ANDERSONVILLE

Sit at the sushi bar in true Omakase style, the Japanese phrase for “I’ll leave it up to you”, at Tanooshi, where trusting sushi chef Mike Ham’s impeccable taste and experience will leave you with a sushi dining experience like no other. While we highly recommend just ordering OMAKASE, we also recommend the Fish and Chips appetizer and the aptly-named Andersonville Maki!  For American contemporary, check out Little Bad Wolf and pair your bacon mac and cheese with one of their many whiskeys! Indulge in shared plates with friends at Little Madrid Tapa Café.

Beer lovers will never get bored of Hopleaf’s 68 draft lines featuring the finest brews, including local, regional, national, and global brews! Or, kick back with some local craft brews while playing any one of 22 vintage arcade games at Replay! Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar offers a delectable wine selection alongside their eats, and recently opened a Fromagerie and Tasting Room next door that features weekly sommelier hosted wine tastings! The cocktail options are endless – Marty’s Martini Bar, Elixir Lounge, and Nobody’s Darling are some of our favorites! 

Of course, we can’t mention food in Chicago without weekend brunch. The French Toast or the Fannie’s Killer Fried Egg Sandwich are sure to please at m.henry. Kanela Breakfast Club offers a Greek-infused American breakfast, using local and organic ingredients! Check out the Southern-inspired brunch menu at Big Jones and be sure to order beignets for the table! 

Indulge in the continued Swedish cultural presence by visiting the Swedish American Museum, founded in 1976 by Kurt Mathiasson to “preserve and disseminate the history of the great contributions of early Swedish immigrants to Chicago” according to Neil Shipley’s Watching the Swedes. Afterwards, stop into Simon’s Tavern for traditional Swedish Glögg, a Yuletide old-fashioned mulled wine traditionally made with red wine, orange peel, cloves, and cardamom, although you may also find some recipes include other additions such as brandy, vodka, port and cinnamon!  

Love to shop? Andersonville is known as the “shop local capital of Chicago” according to Choose Chicago. The Andersonville Galleria is three floors filled with more than 50 mostly local vendors, with everything from art to clothing! Milk Handmade features handmade clothes and accessories from local designers. Find the perfect, unique gift, from custom mugs to pop fidgets, at ENJOY Chicago, a self-described “urban general store.”  For the plant-lovers out there, you could spend days at Gethsemane Garden Center, the family-owned garden store on North Clark Street, famous for maintaining the stunning welcome garden at Andersonville’s North Edge! 

Stepping out at night? For an extra unique adventure, check out the Chicago Magic Lounge – an Art Deco-style theater built for the Chicago-style Magic experience, described as “part Speakeasy, part Magic Theater, 100% Amazing” on their website, serving up craft cocktails and small plates along with their table-side magic performances! 

Enjoy the great outdoors and head to Foster Beach for some fun in the sun or go for a bikeride on the Lake Michigan Lakefront Trail! Andersonville is also home to Midsommarfest, one of Chicago’s oldest and most beloved annual summer street festivals, usually held in early June. For a few days and nights, tens of thousands congregate in Andersonville’s Clark Street corridor to celebrate Andersonville’s Swedish culture and history with live music and entertainment, food, drinks, shopping, and plenty of family-friendly fun, including traditional Swedish activities like a dance around the Maypole.   Check out all of the Fests & Markets below! 

Farmers Markets:

Andersonville Farmers Market

• every Wednesday 3-7PM (May 11th – October 19th) 
• Catalpa Avenue between Clark Street and Ashland Avenue

Street Fests:

• Andersonville Wine Walk – May
• Midsommarfest – June
• Pride Parade - late June
• Taste of Andersonville - August
• Edgewater Arts Festival - September
• Ravenswood on Tap featuring Malt Row’s finest - June