For the most part, people tend to gravitate and stay exclusively downtown when visiting Chicago. Although this is where all the big tourist attractions and well-known shops are located, Chicago has so much more to offer from a cultural standpoint. As a city kid from downtown Chicago, I have learned to appreciate everything my hometown has to offer, including all the different ethnic neighborhoods.
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Last summer, my brother and I decided to drive around the city and turn different culture neighborhoods into a “progressive meal.” We would eat something in one neighborhood and then move onto the next for a different genre flavor. Starting out on Devon Street, we explored the Indian culture. We went to a small restaurant to sample Bombay street-style food. After that we enjoyed gigantic masala filled “dosa” crepes and wandered into a grocery store. Going into an Indian grocery is an intriguing experience because you get a little taste of the culture because almost nothing is in English.
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After we hit up Devon Street, the next stop on our progressive meal journey was to Andersonville to sample some Swedish delights. Since most of these restaurants are only open for breakfast (the best breakfasts you will ever have, naturally), we stopped at a late-night bakery for Swedish pastries. My favorite Swedish pastry is the “Ostkaka,” which is essentially a cheesecake, yet very different from the classic American dessert.Â
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Next on our list was Argyle Street to explore Vietnamese cuisine and culture. My favorite restaurant in Chicago— the restaurant I crave on a daily basis and want to go to every year for my birthday dinner—is Pho Xe Tang (Tank Noodles). Tank Noodles is hands down the best Vietnamese food in Chicago! This restaurant has become a popular casual hotspot over the years and features a book-sized menu specializing in regional favorites. Whether you are in the mood for a “bánh mì” sandwich or “pho” soup, this restaurant is the cream of the crop for Vietnamese food.
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Our last neighborhood on our progressive meal tour of Chicago was Lincoln Square for German food. If you are looking for a hearty meal of meats and carbs, this is your dream come true. From the oom-pah bands, to the traditional lederhosen outfits, to the beer halls, every night is a celebration in Lincoln Square to celebrate German pride and culture.
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Although we only had so much time in one night to visit these few ethnic neighborhoods, there are plenty more to explore next time you visit the big city. Don’t restrict yourself to the glitz and glam of Michigan Avenue—plan a day to see and experience the neighborhoods that have shaped Chicago as the unique and diverse city it is today.