Best Restaurants, Must Try Places in Wrigleyville

"Chicago’s only three Michelin star restaurant, Alinea has been around almost 15 years and still books up months in advance. The brainchild of acclaimed chef Grant Achatz who became one of the best chefs in the world despite battling tongue cancer, that’s just one of their impressive feats. It was the first restaurant to pioneer the concept of prepaid ticketed reservations, pricing meals on a sliding scale based on date and time (Friday at 7 p.m. would be more expensive than Tuesday at 5 p.m.) in order to show that dining is an experience akin to the theatre."

"Restaurants Contemporary American Lincoln Park. Culinary mastermind Grant Achatz uses his three-Michelin-star restaurant in Lincoln Park as a stage. Sit back and enjoy the show, a well-orchestrated ride that plays with textures, temperatures and notions of “normal” cuisine, while somehow remaining grounded in season, flavor and flawless execution."

"This is one of the most famous restaurants in the world, and its tasting menus can cost anywhere between $200 and $400 per person. So you definitely need to plan ahead if you want to come here. Your meal won’t just be expensive - it’s also guaranteed to be pretty dramatic (expect lots of theatrics, like edible balloons and fog machines)."

"Go to this Euro-style wine bar when you're feeling gregarious; the rather stark space has seating for only 48 people, and it's a tight fit....Read More"

"Proclaiming her product to be the “best ever grilled cheese” is a bold move but Gayle Voss backs it up. The sandwich maker was a longtime fixture at local farmers markets before turning her business into a full-scale operation inside Block 37 a few years ago. The menu always features the “Classic” (Prairie Pure butterkase, Bennison’s Bakery sourdough, Nordic Creamery butter), as well as seasonal creations like “Abreo” (cheddar, Honeycrisp apple, bacon-onion jam) and “Sebastian,” a lobster grilled cheese that’s only sold on Fridays."

"Gayle's has been a fixture for years in Chicago farmers markets, where you could grab a crispy grilled cheese sandwich made with white sourdough from Bennison's Bakery in Evanston, Prairie Pure Butterkase cheese from Belvidere and butter from Nordic Creamery in Westby, Wis. These exceptional ingredients fuse to make one gooey, irresistible sandwich. I especially love the Southport ($8), which adds a sweet smoked onion marmalade to the classic grilled cheese."

"We all need a little grilled cheese in our lives; we might as well get the best Chicago has to offer. Call 312-285-2202 for pickup orders and enter using the Pedway, use the Gayle V’s Best Ever Grilled Cheese or What's Good app, or find them on Grubhub and Ritual. They will also deliver with an order of 10 or more sandwiches."

"Not only does my family splurge on getting the famous pizza grinders freshly flipped on your plate when you order, but we feast on appetizers too. This restaurant will create an inseparable bond with your family through comfort food and pleasure as the pizza is not your ordinary triangle slices. What to order: Classic Cheese Pizza Pot Pie"

"This one has been all over the internet lately because of its Pizza Pot Pie. Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co. brings history to its customers in the bottom floor of an old Lincoln Park home, while also redefining deep dish. The pies are made from scratch and can also be bought frozen to eat at home."

"This Andersonville favorite might be on Clark Street, but let the truly global menu here unmoor you a bit from your surroundings. No matter your palate, you’re sure to find something that suits your fancy on chef Rolf Pederson’screative menus. At brunch, that might mean the Indian-inspired Fried Potatoes with tamarind, chaat masala crema, and cilantro, or the Japanese-style Shrimp Okonomiyaki, a large cabbage pancake topped with spicy mayo, furikake, pickled ginger, and bonito flakes."

"Restaurants Contemporary American Wicker Park. Fewer than 30 diners can fit in this tiny restaurant, and all of them must have made reservations weeks in advance. But if you manage to nab a spot, you’ll be treated to intriguing creations like pine-flavored peekytoe crabs with marinated royal king mushrooms or sumptuous venison with a white chocolate foam."

"Schwa's delicate, playful and bold tasting menus have made it a tough reservation to get for years. Now that the restaurant has reopened to diners, you've got a chance to book yours!"

"Mana Food Bar is a shoebox-size meatless mecca with dark booths, chunky wooden stools, and soft, lighting to complement the Korean-influenced vegetarian-friendly menu. This friendly, Wicker Park restaurant satisfies diners with a selection of globally-inspired options ranging from green curry or sesame noodles, gyoza, and bi bim bop to fresh Panzanella and brown rice mushroom sliders, which are delivered to almost every table in the house. Don’t miss the creamy polenta with sautéed mushrooms and finish off with cucumber Sakerita or homemade ice cream."

"Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Daniel X. O'Neil used under CC BY 2.0. Another outdoor shopping centre on our list is located in Bronzeville, known for being the centre of African-American life and culture. If you are planning to visit this area in August, check out the annual Bud Billiken Parade."

"Looking for brand shops for clothing, sporting goods, home supplies and more, under one roof?. Head to The Maxwell. It is smaller (around 10 stores) but complex."

"There's more than shopping at Water Tower Place, an eight-level shopping center located at the northern tip of the Magnificent Mile. In addition to 104 stores, there are myriad dining options, a theater that is part of Broadway in Chicago and the Chicago Sports Museum. Shops like a massive Lego Store, Macy's, Forever 21 and Sephora share space with foodlife, which features 14 kitchens serving food made from scratch daily."

"Featuring the largest number of stores exclusive to Chicago, Water Tower Place changed the face of Windy City shopping when it opened in 1975. Shifting attention from State Street to North Michigan Avenue, Water Tower Place Mall is a unique high-energy urban shopping experience. The stunning eight-level atrium features Macy’s as its headline store, with more than a hundred other shops for your perusal."

"Whether you have the money for a Chicago-style shopping spree or just want to walk around window shopping while pretending that you do, the Water Tower Place is a great place to check out while you're in town. Here you'll see the big retailers and plenty of high-end stores. This seven-story complex also has a food court and the Lego and American Girl stores if you're there with the kids."

"Lincoln ParkThe views don’t get much better than Theatre on the Lake, where your outdoor table is parked just steps from the softly crashing waves of Lake Michigan. With seating for 80 and a focused selection of entrées from chicken tinga tacos to brisket dip, Theatre on the Lake continues to serve as something of a mental health break come to life. Stop by for weekend brunch served from 10 am to 3 pm.How to book: Reserve via OpenTable."

"Southport's main claim to fame is this 1929 movie house, which shows independent and classic films on its two screens. Live organ music…"