Lincoln Square is like being in a small town within the city. It's a blend of people from all cultures, ages and walks of life. A pedestrian-friendly strip brings a great mix of casual eateries and upscale restaurants, European-style cafes, independent stores and fun things to do like touring Half Acre Brewery, catching a new release at Davis Theater or laying on a blanket in Welles Park. We love it for its chill vibe, tree-lined streets and plenty of things to see, do, taste and try. Here are some of our favorites.
Great little BYOB Italian restaurant whose known for their wood-fired brick oven pizzas (they made the oven themselves!) and pasta dishes.
A casual and cozy authentic indian restaurant with great cocktails.
The best Banh Mi sandwiches around. Fresh-baked bread, crunchy vegetables and slow cooked meat.
Old Chicago neighborhood movie theater with 3 screens in the heart of Lincoln Square.
Sushi, ramen and maki served traditional-style in a beautifully designed space.
Our favorite restaurant in Lincoln Square. Can't say enough good things about it.
An independent, curated home goods store with a focus on plants, scents and home accessories.
15 acres of grass, trees, tennis courts, sand volleyball, ballfields, horseshoe pits, a gazebo and great people watching.
Gelato. Gelato. Gelato. And coffee. Do we really need to say more?
Best deep dish pizza in Chicago. Ask any local and they'll agree.
Novelty and humorous gifts for just about any occasion. We go here for their great selection of greeting cards and random buys.
A quaint and quiet yoga and massage studio on a tree-lined street just off the beaten path. The perfect place to get your zen on.
A curated collection of well-designed, Mid-Century style home goods and artwork by local artists. You can't walk out of here without something calling your name.
An independent coffee house with house-made nut milks, simple syrups and interesting concoctions.
A sophisticated piercing studio with a unique jewelry gallery.
New American restaurant with great food and cocktails at prices that won't make you gasp.
This is just outside of the Lincoln Square jurisdiction, but we had to include it because it's just steps away and is one of our favorites. Half Acre is a local craft brewery who has a grip on Chicago bars and liquor stores. If you fancy a tour of the brewery, be sure to get there early since they cap the tour at 60 people and it fills up fast. If you end up being #61 and get denied, hang out in their tap room to sample some beer or visit their store to bring a growler home with you. Their tap room is a hot spot in Lincoln Square and is the perfect place to grab a beer with a friend or a group of people, any day of the week. Pretty soon their second production facility, 1.5 miles north of this one, will be open to the public and include a tap room, 200 seat restaurant and 5,000 sqft event space. Tip: Right now this location doesn't serve food, but there's plans in the works to build a kitchen.
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