By Bob Glaze
Last December, I spent a day visiting suburban Forest Park with a friend including seeing a performance of the Nutcracker at the nearby Dominican University Performing Arts Center. It is directly west of Oak Park. I was very impressed with the number of restaurants, cafes, shops and breweries along Madison St. It is a fun suburb to explore.
My top recommendations include:
Louie’s Grill: Located at 7422 Madison St., this is a classic diner and longtime family-owned restaurant that has been serving up American classics for breakfast and lunch since 1999. Their menu has everything from classic egg dishes, to pancakes and grits. We went for lunch where I had a great omelette and a side of grits.
Down the street is The Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor at 7347 Madison St. This was a great spot for dessert after lunch. With a classic design, it is a soda fountain, bakery and creamery that makes its own ice cream on-site. You can also enjoy their ice cream cakes and fresh-baked five-layer cakes. They can also be ordered online. I really enjoyed the ice cream and seeing a fun Christmas party, Sundaes with Santa, that they were hosting for local children.
Another great find was Kribi Coffee Air Roastery at 7324 Madison St. One of four locations in Forest Park and Oak Park, I had first gone to their 1033 S. Blvd. location in Oak Park. They serve great lattes and other coffee drinks. They are focused on sourcing their coffee beans directly from farmers in Cameroon, where the owner, Jacques Shalo, is originally from.
FatDuck Tavern & Grill is a fun, classic neighborhood bar featuring pub grub from salads, sandwiches, burgers, pizzas and sliders along with cocktails and craft beer. I went for dinner before driving back to Chicago and loved the atmosphere. They are known for their duck-fat fries. I was pleased with the fish n chips that I ordered, which they made with fried cod and served with their homemade tartar sauce. 7218 Madison St.
Todd & Holland Tea Merchants is located at 7311 Madison St. For many years I shopped at their Chicago location and always loved their loose-leaf tea choices. This is now their only location. In addition to tea, they sell teapots, teaware, teacups and more. You can also grab a free cup of tea from their tea bar or attend an educational seminar.
Caffe De Luca is an old-world style restaurant serving classic Italian and American dishes. They are open for lunch and dinner along with brunch on Sunday. It looked like a fun spot. I want to definitely go for dinner on my next visit to the area. 7427 Madison St.
Two other spots that also looked fun to try include:
O’Sullivan’s Public House is a cozy neighborhood pub, serving pub food and drinks. Located in a roadhouse from the 1890, it still contains some historic architectural elements including the copper ceiling and walls plus the terrazzo tile floor and the stained glass skylight. 7244 Madison.
Shanahan’s is a blend of Irish and New Orleans culture serving authentic creole cuisine including jambalaya to crawfish étouffée, gumbo, shrimp and grits and po’ boy sandwiches along with weekend brunch. 7353 Madison St.
I also recommend that you visit Casa Humilde Cerveceria. This is a locally owned, artisanal Mexican influenced brewery at 7700 Madison St. In the summer of 2015 brothers Javier and Jose Lopez started brewing beer out of their childhood home in Chicago’s Hermosa neighborhood. Then in June 2024, the brothers opened Casa Humilde to sell their beer, plus cocktails, wine and food. Today they brew lagers, ales and seltzers. I was very impressed with the Viva La Frida lager which is made with hibiscus and lime. It was very light and refreshing. The food menu includes tacos, quesadillas, burgers and more. 7700 Madison St.
A short ten-minute drive north of Forest Park in River Forest is the Dominican University Performing Arts Center at 7900 W. Division. Throughout the school year, they feature concerts, lectures, dance performances, poetry readings, theater and more. In the summer they offer Free Summer Concerts in the Quad from mid-June to mid-August. Make sure to check out the calendar and plan your day around the performance.
I went for the first time in May 2023 and saw an amazing concert by Audra McDonald, the American actress and singer.
When I was in Forest Park in December, I went back for a wonderful afternoon matinee performance of The Nutcracker by Ballet Légere. They have performed it for almost 40 years and feature a cast of 120 adults and children along with talented professional dancers. The costumes, scenery and performances were stunning. During the run, they have performances for adults as well as others for seniors, groups and children’s field trips. Make sure to check it out this year.
I hope you enjoy exploring Forest Park as much as I did!
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