If you're in Little Tokyo and feeling harried, stop in for a donburi, pot of tea and quick breather.
Go here for your next nostalgia fix of Italian American home cooking, especially if you have gluten issues.
No matter how many times I come here meaning to try something new, I leave with the chicken bowl and a deep sense of contentment. Start here and, if you're adventurous, work your way down the menu.
Part vintage clothing store, part tribute to laborers' clothes of yore, part fashion gallery. Prepare to spend a bit of time here, whether you're actually in the market or just playing dress-up.
Tomorrow's rad hand-me-down clothes have to start somewhere. If you're in LA for a few days, go here first, get some jeans and pick them up fully hemmed on your way out of town.
If you can handle things a bit spicier, don't miss the green sauce. It's good for what ails you.
If you're taking the Metra into Ogilvie, order when you hop on your train and pizza will be assembled and ready on the other side, ready to fire up. The gluten-free crust is damn decent here too.
The lounge upstairs offers the best view of the racing. Stick with beer though if you're drinking.
The pizzas are fantastic (the gluten-free ones equally so) and a single piece will comfortably feed two. Order a tasting flight to accompany it and let the attentive staff handle the rest.
This is very likely the only food court you will feel cooler for having visited. Start with a coffee at G&B, grab some pupusas at Sarita's and see where your appetite takes you next.
In theory one must never mix business and pleasure. In practice, the Business and Pleasure is one of the most delightful coffee experiences you'll ever have. Order one and ponder life's mysteries.
The best thing this place has going are its freshly made tortillas. Its platters are forgettable and usually doused in too much cream. Stick to the tacos and quesadillas and grab a Jamaica to drink.
Forget Eggslut and its crazy line. The breakfast burrito down the way is a standout, with or without the wrap. Grab a perfectly spicy Bloody Mary while you're at it and thank me later.
If you walked out without trying the charred octopus, dear reader, you should consider an about face and march back to this seafood gem.
Ravenswood, Lincoln Square and Andersonville have no shortage of bespoke gift shops, but this one still has a distinct personality. The selection of local pantry and kitchen items is especially good.
This market has a well curated selection of provisions that will impress at a dinner party, but the real gems are the items that Fountainhead has helped produce themselves. Keep your eyes peeled!
Call ahead to reserve an order of rotisserie duck for your table. Each bird amply feeds two. Wash it down with a Duck Out cocktail for the full fowl experience.
Order ahead by phone, plan to wait a little while for your pickup, and bring cash. You will be rewarded for your troubles with generous and shockingly affordable sushi platters, lovingly prepared.
