San, stir fried seafood noodles, pho, and Bun Bo Hue. “Without the assistance from the Vietnamese community with resources, language services, and support with business licensing, we couldn’t have opened our business,” Sinh said.

Pho 777  |  1065 W Argyle St.
One of the foremost restaurants in Uptown’s Vietnamese enclave along Argyle Street, Pho 777 flies more under the radar than its popular counterparts. But don’t let its modest motif fool you. Pho 777 serves some of the best noodle soups in the neighborhood, bracingly herbaceous and brimming with beef. Other Vietnamese delicacies like dumplings are abundant here as well, all for a bargain. “Eye of round steak, well done flanks, fat brisket, soft tendon, bible tripe, and meat balls” reads the description of Pho’s signature item, the Special 777. But it’s not as double double toil and trouble as that might sound: doctored with mint leaves, cucumber, and the four chile sauces on offer, this substantial beef-noodle soup had even my squeamish friend tucking in, though if you’re tripe resistant there are 18 other variations to choose from, along with an array of pork and seafood soups and hot pots. The restaurant also earns high marks for its banh xeo, a delightfully crispy Vietnamese pancake that comes folded in half, like an omelet, and stuffed with sprouts and seafood. Group meals are popular at this utilitarian dining room, which grows festive when a party of eight come in. Foremost Liquors, just down the street, has a surprisingly good selection of wines for this classic BYOB Vietnamese spot.

Forget deep dish, that’s for tourists right? Uptown has you covered when it’s time to grab a slice. Some of these guys have been flipping pies for over 50 years!

Gigio’s Pizzeria  |  gigiospizzachicago.com
Rumor has it that there are people in Chicago who occasionally crave a New York style pizza. We’re not talking about high-quality coal-oven pizzas, but rather the true New York style: the greasy, foldable slices that are available on every block in
Manhattan. When people in Chicago want some of that kind of pizza love, their options are rather limited. That is, unless you live in Uptown. Gigio’s was opened by the Buttitta family in 1965 after they moved to Chicago from Palermo, Italy. At Gigio’s a slice of cheese pizza comes on a very thin crust that has no chance standing up to the pile of Wisconsin mozzarella on top. The cheese is covered with droplets of grease, but there is not quite enough to create the pooling effect. The crust has a nice browning on the bottom and is chewy and crisp with a nice freshly toasted flavor to it. The sausage, which is house-made, is
fresh and has a good amount of fennel mixed in. Gigio’s is particularly popular late at night when the restaurant benefits from
being close to the Aragon and Riviera as well as a decent number of bars and independent theater companies. Whenever you’re in the mood for a New York style, soft-crusted piece of pizza, Gigio’s more than fills the role.

Michael’s Original Pizzeria  |  michaelspizzachicago.com
For a quidissential low-key pizzeria and sports bar, you can’t miss with Michael’s Original Pizzeria & Tavern, which has great midwest tavern cut pizza as well as a full menu of other items from burgers to pastas to salads. Located in Buena Park, a tight-knit community and nationally recognized historic district, Michael’s is a neighborhood staple. Tucked into one of many tree-lined blocks and adjacent to prairie-style historic mansions, Michael’s is a popular destinations for nearbors to meet and celebrate.

Uptown United, the Uptown Chamber of Commerce, and many other local organizations host public events that enliven Uptown throughout the year offering a multitude of street food options. The Windy City RibFest features top local and national “ribbers” and brings in over 25,000 attendees each year. The fest also offers a lineup of musical acts featuring local and national rock/pop, classic, indie, and tribute bands. Additionally, the popular Argyle Night Market features food from local restaurants plus live cultural and musical performances. This free summer-long event draws more than 3,000 people each week and continues to grow in popularity. Part market, part street festival, the Argyle Night Market is a vibrant and award-winning event is located on the city’s first and only shared street.

Argyle Night Market  |  exploreuptown.org
The popular Argyle Night Market features food from local restaurants plus live cultural and musical performances. This free summer-long event draws more than 3,000 people each week and continues to grow in popularity. Part market, part street festival, this vibrant and award-winning event is located on the city’s first and only shared street.

Windy City RibFest  |  exploreuptown.org
The Windy City RibFest features top local and national “ribbers” and brings in over 25,000 attendees each year. The fest also offers a lineup of musical acts featuring local and national rock/pop, classic, indie, and tribute bands. Ample stage time is reserved for Chicago-based artists. Specialty performers rove throughout the festival grounds.

Uptown boasts supermarkets which offer products from around the globe. Don’t know what to make for dinner? It’s east to get creative in Uptown.

Chicago Market  |  chicagomarket.coop
Chicago Market will be a big, bright, beautiful community-owned grocery store featuring local, sustainably farmed, organic produce, meat and dairy products, as well as all of the other staples you'd expect from your market -- dry goods, bulk foods, frozen foods, wine, beer, and liquor. They'll have a butcher shop, delicious prepared foods, and fresh-baked goods. Chicago Market will be a community hub where shoppers can enjoy the juice and coffee bar while attending workshops, classes, meetings and performances. Located in the immaculately restored historic Gerber Building at the Wilson CTA Station in Uptown, Chicago Market will have approximately 13,000 square feet of retail space, a spacious parking lot and will be conveniently located for train and bus travelers. Chicago Market will provide farm-to-table transparency about food, its origins and its processes. It will educate its community about nutrition, ingredient sourcing and methods of food production. The Market will support sustainability and integrity in all areas, including environmental stewardship, fair labor practices and cooperative principles. It will be devoted to the triple bottom line: People, Planet, and Profit.

Provisions Uptown  |  4812 N Broadway
Focused on locally made gifts, craft spirits, beer, and wine; Provisions Uptown strives to bring unique and one-of-a-kind products to the neighborhood.