Drinking at the grocery store in Chicago is part of our culture, and Mariano's has a great deal to do with this routine in my life. Mariano's, which first opened its doors in 2010, has grown immensely in the last 9 years. It essentially put Chicago's main grocery store (Dominik's) out of business just 3 years after opening. They did this by creating a community feel in their stores. Mariano's is not just a place to grab groceries -- it is place to listen to music, grab a quality lunch and meet new and old friends. In almost every Mariano's there is a wine bar and several stores have live music weekly.
The Mariano's in Lincoln Park is just 2 blocks away from my office so I am there several times a week. I enjoy being able to grab a freshly cooked meal for lunch or meet friends quickly after work and sit at the bar. The bar has fair prices, but my favorite way to spend time at the bar is to buy a bottle of wine from the wine section of the grocery store, show they bartender my receipt and enjoy my selection while it is held cooling behind the bar.
I had to laugh that as I was preparing for the polar vortex in January 2019 and stopped by Mariano's Lincoln Park to grab bread, the wine bar was standing room only and the temperature was already at -25.
Check out live music Fridays from 4-8 pm.
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The food here is prepared by Moses Sake, chef and co-owner of Tesfa, who learned how to cook from his mother. He runs Tesfa with his brother, Samuel Sake.
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I recommend getting the traditional breakfast combo, a sampler with three dishes, that comes with complimentary warm, crispy bread!
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The star of the show is De Luna's "volcano" taco, made with spicy poblano pepper and melted cheese. It may be one of the best tacos I've eaten in my life!
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Although this street is dominated by Vietnamese eateries, Nhà Hàng is a quieter, no-frills joint as opposed to the touristy, upscale restaurants nearby.
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Here diners sit in the naturally lit patio while enjoying traditional homemade Costa Rican food: sweet plantains, grilled veggies, rice and beans.
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My favorite thing to order here is the vegetarian arepa, which is stuffed with black beans, a generous portion of avocado, and sweet plantains.
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Founded in 1948, "Superdawg" is THE quintessential Chicago hot dog place - they'll bring your order right to your car, like they did in the '50s!
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The lentils are filling and creamy; the veggies are lightly cooked and nourishing; the injera bread is the perfect balance of slightly tangy and spongey.
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OMI has many good menu options, but their Japanese dessert toast is their all-star. Think of it as a fluffy French toast served with vanilla ice cream.
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Choose from multigrain sourdough, their house sourdough and miso rye sourdough; pastry choices include croissants, morning buns, and fruit danishes.
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Momos are bite-sized dumplings from Nepal and Tibet, usually filled with meat that is seasoned with spices like turmeric, garlic, cumin, and chili peppers.
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Their bread that has the perfect ratio of chewy on the inside and crispy on the outside. The 1979 multigrain sourdough is some of the best bread I've had!
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