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Wicker Park
Profile
Wicker Park is a collage of so many things at once. It’s fun and popular, but also grown-up. It’s established and developed, but always changing. It’s a blend of cultures, styles, people, and experiences all coming together.
Lots of people call Wicker Park home. There are young professionals, families, and creatives living in restored apartments, upscale lofts, and cute condos, as well as duplexes and single family homes. You’ll also find plenty to do, too: there are indie shops, restaurants, cafes, gastropubs, and cocktail bars everywhere. But the area still feels like a real neighborhood, where people live, work, and build community.
Take a break from Zoom calls to grab a Honey Bear latte at Wormhole. Head out for a laid-back lunch at Antique Taco, or work your way through the many thrift stores along Milwaukee Ave. Spend an afternoon in Paradise Park’s glowing patio, or an evening sampling cocktails by candlelight at Violet Hour. There are art galleries, book readings, and summer street fairs, all within a short walk from home.
Wicker Park feels like a street mural that’s come to life. It’s an energized, espresso-filled brunch on the way to the farmer’s market. It’s an evening of appetizers, wine, and never-ending conversation. It’s an eclectic Saturday of cocktails, live music, and late night pizza, followed by a cozy Sunday of donuts and walks in the park.
Backstory
The area now known as Wicker Park was pretty much always part of Chicago, but didn’t always go by that name. When the city announced they wanted to build a new park in this part of town, alderman Charles Wicker and his brother Joel were the ones who helped make it happen. They purchased the land the park now sits on, worked with the city to develop the area, and then donated the namesake Wicker Park back to Chicago.
In the late 1800s, European merchants came together in Wicker Park to build new homes and set up shop. The next 100 years brought all kinds of change: the Kennedy Expressway, urban renewal projects, and an increasingly diverse community of residents. Still, through most of the 20th century, the area held on to a certain grit, with more working class families than upscale boutiques.
In the 80s, artists flooded into the area, and in 1989, the Around the Coyote arts festival was established in the Flatiron Arts Building. In 2001, MTV arrived to film their reality show The Real World. This led to protests from locals, who had already been worried about increasing gentrification even before the TV producers showed up. Still, this shone a giant spotlight on the neighborhood, and brought lots of new interest to Wicker Park.
Things only grew faster after that. As the pace of Wicker Park’s renewal increased, property values did as well, and the area has become — and remained — incredibly popular. It’s still considered one of Chicago’s most exciting places to live, and while it’s not as gritty as it was in the 90s, it has managed to keep a certain edge that feels unique to this day.
Local Fare
- Schwa: A legendary New American restaurant known for incredibly interesting dishes served in a low-key, BYOB storefront that plays heavy metal and hip-hop. GQ has called Schwa “The Most Revolutionary Restaurant In America,” which you can decide for yourself if you can manage to get a reservation.
- Piece Brewery: Anthony Bourdain was a big fan of their thin-crust, New Haven-style pizzas — topped with Pecorino-Romano, oregano, and olive oil. Definitely order a pint of one of their award-winning beers, brewed on site.
- Dove’s Luncheonette: A friendly retro diner serving Tex-Mex with a twist, like brisket hash and maza pancakes. They have a full bar and an old school jukebox.
- The Wormhole Coffee: There’s an actual DeLorean hovering overhead, and the walls covered in cult classic movie posters. Their specialty lattes are delicious, with some unique flavors like blueberry blossom, caraway, or black sesame.
- Oiistar: Get ready for melt-in-your-mouth pork belly, feather-light bao buns, and slurp-worthy bowls of ramen. The noodles are made in-house every day, and if you’re vegetarian, there are some great options here.
- Handlebar - Their patio feels like you’re eating in your friend’s backyard. A super casual vegetarian brunch spot and bar, they make comforting plant-based meals from scratch with locally-sourced produce.
Things to Do
- Subterranean: This long standing music venue has been hosting bands, open mics, and club nights since 1994. It’s in a funky historic building with a checkered floor and Tiffany chandelier.
- Reckless Records: A Wicker Park institution for almost 30 years. Hunt down new and used records, CDs, DVDs, and even cassettes. They have one sister shop in London.
- Wicker Park Farmers Market: Just stroll down to the park on Sundays to find Chicago’s finest artisan makers and producers. Sample some of the best street food around, from Sicilian cuisine to French baked goods.
- Big Mini Putt Club: A simple 9-hole golf course and bar designed for old school fun. It’s open to families during the day, and adults only at night. It’s also entirely indoors, making it a great winter option, and has a full bar, making it a great option in general.
- Wicker Park bookstores: Wicker Park is lucky to have both Myopic Books and Quimby’s Bookstore. Quimby’s is better known for graphic novels and small-press zines, while Myopic is the occasional home to poetry nights and performances.
- Wicker Park Fest: The Chicago Tribune named Wicker Park Fest “Chicago's Best Street Festival of the Summer.” There are always multiple stages of live music, so you can wander from one to the next while stopping in at local bars and restaurants.
Sights to See
- The 606: This elevated former-rail line has been repurposed as a 2.7-mile green space and walking/biking trail. Along the way you’ll usually find public art, street performances, live music, or even tiny parades.
- Flat Iron Arts Building: A unique and historic building, inlaid with beautiful red and black tilework. This was once the center of the Wicker Park art scene, and still serves as an artist colony today. You can wander through to see what people are working on, or check their calendar for performances and events.
Transportation
Wicker Park has two L stations — Damen and Division — on the Blue Line, making it super easy to get downtown or explore nearby neighborhoods. There are also bike lanes on Milwaukee, and several regular bus lines in every direction. The 606 / Bloomingdale Trail is a fun way to get a little exercise on your way to Bucktown, Humboldt Park, or Logan Square.
- the Loop: ~20 min by public transit
- the Lake (North Ave. Beach): ~30 min by public transit; ~25 min by bike
- Logan Square: ~20 min by public transit; ~40 min walk
- Fulton Market: ~20 min by public transit
- O’Hare: ~45 min by public transit
