For all the best dining, shopping, and scenic locations, here is everything you need to know about Hyde Park, the lively south-side Chicago neighborhood that honors art and culture.
Where To Eat
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1500 E. 55th St. / Website
This elevated, contemporary restaurant is a Hyde Park hot spot for its flavorful Italian fare (think veal shank or house meatballs paired with garlic crostinis) plus finely crafted cocktails and a thoughtfully curated wine selection.
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5215 S. Harper Ave. / Website
Named after James Beard award-winning chef Erick Williams’ late aunt, Daisy’s Po’Boy and Tavern honors classic Louisiana cooking with authentic Creole and cajun flavors that call to mind the vibrancy of New Orleans via catfish, oysters, biscuits, and more.
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1401 E. 53rd St. / Website
Located within the Sophy Hotel, Mesler is an artfully decorated, restaurant, bar, and lounge, complete with a contemporary library. Guests can enjoy elevated dishes like prime beef bavette with red wine sauce, and inventive libations such as the Dragon Slayer (rum, passionfruit liqueur, dragonfruit syrup, pineapple, and citrus), during brunch, lunch, and dinner.
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1055 E. 55th St. / Website
Indulge in chef Charlie McKenna’s New Orleans-inspired, all-day breakfast spot near the University of Chicago. Get a taste of NOLA with McKenna's famous beignets.
1462 E. 53rd St. / Website
Virtue is a southern American eatery from James Beard award-winning chef Erick Williams that prides itself on offering warm hospitality and kindness, and tempting down-home fare like mac and cheese plus salmon with maple glaze. Reserve a table to experience popular dishes like mac and cheese and savory salmon with a sweet maple glaze.
Where To Stay
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5225 S. Harper Ave. / Website
Conveniently located near the Museum of Science and Industry, David Rubenstein Forum, Court Theater and restaurants like the family-owned Pizza Capri, this smart Hyatt hotel is the ideal home base for exploring all Hyde Park has to offer.
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1411 E. 53rd St. / Website
This sophisticated boutique hotel on buzzing 53rd street combines influences of art, science, literature, and music, all of which make up and inspire the intellectual nature of Hyde Park. Whether here for a weekend escape or a quick staycation, it’s sure to impress.
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1227 E. 60th St. / Website
The Study Hotel draws inspiration from the lively atmosphere of the nearby Midway Plaisance Park and the academic energy of the University of Chicago. Guests can nosh onsite at Truth Be Told, a British gastropub-inspired tavern-style restaurant that offers flavors from across the pond.
Where To Relax
6300 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive / Website
Head to 63rd Street Beach on a sunny day and kick back, rent a bike, or grab a snack and a few drinks from the conveniently located Reggies on the Beach.
424 E. 53rd St., #101 / Website
Located in downtown Hyde Park, partake in treatments like the aromatherapy facial, hot stone massage, a sea algae body wrap, and more on your next self-care day.
5491 S. Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive / Website
Promontory Point is named after architect and planner Daniel H. Burnham, who envisioned a relaxing south lakefront park. Dubbed The Point, it is exactly the peaceful place Burnham imagined and is a popular location for walks, runs and even taking a dip in the lake.
7059 S. South Shore Drive / Website
Visit this 6-acre natural area on the lakefront to immerse yourself in nature just a few miles from the heart of downtown Chicago. It’s located on the traditional unyielded homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi Nations, and features stunning native ecosystems and indigenous plants that are protected through practices like native seed collection and propagation.
Where To Shop
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1301 E. 57th St. / Website
This book nook is a quaint shop on the corner of 57th Street and offers a seemingly endless selection of great reads as well as programmings like author talks, reading series and conversations, and more.
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1506 E. 53rd St. / Website
Founded in 1997 by owner Eric Williams, this storied showroom houses an eclectic collection that includes books, accessories, home decor, art, apparel, gifts, and more. It’s a must-visit on any shopping spree in Hyde Park.
Where To Hit the Town
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1644 E. 53rd St. / Website
Take a flavorful trip to the Caribbean with inspired cuisine and innovative cocktails at 14 Parish. The bar is stocked with over 100 different rums. Our suggestion? Start with the Mermaid Bathwater (dark rum, coconut rum, crème de coconut, pineapple, lime, and blue curacao) or the Mai Tai A Troi (plantation 3 stars and double dark, orgeat, triple sec and lime).
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5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West / Website
Honoring the South Side’s musical history and emphasis on community, this live music entertainment venue is a popular neighborhood spot for a night out on the town. Check the website for upcoming shows, artist lineups and to grab tickets.
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1055 E. 55th St. / Website
Retro-inspired bowling alley Seven Ten Social pairs each game with bites like Wagyu smash burgers and fried chicken as well as milkshakes and craft cocktails.
1172 E. 55th St., @woodlawntapchicago
Also known as Jimmy’s after its original barkeeper and owner Jimmy Wilson, Woodlawn Tap has been a beloved local hang since 1948. This spot is ideal for catching up with friends and family over classic bar bites and a beer.
Cultural Experiences
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5535 S. Ellis Ave. / Website
Court Theatre at the University of Chicago is a 2022 Tony Award-winning center for classical theater and interdisciplinary experiences. From reading series to thought-provoking shows, like Caryl Churchill's Fen and classics like Arsenic and Old Lace, Court Theatre is one of the city's most dynamic stage companies.
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740 E. 56th Place / Website
Named to honor Chicago founder Jean-Baptiste Pointe DuSable, this cultural institution is the first independent museum to celebrate Black culture. It was established by artist, educator, writer, and activist Margaret Taylor Burroughs in 1961, and today, it showcases a diverse selection of more than 15,000 paintings, sculptures, print works, and historical memorabilia.
5757 S. Woodlawn Ave. / Website
A national landmark since 1963, the Frederick C. Robie House was designed by architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright and was built between 1908-1910. This famous abode was one of the last true Prairie-style houses Wright would create. Visitors can head to the University of Chicago campus to bask in the home’s breathtaking 20th-century construction.
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5020 S. Cornell Ave. / Website
Founded in 1939, this hub for the contemporary arts is the oldest exhibition space in Chicago. Visitors explore any of the 20 exhibitions on view each year, see works by on-the-rise artists, take studio classes with professional artists and teachers, and more.
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5550 S. Greenwood Ave. / Website
Located at the University of Chicago, The Smart Museum explores the world through art that pushes the genre’s traditional conceptual boundaries. Visitors can look forward to carefully selected exhibitions like the upcoming, not all realisms, which contextually address photography during 1960s Africa’s “resistance, revolution, new nationalist and transnational movements.”
Hidden Gem
6300 S. Cornell Ave. / Website
Symbolizing the relationship forged between the U.S. and Japan over 120 years ago, the garden of the Phoenix, or Osaka Garden, showcases Japan’s artistic heritage for Americans. If visiting in the spring, you might witness the blossoming of cherry trees—a central motif of Japanese culture.
Photography by: Thumbnail photo by Steve Geer/iStock; Robie House photo by Tim Long
