Guys, let’s get serious, and, by serious, I mean let’s discuss food.
DePaul is full of thousands of college students from all over the world, and I get it, it may be overwhelming for the thousands of you to know where the best neighborhoods are for food. You end up settling for knock-off mexican or oddly shaped hot dogs that are close to campus, when instead, you could be having some mind-blowing meals right off the blue line that kick Lincoln Park’s ass.
I’m here to tell you what those places are. You can thank me later.
1. Stan’s Donuts
Photo courtesy of Stan’s Donuts
Need I say more or does the name of the place tell you all? It’s some of Chicago’s best donuts. They have Nutella donuts, Lemon Pistachio donuts, and even Peanut Butter Banana donuts, so why not try it out? They don’t have that in Lincoln Park.
2. Big Star
Photo courtesy of Big Star
There are so many delicious taco places in Wicker Park, but the best one is definitely Big Star. Their taco bar is open until 2 AM, and over the summer, they have their huge outdoor patio open.
3. The Fifty/50
Photo courtesy of Fifty/50
I really recommend their jumbo wings because it sounds like “jumbo shrimp” and why would you not wanna eat something that sounds like something Drake and Josh ate in their one-hit wonder movie? Plus, their cheese curds are bomb. I went there on Halloween and one of the waitresses was dressed as a bag of jelly-beans.
4. Piece Pizzeria and Brewery
Photo courtesy of Piece Pizzeria
Wicker Park has a few places where you can literally put anything on your pizza. I once had a mashed potato and meatball pizza from Piece and it was wild. I have never had anything like it before. If you’re looking for a much faster meal where you can have stuff like mac n’ cheese or have a s’mores pizza, go to Dimo’s, but if you want some loud, fun music and interesting waiters, then go here. What’s really cool about this place is that it is also a brewery, so, for those of you over 21, enjoy a fresh, cold beer.
5. Kanela
Photo courtesy of Kanela Breakfast Club
Have you ever had a Nutella S’mores Waffle? Well, you can here. And you won’t regret a single bite.
6. Sultan’s Market
Photo Courtesy of ChicagoFoodPlanet.com
This is the greatest place to get a bunch of food for very little money, which something every college kid needs in their lives. This place serves middle-eastern styled fast food and, damn, do they serve it well. I mean, you get hummus on the side for free, which most places charge you for.
7. Small Cheval
Photo courtesy of Small Cheval
Some of you may have heard of Au Cheval in the West Loop. Basically, Small Cheval is Au Cheval’s trendy younger brother. Their menu consists of two types of burgers and golden fries, so deciding on what to get won’t take you long. They have homemade ketchup and other sauces that are strategically paired with the french fries and burgers. I mean, c’mon. Genius.