Unique, local shopping and dining thrive in the Armitage – Halsted hub.
Lincoln Park’s unofficial wine district is anchored by Summer House Santa Monica, a large, airy restaurant that feels and tastes like the West Coast, complete with a carefully curated selection of California and Pacific North coast wines. J9 Wine Bar is a warm neighborhood spot with an impressive wine list and cocktail menu, and Chez Moi offers French classics (including wines) in a casual, modern space.
Have a meal to write home about in the neighborhood’s most eclectic spots, like the Athenian Room, a favorite for traditional Greek since the 1970s, or Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, where the tapas, sangria, and ambiance burst with flavor and energy. The homey Blue Door Farm Stand focuses on seasonal farm-to-table food, and Quality Crab & Oyster Bah (not a typo) delivers authentic New England seafood. For Italian in a casual, laid-back setting, locals love Tarantino’s (especially the outdoor patio when it’s warm).
Find a gift for someone (or, realistically, for yourself) at Art Effect, whose unique jewelry, clothes, and home items make it impossible to walk by without going in. Foodies and the people who shop for them love Read it & Eat, a cookbook bookstore. Check out Bedside Manor for luxury linens and Lori’s Shoes for basically every shoe you can imagine. For treats you can eat, Foxtrot is a specialty convenience store that carries local and hard-to-find brands, and Vosges Haut-Chocolat is a Chicago-born brand whose creative, exotic confections have fans worldwide.
