Step on to bustling Armitage on a given Saturday, and chances are even the most curious restaurant-goer will ignore the storefronts for a moment. It's hard not to, when you're overwhelmed by the rustling and swinging of shopping bags. Armitage is a spendthrift's dream, and rightly so. Vintage jewelry, Diesel jeans, delicate stationary and hand-crafted soap jump out from nearly every block, ensuring that you'll leave a trip here with a slightly heavier credit card statement. Fortunately, thanks to the preponderance of DePaul students, affordable sandwiches and the like abound.
Best of the nightlife
The Store, 2002 N. Halsted St.
It's a wonder that The Store has such a difficult time embracing its dive-bar roots, given its 4 a.m. closing time. After all, anyone hoisting pints past three in the morning loses the right to be discriminating. Still, The Store insists on playing the part of the swanky nightclub—and the cover charges that accompany such posturing can be a little stiff for the clientele. Also playing host to a well-rounded jukebox and Pop-a-Shot machine, The Store remains the primo spot for gaggles of DePaul students looking to quench an after-hours thirst.
Good for groups
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, 2024 N. Halsted St.
Lincoln Park meets "Sex and the City" at this tapas hotspot. The fruity sangria, "bites" of food and in-demand patio seating make it a haven for girls' nights out, though truly, it's a place for all sorts of celebration. Birthday parties and after-work get-togethers pack the place almost without fail. Even on a Wednesday, the time to get a table can last longer than a Spanish fiesta.
Cheap eats
Chicago Bagel Authority, 953 W. Armitage Ave.
This is a sandwich shop first, a bagel joint second. Though there are a baker's dozen of bagel varieties, the menu boasts upwards of 65 sandwiches. It has already worked out the most favorable combinations of bagel, meat, cheese, vegetable and condiment for you, eliminating assembly line ordering and encouraging you to eat an item as is. Seriously. It charges 25 cents for straying from the menu.
Where to chill
Kelly's Pub, 949 W. Webster Ave.
A historic North Side pub that's been churning out beers for nearly 75 years, Kelly's Pub opened in 1933, just one day after the Volstead Act was repealed. Three quarters of a century later, the Lincoln Park corner tavern holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously run, family-owned bar on the North Side. Some might ascribe this success to that infamous Irish luck—which bubbles over in the form of golden shamrocks crowning a stein of beer on the pub's vintage sign—but it's actually more like wisdom.
In-the-know spot
Karyn's Raw, 1901 N. Halsted St
Karyn Calabrese has turned many a skeptic into a kale-craving believer. Her popular Lincoln Park restaurant, market and wellness center is a go-to whether you're a longtime enthusiast or just setting foot in the raw-foods door. Working with strictly vegan ingredients and almost no heat, Calabrese concocts similar, and in many cases, better versions of the same comfort foods and sweets you'd never want to live without.
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