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Community area in Chicago, Illinois
Photo: Gerald Farinas at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons
Rogers Park is the northern border of Chicago — the wild-eyed inheritor of uninhibited lakefront, swamps become beaches, and the beauty of Chicago bricks. There may be no better place to experience the casual riches the city has to offer, with several miles of parks and beaches, and quiet blocks of breathtaking apartments and homes.
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This is the only survivor of the two homes Frank Lloyd Wright built in Rogers Park, commissioned by a local brick magnate. (Chicago, as you'll notice, was a good place to be in the brick business.) After years of neglect, a new owner has scrupulously restored the house, but it's not open for tours — you'll have to content yourself with exterior views of the home's late Prairie School style, and the ingenuity of Wright's design that copes with the small lot and the busy street facing the house.
A private, non-profit library spanning a couple of storefronts, with 14,000 books, 800 periodicals, and extensive archives on LGBT issues. Reading groups for men and women are held here, as is Cinema Lesbiana and other events. Call or write ahead for access to the archives or special research requests.
Not a collection of informational exhibits about making clothes from the hides of cows. This is an adults-only collection of sex and fetish-related books, with S&M artifacts and photo exhibits of gay male erotica by notable names such as Robert Mapplethorpe.
Art deco style meets religious devotion in the spectacular Madonna della Strada Chapel, built in 1938 on the grounds of Loyola University's campus. Its renovation was completed in 2007, and the pipe organ is the largest in the city.
This beautiful West Ridge park is a local favorite. Join the locals walking around the lagoon, full of turtles and ducks, and see the sprawling playground and nature center. Surrounding the park are ritzy 1920s condominiums with interesting castle-like architecture.
Performs original work and adaptations of adult ("A Room With A View") and children's ("The Stinky Cheese Man") literature; their motto is "big stories, up close."
Iconoclasts by default, the resident company at the Raven has the courage to tackle classic American plays without putting a post-modern spin on the material or thrusting technology into the staging. It's kooky, but it works. Non-resident companies also find room to debut new works on the well-designed stage here.
The Side Project is one of Chicago's best storefront theaters. Shows include world premiere dramas and well-chosen revivals of overlooked plays, with committed actors and innovative staging that has the audience in the midst of the action.
Osterman Beach
Although the beach earned its original name (Hollywood Beach) from being at the end of Hollywood Avenue, the Lake Shore Drive high-rises in the background give this nice, long beach a slightly Miami look. It's extremely popular with Chicago's gay and lesbian community, and also with Edgewater families. There are paths for rollerblading or running near the beach. Note the huge pink Edgewater Beach Apartments building amid the skyline — they were built as part of a larger (pink) hotel, built in 1927.
Close to the university and the student housing. There's some picnic space here and a big, playground with jungle gyms and slides. It's connected by a strip of sand to North Shore Beach to the north.
Aside from the tennis courts and the jogging paths, there are lots of interesting features to be found here: weeping trees left from this area's original incarnation as a swamp, a giant concrete sculpture for climbing, tennis courts, random public art installations, and best of all, the long pier leading out to an old lighthouse. Pratt Beach includes North Shore Beach and Columbia Beach to the south, and it segues into Loyola Park & Beach to the north with the long art wall, making them the longest public beach in Chicago.
Wide open spaces are here: room for soccer, basketball courts, and a public field for baseball (along with one non-public field). The Heartland Cafe operates a concession stand during the summer, and there are a few small piers. It ends in the Leone Park & Beach to the north, a training beach for Chicago lifeguards.
Less crowded than their neighboring beaches. Jarvis Beach is more popular with younger swimmers as they are under the watchful gaze of the Chicago Junior Life Guard program. It also offers some open space to toss a Frisbee or people-watch. Fargo Beach is a real gem with its community garden of native beach grasses, decorating the sea retaining wall that separates the beach from the property to the west. Don’t miss the wonderful plantings in the “tree box” at the end of Fargo Ave. The local take ownership for this beach and it shows. Be careful; many a local “outdoorsman” has been known to illegally launch a kayak from this public beach, and the dogs off leashes can get a bit “hairy” at times. Sherwin Beach, connected to the south of Jarvis Beach, is a small sand spit that offers a chance to sneer at the adjacent private beach.
There's a pretty good playground here, and a modestly-sized beach.
The perfect size for a beach, with tennis courts and a cliff for contemplative strolls, picnic space and a modest strip of sand for swimmers.
