A North Side neighborhood's noshing possibilities
by A. LaBan
It was a rainy fall day seven years ago, and I was driving west from my Wrigleyville apartment to Big Hair at Roscoe and Damen, where I planned to get a $5 cut. As I drove down Roscoe, I saw a sign on the recently rehabbed Pencil Factory Lofts: The building was going condo. The rest is history.
I now consider myself a longtime resident of Roscoe Village. The neighborhood has changed quite a bit since I moved in. My sleepy little enclave, blessed by easy access to the freeway and serviced by both the Paulina and Addison stops on the Brown line, is now sprouting single family homes that start at $700,000. We've got a Whole Foods and not one, but two Starbucks. Restaurants seem to open practically daily on Roscoe, the 'hood's main drag.
Roscoe Village -- technically, the area bordered on the north and south by Addison and Belmont, and on the east and west by Ravenswood and Western -- has spent the past few years waking up. Settled in the late nineteenth century largely by Germans who worked in the light industrial corridor along Ravenswood, the neighborhood was once bounded by hustle and bustle. On its eastern flank, Lincoln Avenue and North Center merchants, including Wieboldt's and Goldblatt's, represented one of the city's busiest retail areas outside of the Loop. On its western edge was Riverview Amusement Park, a Chicago landmark opened in 1904 and closed in 1967. Riverview, with 2.5 miles of midway and seven roller coasters -- including The Bobs, which at 65 m.p.h. was one of the fastest and roughest rides in the world -- billed itself as the "World's Largest Amusement Park." Today, the once thriving stores on Lincoln marginally survive and are scattered between expensive loft developments that have taken over the strip's former department stores and any other buildings of scale. On Western, where The Bobs once twisted and curled savagely, is the Riverview strip mall, anchored by a fancy Dominick's. To the south, "Antique Row" stretches down Belmont and offers a treasure hunt to weekend scavengers.
A ramble down Roscoe reveals a wealth of dining opportunities. Start at the six corners of Lincoln, Roscoe and Paulina, the gateway to Roscoe Village, and you'll see the new Wishbone just south on Lincoln, as well as JT Collins, one of the city's classic neighborhood bars. Mosey west under the Metra train tracks painted purple with the greeting "Welcome to Roscoe Village," and continue on past the Pencil Factory Lofts to Wolcott, where you can pit-stop for a drink at the Four Moon Tavern. Formerly a biker bar, Four Moon was founded by four theater types who needed steady day jobs, and offers eclectic comfort food that goes beyond pub grub, including homemade crab cakes, pierogi, pot stickers, beer-soaked brats and meatloaf. All-you-can-eat fish and chips is served every Saturday and Sunday until 7pm.
Sunday brunch fans no doubt know that Roscoe Village experiences its largest, hungriest crowds on weekend mornings. The retro-flavored Kitsch'n draws fans from all over in search of gourmet breakfast burritos, plus TV dinners and Twinkie tiramisu later in the day. A couple of doors down, the neighborhood's only white tablecloth restaurant, Brett's, starts casually-dressed brunchers off with a basket of assorted warm breads that's almost a meal itself. Between Brett's and Kitsch'n is the health food store Nourish, where those looking for a lighter bite can grab a smoothie or a Blind Faith Bakery muffin. Across the street is Higher Ground Café, where they serve one of the best Irish breakfasts around in the morning hours; come afternoon, the menu travels halfway around the world to feature the flavors of Southeast Asia.
If it's later in the day, grab a bite at Costello, an always crowded sandwich shop with the look of an Italian deli, or a burger on the year-round patio at the Village Tap, another neighborhood bar that attracts plenty of crowds from outside the neighborhood. Across the street, El Tinajon serves the best of Guatemala, while just west, Victory's Banner makes vegetarians comfortable. Finally, one block farther, you can get a slice of some of the best pizza in the city at Village Café and Pizza. There's a new Italian restaurant due to open soon on Roscoe, so check back soon. And note, trims at Big Hair are now $8. Rent all over the neighborhood has gone up.
Brett's Restaurant, 2011 West Roscoe, (773)248-0949
Costello Sandwiches & Sides, 2015West Roscoe, (773)929-2323
El Tinajon, 2054 West Roscoe, (773)252-8455
Four Moon Tavern, 1847 West Roscoe, (773)929-6666
Higher Ground Thai Café, 2022 West Roscoe, (773)868-0075
Kitsch'n, 2005 West Roscoe, (773)248-7372
Victory's Banner, 2100 West Roscoe, (773)665-0227
Village Café and Pizza, 2132 West Roscoe, (773)404-4555
Village Tap, 2055 West Roscoe, (773)883-0817
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