Fun fact: my cozy little studio in Lincoln Park, aka DePaul district, has no kitchen. There’s a fridge, a microwave, and my collection of bowls and mugs that I can essentially only use for yogurt and popcorn and… that’s about it. During freshman year, that dorm kitchen filled with weird smells and 3-day-old ramen still on the stove didn’t exactly spark my interest in cooking. Now as a senior who knows the Lincoln Park campus and the Loop campus like the back of my hand, I am a pro at eating, drinking, and making cheap Mexican food an exquisite five-course meal all within a 13-mile radius.
Freshman, you’ll probably end up cooking at some point and have pasta night with your floor and make cookies at midnight with your roommates. You will probably also be lucky enough to move into an apartment with a kitchen- don’t get scared now! But for now, just grab your CTA pass, a friend or two, and get ready to make Chicago your pantry.
WHERE TO GO WHEN:
1. You’re craving munchies at 2 a.m.: Cheesie’s
Photo by Victoria Guo
Check out Cheesie’s past 11 p.m. for french fries, gourmet grilled cheese, and a full bar to keep the fun going (even if it’s a Tuesday). Right off the Belmont red line stop, you’re sure to get a taste of the city between bites of The Frenchie and seeing two drag queens actually “french”. Or, go during the day for a tame lunch date and because the ranch dipping sauce is too good to put off until the wee hours. Did we mention the tables are chalkboards that you’re invited to draw all over?
2. You’re cramming for exams and the library is full: Bourgeois Pig
Photo by Nicole Odziewa
The J.T. Richardson Library is four stories of fun, however during midterms and finals you’d be surprised how any surface becomes a camp-out space for students. Take a break and go get caffeinated at the BP: townhouse-turned-“townie” central where a Thai Iced Coffee is worth every cent. It’s cozy, usually quiet, and they don’t mind if you stay for hours in the upstairs study room. Their panini’s aren’t something to miss after hour six of bio flashcards either.
3. You’re sick of Starbucks/Dunkin’ Donuts: Asado or The Bagelers
Photo by Lauren Awtry
DePaul has not only one but TWO campuses, which means double the opportunity for coffee exploration. If you’re in the Loop and have ten minutes between classes, go across the street from the Barnes & Noble and hit up Asado — where the fairy lights hung in-between the buildings on Jackson beckon you to take an Insta-worthy pic and then get a mocha to warm up on fall days.
Photo by Natalie Reehl
If you’re in Lincoln Park, wander up Fullerton to Lincoln Ave where The Bagelers sits, especially if you’re into kettle-boiled bagels coated in sea salt, poppyseed, and all types of cream cheese (which you should be). The espresso is hand-packed and their iced lattes are no joke- especially because their syrups are house-made!
WHERE TO GO WHEN YOU’RE CRAVING:
1. Mexican: Allende
Photo by Natalie Reehl
This local street-style hub is right up the street from the Fullerton stop and is perfect for whenever you need cheap chips & guac, some homemade horchata, or three tacos for less than a Taco Bell Chalupa. It’s open until 4 a.m., so expect people to be loud, busy, and drunk on any weekend night/morning… but it’s so, so good.
2. Greasy food: Devil Dawg’s
Photo by Devil Dawgs on Sheffield
Devil Dawg’s is a DePaul Institution for Late Nights and Broken Hearts. You need a literal bucket of cheese fries for your friend who’s crying over some dude named Chad? Hit up Devil Dawg’s two feet from campus, and make sure to grab some Chicago-style hot dogs and take a picture of the neon lights blinking in the otherwise-residential area.
3. Italian: Pasta Palazzo
Photo by Daniel Schuleman
For $13 you can get a full Italian meal that actually tastes like good, authentic pasta & bread and get a glass of sangria on the side. It’s a funky little spot off the classy Halsted Street strip that meets up with Armitage — making it the essential dinner place for lazy nights wandering the area, stopping in shops, and enjoying the cozy atmosphere of Palazzo. Be sure to try the Cavatappi Pollo because it’s creamy, packed with pepper, and splashed with sun-dried tomatoes for a sweet bite.
