10 Best Places to Eat Near DePaul

As DePaul students, we are lucky to have so many great food options off-campus! Listed below are 10 of the best places to eat near DePaul in Lincoln Park.

1. Dog Haus

Dog Haus is a hot dog place located on Lincoln Avenue, but it has so many options for any type of diet! Devil Dawg is another hot dog restaurant, but I prefer Dog Haus because they also have turkey, chicken, and impossible meat. Dog Haus has so many choices in food, and their cheesy hash browns are too good! The prices are also not too bad, especially for how many things are on their menu.

2. Pauline’s

Near the Theatre School at DePaul, Pauline’s is a home-owned and cozy breakfast and lunch diner. They are known for their stuffed french toast, along with so many other amazing options! Their homemade soup and croutons, which come with most of their lunch sandwiches, are a highlight. If you want something homey, I’d recommend going to Pauline’s. But you have to go twice – once to try their breakfast and once to try their lunch!

3. Homeslice

This funky and unique pizza place is a great restaurant to spend a night out with your friends! Although we are in Chicago, Homeslice is not a place you would go to get deep dish pizza. Instead, they have a lot of good options for different types of thin crust pizza. Their appetizers are also great! Basically on campus, the restaurant is close, delicious, and good for a big group of people! If you are under 21 however, watch what time you go because it is a bar and they will check your ID, even if you just want pizza that night!

4. Le Pain Quotidien

Near the Brown Line stop Armitage, Le Pain Quotidien has amazing french breakfast and lunch. Perfect for a lazy brunch day, this restaurant has many yummy options. Their pastries – and giant chocolate chip cookie – are great if you want something quick, but there is also a sit-down service in the back. The drinks are good (the raspberry lemonade!), the breakfast is delicious, and the lunch is light and lovely. The vibe of the place is also tons of fun – it feels fancy, even though the prices are reasonable. I’d highly recommend the mini dutch pancakes!

5. Butcher and the Burger

If you are looking for a burger – and when I say “a” burger I mean any burger you would want – you’ve come to the right place! The Butcher and the Burger is a cool restaurant near Armitage where you can pick your own burger. Any kind of burger you want! There are other options – choosing the burgers they recommend – but it is a lot of fun to mix and match your favorites! They also have delicious smoked fries, along with breakfast beignets. I always order a turkey burger with goat cheese, avocado, and pesto!

6. Sweet Mandy B’s

Although this is not a restaurant like the rest of the places I’ve listed, it is still an amazing place to highlight! Sweet Mandy B’s is a classic of Lincoln Park. Near Clifton-Fullerton hall, this cute dessert place has the best treats! Everything is colorful, perfectly decorated, but, more importantly, so delicious! I’ve had their cookies, their cupcakes, and everything is so moist and full of flavor. This leaves me wanting even more! The store is adorable, the people who work there are so friendly, and there is a big room in the back perfect for photo-taking!

7. Pasta Bowl

Although it is a little bit more of a walk than the rest of the restaurants listed on this article, the Pasta Bowl is worth it. Located on Clark, the Pasta Bowl is the best Italian place I’ve been to in Chicago. The pasta is cooked at the kitchen where patrons can see it, and all of their pasta is homemade. Their alfredo sauce is so perfect and makes me mouth water even thinking about it. Every pasta I’ve had there, and all their garlic bread, are worth the few extra calories. If you are craving a big, delicious meal, go to Pasta Bowl. I’d say go with a friend so you two can share different pastas.

8. Athenian Room

The Athenian Room, a Greek restaurant on Clark, is unbelievable! The best time to go is during summer or fall, where you can sit outside on their patio area, but the Athenian Room’s food is good any time of the year. Enjoy gyro, chicken, and Greek fries at this restaurant. The service is always amazing, and the food is always even better. The prices are reasonable, the food is amazing, and it is a good shareable place to bring a group of people! The inside of the restaurant is also very gorgeous and Greek-looking, so the ambience helps the experience.

9. Parson’s Chicken and Fish

Parson’s Chicken and Fish is an experience that you must have in college, and is easily attainable. The restaurant is adorable – looking like a little diner from the South. There is a giant eating space outside with white tables and chairs, along with a huge area on the inside to sit. There are stools for customers to sit at, and so many plants to look at. The menu is simple and totally delicious! All the sauces are heavenly to dip the chicken in, and although I do not eat fish myself, I’ve been told the fish is just as good! Their mac and cheese is a good find, and their breakfast chicken and waffle is a good way to wake up!

10. Bourgeois Pig Cafe

Last but not least, the Bourgeois Pig Cafe is an adorable cafe on Fullerton. It is two different buildings next to each other, each with the coolest ambiance. There are old books, dated paintings, and cool couches, tables, and seating areas to work in. The windows are usually open, so you can look out at the city of Chicago. Although I’ve mostly come to the Bourgeois Pig Cafe to work and have coffee, their menu is so unique. It is vegetarian and vegan friendly, so there are options for everyone! But the best part – all their sandwiches and food items are named after pieces of literature! Personally I love the Tale of Two Turkeys or Catcher in the Rye the best.