Unabridged Books in Chicago is a place that allows me to feel calm and inspired at the same time. It is a beautiful store where I cannot help but get lost in its endless bookshelves.
This bookstore encourages questioning the status quo and challenging your beliefs, and it does so in a way that is approachable and welcoming. This is a place that does not judge. I am a lover of non-fiction so I am pleased that when I walk through the door the first sections is "new non-fiction".
When I wonder a bit into the store and make a left, I find the sale section. This section is heaven to me every visit, I can count on picking up an Erik Larson title I have yet to read or a Studs Terkel find I want for under $10.
I then make my way to the Chicago, cooking, and memoir sections. Everywhere I look there are handwritten staff recommendations guiding me to what I am searching for and what I had no idea I needed. At this point, I will have typically already been in the store for an hour, and I make my way downstairs to the travel section.
The section encompasses the entire basement floor. It allows me to compare different styles of travel books and discover different approaches to travel. Unabridged is located in a neighborhood that has many restaurants, bars and shops so please make this a destination, I do not think you will be disappointed.
Find your way with 116 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
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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They are arguably most known for their "Kurdish breakfast" an elaborate spread of cheese, jams, fried cheese, olives, fries, cucumbers, tomatoes and bread.
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The tent is run by Adan, who mans the booth entirely alone. His ingredients are kept fresh in coolers which are grilled on the spot in front of customers.
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There are many pastry options like croissants, an assortment of macaron flavors, fruit danishes, quiches... My favorites are the fruit-stuffed beignets!
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While most croissants are buttery and flakey, the ones at Hendrickx are denser and chewier. In my opinion, this makes them even better.
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BULSHO serves a traditional Somalian breakfast that is comprised of seasoned meat or veggie stew served with anjero - a fermented flatbread.
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Start with a freshly steeped cup of sweet mint tea, a staple of any Senegalese meal. Then order fataya, triangular fried pastries with a savory filling.
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116 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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Escape the Crowd & Travel Slow 🐌
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