4. Your parents are visiting and they’re footing the bill: Summer House Santa Monica
Photo by Natalie Reehl
Nothing is better than when your parents come to visit, no matter if you’re from fifteen minutes or five hours away. They’re always excited to see you, and you’re always… hungry. And excited! But mostly hungry and broke. So offer the dining experience of a lifetime and bring them to Summer House, the vacation-in-a-meal that’s also off Halsted. (Sensing a theme here?) Themed like a California getaway, the white walls, open windows, and fresh colorful food is all you need for the perfect night of catching up and heavy snacking. Definitely don’t ignore the cookie bar on your way out — the chocolate & sea-salt cookie will give you hallucinations of grandeur.
5. You’re craving something sweet: Sweet Mandy B’s
Photo by Natalie Reehl
Another DePaul MUST, this bakery offers too many options and not enough time to try them all. If you’re a freshman and want to get to know your roommate, ask them to walk over and try an iced sugar cookie with you. If you’re trying to get that cute girl in Radio or TV History to think you’re cute AND smart, ask her to share a banana chocolate chip cupcake. 2 seconds from campus but oddly secluded, Sweet Mandy B’s is the sugary spot to seek.
6. You turn 21: The J Parker
Photo by Ekta Patel
Yay! You’re legal and can cut that fake ID up once and for all! Give yourself a birthday to remember by going to the most photo-op worthy spot on top of the Hotel Lincoln — bar snacks, cocktails, and easy access to the rest of downtown. It couldn’t be cuter, and you’ll be thankful for all the rooftop photos when your hair and makeup was still on fleek.
7. You or your friends don’t eat meat: The Chicago Diner
Photo by Natalie Reehl
Chicago is home to plenty of vegetarians and vegans, and this city knows how to cater to that. The Chicago Diner is home to a fully vegetarian diner but offers more than a veggie patty on a bun — we’re talking “chicken wings”, nachos with the works, vegan milkshakes, you name it. Even the most meaty of eaters will leave full and nostalgic after eating home-fries in a vintage-diner-themed diner settled in Boystown. It’s delicious, “nutritious”, and creative to say the least.
8. You’re craving a slice: Happy Camper or Coalfire
Photo by Natalie Reehl
Pizza in Chicago is very important. Deep dish pizza, for some reason, is dubbed the best pizza of all pizza ever. I think that’s bullshit. There are 1 million better pizza options throughout the city — one of them being Happy Camper in Old Town! With a ton of gourmet pizza toppings and an incredible urban-glam-camping setting, you’ll look forward to that goat-goat cheese slice and a beer all day, not to mention the wooden swings to pizza & chill on. Watch out though- it’s 21 and over, so if you’re not legal yet, check out Coalfire off Southport instead.
9. You’re trying to watch the game: State Restaurant
Photo by Natalie Carroll
A true staple in the Lincoln Park area, State is never empty between Greek-life mixers and Dine-To-Donate’s that the truffle mac & cheese always helps to give back. If there’s a Hawks game on gear up or get out, and football season tends to bring in the crowds as well. For a true college experience and food good enough to eat sober and at normal times, you’ll enjoy hanging out at this flock-to-for sports bar.
10. You want to check out live music: Lincoln Hall
Photo by Kristen Stalke
Ah yes, the live music scene in the area is not one to miss. Tons of bands and artists breeze through Chicago due to hometown roots, pure love for the city, and because Chicago fans tend to go above-and-beyond to see the people they love perform the songs that narrate their daily public transport commute and the woes of young adult life. Lincoln Hall is a stone’s throw away from DePaul and offers a small, intimate concert experience perfect for cheaper & lesser-known artists should you want to drop in one night, or an up-close-and-pass-away experience for a well-known band that you worship. Basically, check it out.
Hopefully this guide can help you start to navigate the DePaul area a little better and if not, keep searching, you’ll strike gold (since Chicago is perfect).