Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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might cause an “Ewwwww!” reaction from your kids, but you'll likely be safe with tamer
options such as barbecued chicken or plain cheese. Traditional meat-and-cheese pizzas
are also available, as are soups, salads, pasta dishes, and desser ts. If all else fails, ther e's a
children's menu with pepperoni pizza; Caesar salad topped with cheddar goldfish crack-
ers; buttered noodles; and brownies.
835 N. Michigan Ave. (Water Tower Place, 7th floor). & 312/787-7300. Kids' menu, highchairs, boosters.
Reservations not ac cepted. Menu items $7-$10; k ids' menu $5. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Sat 11am-
10pm; Sun noon-9pm. Subway/El: Red Line to Chicago/State.
Charlie's Ale House on Navy Pier AMERICAN One of several outdoor dining
options along Navy Pier, this outpost of the Lincoln Park restaurant wins for lip-smack-
ing pub fare and a gr eat location on the southern pr omenade overlooking the lakefront
and Loop skyline. It's a great vantage point for Wednesday- and Friday-night fireworks,
too. The Navy Pier location is handy for sightseers; kids will like the burgers, meatloaf ,
and, maybe, the chicken potpie. The original location in Lincoln P ark triumphs with a
wonderful beer garden, which is welcoming to families. (The restaurant says everyone is
welcome—except dogs!) I t's spacious, surr ounded by tall, ivy-co vered brick walls, and
buzzing with activity and good vibes. The Lincoln Park restaurant is at 1224 W. Webster
Ave. ( & 773/871-1440 ); take the Red Line to Sheffield. A third location is at 5308 N.
Clark St. in Andersonville ( & 773/751-0140 ).
600 E. Grand A ve. & 312/595-1440. Kids' menu, highchairs, boosters. Reservations accepted only f or
parties of 15 or mor e. Main courses $11-$17; k ids' menu $5. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Fri 11am-mid-
night; Sat-Sun 11am-1am. Subway/El: Red Line to Grand/State; transfer to Navy Pier's free trolley.
Corner Bakery BREAKFAST/SANDWICHES In case of emergency hunger melt-
down, it's a good idea to locate the nearest Corner Bakery ahead of time. A very popular
destination (and justifiably so), there are about 40 outlets in Chicago and its suburbs. It's
easy to get addicted to the coffee and sw eets here: In fact, when my former office mates
and I counted up our visits each w eek, w e decided to dub our local branch “Corner
Bankruptcy.” Sandwiches, salads, fruit, and amazing baked-good desser ts are highlights.
(Try the lemon bars dusted with po wdered sugar, or the cr eam cheese br ownie, or the
mini caramel Bundt cake—try anything!) The homemade chips sprinkled with Parmesan
are impossible to resist. Grilled panini with turkey, bacon, and cheese, or homemade mac
and cheese will appeal to kids. Some of the main locations include one in River North at
516 N. Clar k St. ( & 312/644-8100 ), attached to M elman's Maggiano's Italian restau-
rant; and a location east of M
5
ichigan A venue at 676 N. S t. Clair S t., at E rie S treet
( & 312/266-2570 ).
1121 N. State St. (at Cedar St.). & 312/787-1969. Highchairs, boosters. Reservations not accepted. Menu
items $7-$10. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 7am-8:30pm; Fri-Sat 7am-9pm; Sun 7am-8pm. Subway/
El: Red Line to Clark/Division.
foodlife Finds ECLECTIC Yes, another successful concept courtesy of Lettuce
Entertain You's Rich Melman: a food court with a healthy twist. Located on the mezza-
nine of Water Tower P lace, just outside the entrance of the M ity Nice Grill, foodlife
consists of a doz en or so kiosks ser ving both ordinary and ex otic specialties—a total of
700 different items. Four hundred seats are spread out cafe-style in a very pleasant envi-
ronment under r ealistic boughs of ar tificial trees festooned with strings of lights in the
shapes of grapes and other fr uits.
The beauty of a food court, of course, is that it tries to offer something for everybody.
At foodlife the burger-and-pizza crowd will be satisfied, but so will vegetarians and diners
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