While my love for my former town of
Oak Park was no secret, especially on Instagram, it rarely made its way into my blog content. Probably because I have an overactive imagination and thought that if I blogged about my relatively small town too much, some weirdo would figure out where I lived and I'd find myself with an unwelcome stalker. (Not that stalkers are ever welcome... You know what I mean.)
A while back someone asked me on Instagram for some Oak Park suggestions, so this post is dedicated to all my favorite Oak Park spots. For those not in the know, Oak Park is the first town outside of Chicago city limits to the west. It's about seven miles from The Loop (Chicago's central business district) and can be reached by public transportation with the Metra or the Green Line to central Oak Park, or the Blue Line along the southern border. It was my home for more than seven years. I may be entirely biased, but I adored Oak Park—it's a very community-oriented village, and has everything from cute little shops and cafes in brick buildings to beautiful old Victorian homes. And let's not forget about
Frank.
If you're a Chicagoan looking for a new area to explore, or if you're visiting Chicago and want a great and accessible day-trip, particularly if you're into architecture, definitely make your way to Oak Park! And then email me to tell me how much you loved it, because I really miss it! :( If I could have picked it up and made it a new neighborhood of Portland, I would have, *le sigh.*
NICE PLACES TO EAT
Maya del Sol - Modern Latin fusion restaurant with solidly good food and drinks. Try any of their benedicts for brunch, or the stuffed squash or Ropa Vieja for dinner. And Nachos del Sol, always. But the real star: their absolutely
kick-ass patio, day or night. We frequented this restaurant more than any other in town, for sure.
Marion Street Cheese Market - Half cheese-and-wine shop, half restaurant. Described as an upscale bistro, they source most ingredients locally and rotate their menu seasonally. A good breakfast or lunch spot with girlfriends, or a nice date-night restaurant due to the evening ambiance and drink selection.
New Rebozo - Traditional upscale Mexican restaurant. Two things it's known for: 1) Chef Paco, the proprietor, an animated character who will come to greet every table and say, "Oh my God" a lot, and 2) their seasonal special, Chile en Nogada, a poblano pepper stuffed with a meat mixture and topped with a walnut cream sauce and pomegranates, only available in the late fall-early winter season. Other entrees are solidly good, but not particularly memorable.
Sen Sushi - Definitely the nicest sushi spot in the area, it's got that perfect modern minimalist Japanese vibe going on. The kind of place that puts sliced cucumber in the water, if that gives you a better picture. My favorite roll is the Ghost Ship with sweet potato and spicy tuna. My only warning is that it is a small restaurant and can get quite packed at peak hours.
(Side note: our
actual favorite local sushi place was
Bistro Sake in neighboring Forest Park; I thought their sushi was the best prepared and they have a killer crab-jalapeño appetizer called Wild Fire. However, ambiance is lacking with the huge—and often sparsely filled—dining room, so I definitely tend to recommend Sen Sushi to visitors.)
CASUAL OR QUICK PLACES TO EAT
Chicago's Home of Chicken & Waffles - Another place I've eaten at more times than I can count. Chicken and waffles are obviously menu staples, but I was a fan of their other soul food plates, especially the fried catfish with collard greens and mac and cheese.
Lake Street Kitchen + Bar - Rotating craft brew on tap and upscale bar food (small plates, salads, brick oven pizza, etc). Ambiance is cozy with lots of wood and exposed brick.
Kinderhook Tap - More of a friendly neighborhood feel compared to Lake Street Kitchen + Bar. The food is more casual too—burgers, sandwiches, fried things.
Mickey's Gyros & Ribs - As for straight-up greasy fast food joints, Mickey's was our favorite. Mark declared the ribs the best he's had in Oak Park; I liked their cheeseburgers and gyros. Don't expect: ambiance. Do expect: a little tough-guy Chicago attitude from the counter guys.
Amarind's Thai - There's Thai all over OP, but I had a hard time finding a place I loved. This was our favorite, though slightly off the beaten path on the north side.
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Lou Malnati's - Lou's is 100% my deep dish pizza of choice, and the Oak Park location is pretty great with a garage door storefront and a fun, industrial vibe. But still, it IS a (local) chain. If you're going to be in downtown Chicago at some other point, save the pizza for then and eat at an OP-only restaurant first.
CAFES & SWEETS
Sugar Fixe - Probably my most Instagrammed OP locale, lol. Fantastic pastries, especially the savory croissants. They used to serve Julius Meinl coffee that I LOVED, but they switched to La Columbe, which I'm a little indifferent towards.