This is it: you've reached the end of Chicago, and it's a nice one, with lots of green space and a fun jump down to the sand. Daredevils can swim for freedom to Evanston.
Annual festival in August to celebrate the neighborhood and throw some light on the Glenwood Avenue art galleries, food & drink, performances, and events for kids.
Devon Avenue can boggle the mind of the weary vegetarian not accustomed to having this many choices. Annapurna is a hole in the wall and the menu is geared toward Hindi speakers, but this is a good place to try something new — or just ask for samosas and chaat, and you shall receive.
Take-out only, but Howard Beach is right down the block — sun, surf, Jamaican bread and Jerk chicken patties are what the north pole of Chicago is all about. (Vegetable patties are available, too.)
If the stomach that sits within you is no shrinking flower, the fried walleye, fried shrimp, and hush puppies at this renowned fish shack will do very well by you.
The name, meaning "protector of the poor", is a reference to the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, who was best known for feeding the hungry. This isn't the gourmet Devon experience, but how's this sound: naan or chapatis, chicken biryani, and a mango lassi to drink for less than $5. Interested? Come and carry-out, or try the family room.
It doesn't look like much from the outside, but where else are you going to have to choose between a hearty diner breakfast (bacon, sausage, eggs), Korean home cooking (bi bim bop, Yook Gue Jung soup), or the point at which they meet (Korean spaghetti, bulgogi and kimchee omelettes)? Potential patrons should be aware the restaurant has been accused of refusing to serve lesbians and gay men.
Hot dogs and Polish sausages are a powerful, ancient tradition in West Ridge, and while there are still plenty of fast food shacks in the area, Wolfy's is the last of the old-school, pilgrimage-worthy hot dog proprietors. For a bit of hot dog history, sneak a peek at the hot dog sculptures behind the now-closed U Lucky Dawg (formerly Fluky's) a short distance east at 6821 N Western.
The first thing you notice is the pink handkerchiefs, floating over the tables like butterflies. Arya Bhavan has a small but lovely dining room, serving mostly northern Indian food (and a weekend buffet) for vegans. As a bonus, it's open most major holidays.
If you've had it with vegetarians, this is where to get some meat on your plate. Khan BBQ serves the best kabobs on the street, charcoal-fired and caramelized, and they're busy from open to close.
This Pakistani restaurant is one of the busiest on Devon, filled with local families. They do wonders with chicken, especially the monumental chicken charga, in which an entire bird is deep-fried and marinated with secret spices.
This is one of the most popular restaurants with visitors on Devon, offering a Southern Indian-style vegetarian menu that packs its fair share of spice.
The aqua walls and cafe-like atmosphere make Uru-Swati a relaxing place to stay, and their vegetarian menu covers a lot of range — you can pair standbys like naan with new finds from northern and southern India.
Neighborhood bistro in Edgewater with plenty of wine to sample, either while splashing out on dishes like the duck lasagna or keeping calm with a simple nosh platter.
Ethiopian cuisine in Edgewater, equally friendly to carnivores and vegetarians and best enjoyed with a group to share a platter.
Virtually unknown in the annals of Chicago pizza lore, Gino's North — not East, as in the famous city-wide chain — is, nevertheless, a great love of all who know it. The key is to confirm that Peggy is working that day; if she's in the kitchen, make tracks to enjoy the work of one of the finest pizza auteurs of our time.
An Edgewater institution since 1959, serving beer and monster Moodyburgers. The dark, cave-like interior is a great refuge in the winter, while the sizable beer garden takes equal advantage of summer.
Given the nature of Peruvian cuisine, this one is probably best enjoyed by seafood lovers. Live Peruvian music on the weekends. Reservations recommended, although not necessary if you're willing to wait. (That'll give you a chance to hit the liquor store down the block, as Taste of Peru is BYOB.)
Coffee roasted by Metropolis, plus teas, pies and pastries, smoothies and ice cream in the summer. Sandwiches can be ordered from the Dagel and Beli next door.
This is the potential of Rogers Park: a nicely rehabbed storefront in a classic, anonymous beauty of an early 1900s building, open early for commuters and full of local art, with an eclectic menu (including ice cream) and an unpretentious atmosphere for readers and conversations alike.
Highly acclaimed coffee roasted on-site, with other drinks, baked goods, delicious pastries for breakfast and free wi-fi as well. This is some of the best coffee in Chicago and people know it, so it can get crowded.
