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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on May 20, 2014 at 6:03am

I've been riding Kenmore and Winthrop as my north/south streets in the Edgewater neighborhood, and Glenwood and Ashland in Rogers Park. All four streets are between Clark and Sheridan Road. Clark is still a bit messed up from a couple summers of sewer work. It doesn't bother me too much, but it can be a bit annoying.

Up here in Evanston there are lots of restaurants (obviously, ditto Chicago). Places I like, in no particular order (well, in the order they turned up in a Yelp search):

• Mt Everest (Nepalese/North Indian)
• Campagnola (Italian, kinda pricey)
• Dave's Italian Kitchen (Italian, pretty inexpensive)
• Dixie Kitchen (southern food)
• Lucky Platter (eclectic diner)
• Cross Rhodes (mediterranean/Greek, yum!)
• Joy Yee (pan-Asian)
• Dozika (Sushi, tempura)
• Siam Pasta (Thai)
• Buffalo Joes (wings)
• Prairie Joes (eclectic diner)
• Gigio's (pizza)
• Va Pensiero (Italian, kinda pricey)
• Pita Inn (mediterranean, cheap, but on Dempster in Skokie - not bike-friendly)

That should give you enough choices if you make it this far north.

I don't do Bike the Drive, and will likely be up in Michigan, but feel free to give me a shout if you're in the neighborhood (skip@pobox.com).

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Permalink Reply by Alex Z on May 20, 2014 at 6:56am

A fun ride on Monday morning would be to ride west to Oak Park and back via Washington/Warren. I don't have any restaurant recommendations for you in Yelp but that would be a good enough workout to warrant a Giordano's lunch downtown. ;)

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Permalink Reply by yaj 7.4 on May 20, 2014 at 7:54am

Yep, Clark is a fine bike lane to find food.  There are a number of good restaurants in my northside neighborhood of Andersonville.  Two of my favorites are Vincent, which has a great French and Dutch food, most affordable at brunch (on Balmoral, just east of Clark), and the Brixton, which has a mixed menu of upscale bar food (on Clark at Rascher).  If you and your party enjoy Vietnamese food, get to the neighborhood around Broadway and Argyle, where many Vietnamese restaurants are located. Lastly, we have Demera, which I think is the best Ethiopean food (at Broadway and Lawrence).  And now I'm really hungry!

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 20, 2014 at 7:59am

Pho is amazing!  Mark, I'd love to join you depending on when you go..  I can't get enough Pho!

yaj 7.4 said:

 If you and your party enjoy Vietnamese food, get to the neighborhood around Broadway and Argyle, where many Vietnamese restaurants are located. Lastly, we have Demera, which I think is the best Ethiopean food (at Broadway and Lawrence).  And now I'm really hungry!

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Permalink Reply by JeffB on May 20, 2014 at 8:06am

How far north?  Here's a few nearby recs, from Lincoln Park on the south to Edgewater on the North:

- Green City farmer's market, Saturday morning.  One of the best in the country, with lots of prepared food vendors using the freshest ingredients: 1801 N Clark St. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=clark+st+and+lincoln+ave+chicago+il&...

- Perennial Virant.  1800 N Clark St. Excellent brunch or dinner spot located directly across Clark St from the above market.

-Riccardo Trattorio. 2119 N Clark St.  Fantastic neighborhood Italian place. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2119+N+Clark+St,+Chicago,+IL&ie=...

-Kuma's Too. 666 W Diversey. Great burgers! https://maps.google.com/maps?q=666+W+Diversey+Pkwy,+Chicago,+IL&...

-Crisp. 2940 N Broadway.  Counter service Korean.  Get the Seoul-sassy wings. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=2940+N+Broadway+St,+Chicago,+IL&...

-Andy's Thai Kitchen (ATK). 946 W Wellington Ave.  Awesome authentic Thai food. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=946+W+Wellington+Ave,+Chicago&ie...

-Cere's Table 3124 N Broadway. Regional Italian. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=3124+N.+Broadway+chicago&ie=UTF-...

-Big and Little's: 1034 W Belmont.  Great fish tacos, po-boys, burgers, etc... https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1034+W+Belmont+Ave,+Chicago,+IL&...

-Big Jones. 5347 N Clark St.  Southern cooking.  https://maps.google.com/maps?q=5347+N+Clark+St,+Chicago&ie=UTF-...

- Dak Korean Chicken Wings. 1104 W Granville.  A few blocks north of the top of the lake path. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=1104+W+Granville+Ave,+Chicago,+IL&am...

-Sauce and Bread Kitchen. 6338 N Clark St.  Great low key breakfast and lunch spot. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=6338+clark+st.,+chicago&ie=UTF-8...

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Permalink Reply by Mark Newald on May 20, 2014 at 8:11am

Thanks for the replies! We many times would ride to Ann Sather and have breakfast taking LFP. Then come back Clark. I am the only commuter used to traffic, so I is harder for the others. And one guy just turned 80, still a strong rider!  I will be checking these out. Hope to say hi Julie if you are working the chainlink booth this year.

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Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 20, 2014 at 8:17am

I'll be there (unless I'm out riding with my family)

Mark Newald said:

Thanks for the replies! We many times would ride to Ann Sather and have breakfast taking LFP. Then come back Clark. I am the only commuter used to traffic, so I is harder for the others. And one guy just turned 80, still a strong rider!  I will be checking these out. Hope to say hi Julie if you are working the chainlink booth this year.

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Permalink Reply by yaj 7.4 on May 20, 2014 at 8:27am

If I could only eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be Pho.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Newald on May 27, 2014 at 5:43am

I wanted to thank everyone for the tips on our recent trip to Chicago. We had a great time, and wish I could have done more than we did. We did ride North on the LFP till the end. Rode back and stopped at Green City Market. For lunch it was Big & Little, which was just awesome! Omar rocks. Then to Half Acre for some reduced Daisy Cutters. Got in a bonus 30 miles, along with Bike The Drive the next day. Thanks again.

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