West Town is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Chicago, though I may be a bit biased because I’ve lived here for two years now.  Located directly west of the Gold Coast, straight down Chicago Avenue, West Town is a perfect mix of friendly neighborhood and big city cool.  It has a ton of fun and unique shops, bars, and restaurants, plus plenty of beautiful homes and parks to stroll through.  Just recently, we’ve decided to depart this lovely neighborhood, as our lease was up and it felt like it was time for a change of scenery.  We have a few weeks before we move, but we’ve been trying to hit all of our favorite spots before we go.  Without further ado, here’s a comprehensive list of my favorite shops, restaurants and bars in West Town, Chicago:

For Breakfast:

• Whisk – one of the most popular brunch spots in the neighborhood, with decadent menu items and Ron Swanson on the wall.
• West Town Bakery – a casual bakery café with delectable baked goods, great coffee and a lovely atmosphere.
• Breakfast House – our absolute favorite/most frequented breakfast joint in the city. Try the vanilla waffle with berries and bananas or the supreme chorizo hash.

For Coffee & Sweet Treats:

• Hoosier Mama Pie Company – a sweet little pie shop with a VIP table right in the front window and the best assortment of delectable pies.
• Pickwick Coffee – a cozy coffee shop where they roast their coffee beans in house and craft the most delicious espresso drinks.

For Lunch:

• Kasia’s – this famous Polish deli has fantastic soups and sandwiches, along with fresh ingredients you can take home with you.
• High Dive – a great beer list and the best burgers in the neighborhood, I promise. Try their togarashi fries, they’ll change your life.
• Roots Pizza – the pizza at Roots is fantastic, particularly the ones inspired by local Chicago chefs.  We like to sit at the bar and have a beer and split a small pie.

For Shopping:

• Paperish Mess – art, home goods and jewelry from local designers fill this cute little shop. Be sure to check out their big selection of clever greeting cards!
• Sprout Home – a green-thumb’s dream of a plant shop with indoor and outdoor plants and all the accessories. Don’t forget to take a look at their home goods store across the street.
  
• Seek Vintage – the best vintage store on the avenue with decent prices and an excellent selection of vintage costume jewelry.
• RR #1 – my favorite place to get unique gifts, this store is stocked from floor to ceiling with stationary, home goods, clothing and jewelry. Set aside enough time to explore it fully.
• Study Hall – airy and beautiful new and vintage clothing and locally sourced jewelry.

For Dinner:

• Forbidden Root – a Chicago brewery restaurant with a great menu and a long list of brews to choose from. Any beer you choose will be delicious, enjoy!
• Yuzu – sushi to die for in a relaxed BYOB restaurant where you’ll want to sit a savor each bite.
• Charlatan – a fresh take on classic Italian fare with fantastic cocktails and the best happy hour deal in the neighborhood: $10 for a happy hour drink and a portion of their daily pasta.

For Drinks:

• Bar Deville – this classy bar has amazing drinks in a hip setting. Fair warning, it’s cash only, but the drinks are worth it.
• Five Star Bar – a punk twist on the typical sports bar with pool tables and cheap beer. The food is also very good, for when you need some appetizers to soak up the booze.
• EZ Inn – one of my favorite bars in the city, mostly because it’s jukebox is free and they have cocktails on tap.

Have you been to West Town in Chicago? Where’s your favorite spot?