Bruno & Tim's is a classic Rogers Park bar, offering booze, television, and long hours for its regulars. Whatever the time of day, it's always late Saturday night inside Bruno & Tim's. There's a fairly big liquor store in the other half of the storefront.
In operation for more than 40 years, Cary's Lounge stakes a claim to the coveted title of best dive bar in Chicago. It's also a haven for serious pool players. There are bands on Fridays, DJs on Saturdays, and a good jukebox for the rest.
Oasis
Local dive with late hours. Just a block in from the lake on the busy intersection of Sheridan and Pratt. The Oasis has two rooms, darts (metal ones!), free pretzel rods, specials with time limits, and a menacing late night bouncer. With many an over-served customer, mayhem is known to ensue.
Friendly, comfortable place where the jukebox is just the right volume. For cheap beer and generous mixed drinks, this a great neighborhood bet.
As much a restaurant as it is a bar, R is well-known for its burgers, pizzas, and weekend brunches. Frequently hosts live music and/or community-centered events such as fundraisers for local nonprofits.
This cousin of the Sin Strip motels is missing the over-the-top neon, but it's in a sedate location within a close walk of the Indian community on Devon Avenue and a shopping center.
Want to impress a local? Generations of north-siders have driven past the Heart O' Chicago's famous sign without seeing what's inside — 45 basic motel rooms, as it turns out. Continental breakfast and wireless internet are included. You'll probably want a car if you're staying here, though.
Bed & breakfast for LGBT travelers in a century-old Victorian home, not far from Hollywood Beach.
Right down the street from the beach. Amenities include parking and internet. Bit sketchy outside at night, though.
This is a warm, goofy, cluttered bookstore with an unpredictable collection of used and rare books, guided by laid-back, book-loving staff. The worn, comfortable couches and self-serve coffee make it nice to stick around for a while.
Two floors of antiques in Edgewater. The first floor has plenty of interesting Chicago ephemera, but the nifty full-room set-ups on the second floor are fun to explore whether or not you plan to buy anything.
This cavernous costume shop can, at turns, resemble a collection of haunted antiques — this stretch of Howard Street has several dusty old Jazz Age buildings, and this is one of the few that's open without having been scrubbed clean. Their costume selection is terrific, but it's worth the visit just to have a look around.
A lovely little wine shoppe, with a nice spread of moderately-priced wines, some beers and ciders, and various tasty nibbles. (Prosciutto? Roasted figs? Cornichons? Oh, yes.) The wines don't favor any one geographical location overmuch, and tend to lean towards a pleasantly high quaffability quotient instead of veering towards either pole of self-pickling (musty snobbery on one end, and "get me loaded up on that box o'vino" on the other). The Monday and Friday tastings are a treat, as are conversations with the friendly staff.
This tiny, wonderful shop stocks African imports ranging from clothing, jewelry and masks to beauty products and djembe (drums from Mali). Dr. Alphonsus Ntamere, a Nigerian studying in Evanston started this store almost twenty years ago after getting distracted from his post-doctoral studies, and it's still a highlight of shopping on the North Side.
An impressive collection of books on Islam and Muslim culture, with plenty of dual-language books and toys for teaching children Arabic. There are some nice gifts, too. If they don't have what you're looking for, try the smaller Islamic Books and Things at 2601 W Devon.
There are at least three stores by this name on Devon, so check the address. If you're at this one, you'll find a glorious clutter of Indian gifts — if these are cheap tourist statuettes, for example, they certainly don't look like it.
There is the requisite selection of beautiful saris, but fans of pastel men's dress shirts will fall silent with awe at the treasures to be found here.
This is the height of retail elegance on Devon — the two sparkling floors of Sahil wouldn't look out of place on the Magnificent Mile. They have dazzling Indian fashion and everyday wear for men, women, and children, and accessories to match. If you don't mind spending freely, you'll leave with some amazing outfits.
There are nice saris for women and juniors at this long-standing boutique, but the craft-minded will delight in the reams of colorful fabric sold here, suitable for making saris, men's suits, and home decorations. Al-Raheem at 2655 W Devon also sells reams of fabric.
By train
The CTA Red Line runs from the Loop to Edgewater (Bryn Mawr, Thorndale, Granville) and Rogers Park (Loyola, Morse, Jarvis), eventually terminating at Howard Street on the border of Evanston.
By bus
A few Pace suburban routes depart from the Howard Street bus terminal.
By car
The best way to reach Edgewater and Rogers Park by car is the fabled Lake Shore Drive, which ends at Sheridan and Hollywood in Edgewater.
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