Though I’m writing this while stuck at an airport, I’m really looking forward to my BlogHer ’09 trip to Chicago next month — especially since the city’s made some very impressive green changes since BlogHer ’07, when I was last there. The Windy City’s hard at work on the Chicago Climate Action Plan, after all.
But for this post, I’ve decided to focus on the important stuff: Food. Yummy green Chicago dining spots I’ve visited:
Coffee lovers: Swim Cafe. Go here for 100% fair trade coffee from Just Coffee, tasty food that supports organic agriculture, and a relaxed atmosphere. The indie coffee shop’s been made famous by Young American Bodies — Above’s the panini I ate during the last BlogHer. Find it at 1357 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago.
Pizza lovers: Crust. This organic restaurant makes very tasty flatbread pizzas — great with organic vodka cocktails organic pinot blanc or other yummy organic drinks. 95% of the ingredients used at this eatery are organic. Two years ago I had a “Shrooms” pizza with yummy fresh mushrooms, goat cheese, and seasoned spinach. 2056 W. Division St., Chicago.
Veg and vegan food lovers: The Chicago Diner.. This very chilled out and popular spot’s proudly meat free — and serves up some yummy organic cocktails and fair trade coffee too. Vegetarians, vegans, and raw foodies will all find something to love here. The vegan reuben’s apparently the house specialty, but I can attest to the wilted spinach salad’s yumminess too. 3411 N. Halsted., Chicago.
Fine diners: Green Zebra. This higher-end, well-known vegetarian restaurant isn’t cheap — but the food’s delicious and the atmosphere chic. The staff’s very accommodating of any and all odd eating requirements and quirks. 1460 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago.
Since I’ve already tried all those spots, I plan to try out these eateries this time around:
Butterfly Social Club. Organic cocktails, from Goji Kombucha Cider to Funky Budda’s Margarita. 726 W. Grand Ave.
Hopleaf Bar. Lotsa beer, organic wine, and organic meat options — plus a nice array of vegetarian dishes to choose from. 5148 N. Clark St.
Lula Cafe. Seasonal, organic, local produce at a cafe in Logan Square. 2537 N. Kedzie Blvd.
Other non-dining green spots I hope to check out this time around include:
Pivot Boutique: Eco-fashion boutique at 1101 W. Fulton Market.
Working Bikes Co-Op. The kids here fix up donated bikes, donating some to countries where bikes’re scarce and selling others cheaply in its Chicago store. 1125 S. Western Ave.
Parks. 90% of Chicago’s parks are pesticide free, according to Grist. I’ve visited one — Above’s me and my friend Anne under the bean.
Know of other green spots in the Windy City? Share your knowledge in the comments –
OK, first of all, Chicago is NOT a place to go to eat healthy, let alone green. You gotta have a proper pizza (I suggest Lou Malnotti’s, various locations), and a Vienna Beef hot dog (if “everything” includes ketchup, go somewhere else, but you shouldn’t find that anywhere that has the yellow hand-painted vienna beef sign).
As for encountering nature/parks, I suggest visiting Montrose point, directions and info about why here: http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2009/06/a-great-space-to-tell-us-about-great-places.html
Don Hosek’s last blog post..The Streets of Santa Monica (in Alphabetical Order) Centinela Avenue
Comment by Don Hosek — June 29, 2009 @ 9:39 pm
The food’s not necessarily healthy as in low cal! Just healthy as in fewer chemicals, pesticides, weird preservatives :) One can really indulge at these restaurants.
Since I’m lactose intolerant and don’t eat animal products that weren’t raised sustainably, the pizza and hotdog advice I can’t take. But I’ll try to visit Montrose point! :)
Comment by Siel — July 3, 2009 @ 6:03 pm