Andersonville

The Lowdown: Andersonville

Many people would be surprised to learn that the North Side of Chicago doesn´t end at Irving Park and all the best neighborhoods aren´t right on the lake.   Hidden approximately seven blocks west of Lakeshore Drive at Foster Avenue, you´ll find a place were Swedes, Middle Easterners, gays, lesbians and Lakeview refugees live in peaceful harmony.

Five years ago you could have said you lived in Andersonville and gotten blank stares or the occasional question about how things were up in Wisconsin.  Fast-forward to today and Andersonville is popping with cool shops, great restaurants and pricey condos.

Live, Eat, Shop: Housing and Things to Do

The people who call this eclectic neighborhood home are typically a more mature crowd whose college years are slowly becoming a distant memory.  The ginormous Victorian homes in the surrounding area are highly desirable for families.  Gut-rehabbed condos appeal to young professionals, both gay and straight, who like a little bit of “This Old House” with a dash of “MTV Cribs.”  New construction condos are harder to come by, but if you look hard and act fast you can still snag one.  Vintage (a.k.a old) rental units are plentiful and often more affordable than in other neighborhoods.

Clark Street is where the magic happens. Here you can find shops to furnish your home, feed your antiques fetish, sharpen up your cooking skills and stock your kitchen pantry.  If you´re looking for a Gap or Coldstone Creamery, this ain´t the neighborhood for you.   But if you like shops owned by local residents with one-of-a-kind items, you´re in luck.  And if you like to eat, you´re really in luck. Korean, Mexican, new American, Persian and Swedish – it’s all here.