Prairie Bread Kitchen - A few doors down from Sugar Fixe. They specialize in bread, but my most purchased item was a ham and cheese scone and Intelligentsia coffee (which is a Chicago roaster). Their apple cinnamon bread was fab too, especially warmed and served with butter. But skip the lunch sandwiches; they're super overpriced for what you get.
Hole in the Wall Frozen Custard - A hidden gem. It's the tiniest ice cream shop—literally, no more than 3 people can stand inside the door at once. The frozen custard is so good. I love the cherry dipped cones, or one of their freeze-ins (which is like a concrete or blizzard). Be prepared to wait in a line down the block and bring cash. Only open April to November-ish.
THINGS TO DO
Oak Park Farmer's Market - Every Saturday from end of May through mid-October, located in the church parking lot at 460 Lake St., a block west of Ridgeland Avenue. The fresh-made donuts alone are worth the trip to Oak Park—and there's usually a long line for them. It's a very kid-friendly market, and there's usually a group of folk musicians playing. It all adds up to feel like something out of Pleasantville, tbh, and I loved it.
Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio Tours - Visitors can tour the legendary architect's home and studio or take a self-guided audio walking tours past several notable homes and buildings that he designed in the area. I think there are sometimes Groupon deals (or the like) available for these tours, so search for that if you're interested. If you're SUPER into architecture or fancy homes and have some money to burn, you can buy tickets to the annual
Housewalk in which current owners allow you inside their historic homes.
Hemingway Birthplace and Museum - If your interests are more literary than architectural, you can tour Hemingway's birthplace or visit the museum dedicated to him and his work. Fun fact: I'm pretty sure Hemingway was on record saying he hated Oak Park and the suburbs in general. Not that I blame him; don't we all feel that way about the suburbs we grew up in?
Walk the Historic District - If
#CaitiwalksOakPark was any indication, I loved neighborhood walks. My favorite walk was north on Kennilworth to Chicago Ave., west on Chicago., and meander south on Forest Ave. and surrounding streets. The area northeast of Lake St./Oak Park Ave. was also fun to explore.
Oak Park Conservatory - A nice kid-friendly and/or crappy-weather activity. Or maybe if you just really like plants :) Bonus: if you're taking the Green Line into Oak Park, you'll also pass by the
Garfield Park Conservatory, which is bigger than the OP one and often has cool sculpture/installation art on display.
Oak Park Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens - Outdoor community theater group that performs Shakespeare and some other classic plays each summer. Bring your lawn chair and enjoy the show! Tickets available through their website.
Summer Concert Series in Scoville Park - This free event features a different local band each Sunday evening throughout the summer. Located in the park next to the library. A casual, kid-friendly concert event.
PLACES TO SHOP
The Book Table - A great independent bookstore, perfect for browsing for a few hours. My only complaint is that there isn't anywhere to sit and read for a bit inside the store—mainly because there's no room for chairs! If you need more children's books, head to
The Magic Tree Bookstore a few blocks away.
Gem - A shop full of unique jewelry designed mostly by independent artists. I'm not a jewelry person at all, but their shop is beautiful and stylish in its own right.
Careful Peach - A French-inspired interior and lifestyle shop. The perfect kind of shop to find hostess or wedding shower gifts.
Update Interiors - Fun and modern home decor accessories. Sort of an indie version of West Elm and Z Gallerie.
Muse - A clothing boutique featuring contemporary, stylish, and feminine designs from emerging designers and brands. I adore their store window displays—they usually look like a more modern version of Anthropologie.
BONUS: MADISON STREET IN NEIGHBORING FOREST PARK
Gaetano's - The best Italian food I've had in the US, and one of our most memorable dinners in the area. Go for the "Gaetapas" tasting menu for incredible variety: dishes like carpaccio salad, seared calamari steak, hand-formed ravioli, and more. Perfect for a special occasion. The interior and exterior definitely reminded me of Italy.
Shops - While I wasn't a frequent shopper, there are a wide variety of fun shops in this area.
Todd & Holland for loose-leaf tea;
Yearbook for home accessories with a masculine, collegiate vibe;
Jayne for wearable women's fashion;
Refind for sustainable interior decor; several antique stores; a knitting shop; a comic store; and a record store. It's a good spot to walk and shop!
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For additional suggestions and photos of Oak Park, check out these links from Making It Lovely:
Independent Shopping in Oak Park |
House Tour in Oak Park |
Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio |
Downtown Oak Park
And lastly, just for fun, keep your eyes peeled for some well-known residents including Johnny Galecki, Tavi Gevinson, John Mahoney, and NPR's Peter Sagal. Tavi and Johnny live elsewhere now, but are often spotted visiting Oak Park.
