The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center
The nation’s oldest independent museum of African American history, set in a landmark roundhouse on the edge of Washington Park
Daley’s Restaurant
Chicago’s oldest continuously operating restaurant (since 1892), now inside the Woodlawn Green Line station, serving soul food and classic diner breakfasts
The Polo Inn
Char-grilled steaks and chops in a restored 1914 space that was once Chicago’s oldest ice cream parlor
The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant
Steakhouse set inside a beautifully restored 1905 landmark firehouse in the Prairie District
Pullman Club Coffee Shop
The historic Pullman district’s only coffee shop, set in the national monument welcome center pouring Metropolis coffee and local pastries
Stony Island Arts Bank
A 1923 bank reborn by artist Theaster Gates as a gallery, archive, and community space on the South Side.
Calumet Fisheries
A James Beard-honored shack by the 95th Street bridge, smoking fish over oak since 1928 – cash only, no seats.
Thalia Hall
An 1892 opera-house-turned-music-hall in Pilsen, one of the city’s most beautiful rooms for live shows.
The Hideout
A beloved honky-tonk hidden behind an industrial yard, hosting alt-country, literary nights, and community gatherings for decades.
Big Jones
Andersonville’s temple of heritage Southern cooking, from shrimp and grits to a legendary weekend brunch.