Chicago Magazine Gives Bridgeport Its Stamp Of Approval
By Chuck Sudo in Food on Jan 10, 2012 5:00PM
The latest issue of Chicago magazine has been tripping all over itself to declare Bridgeport the latest hip neighborhood.
It's worth tripping over, and this Chicagoisto says this not only because it's the neighborhood he calls home. Chicago mag's Jennifer Wehunt interviews Ed Marszewski, who's been at the center for much of the neighborhood's makeover as a gallery owner, businessman, publisher and Bridgeport resident for slightly longer than we've been living here. Wehunt also lists the galleries, restaurants, parks and shops to visit if you're planning a trip out south, a cornucopia that has seen plenty of play right here.
We're glad the neighborhood of mayors is getting the rub, but there are some other places worth checking out. Here are a few spots.
1. Potsticker House - Formerly known as Ed's Potsticker House, the dropping of Ed from the marquee hasn't changed the quality of the food one iota. The Potstickers that give the restaurant its name are worth the visit alone, while the rest of the menu mines deep from northeastern Chinese specialties with care and attention to detail that earned it inclusion on LTHForum's Great Neighborhood Restaurant's list. (3139 S. Halsted St.)
2. Bernice's Tavern - Here's what I wrote about Bernice's for Chicago magazine a couple of years back: "One of the last “buzzer bars,” this Bridgeport spot has been ringing in patrons since 1965; lately that includes the neighborhood’s new breed of hipsters. The appeal is décor (old bourbon jars and street signs, a CTA fare box) that wouldn’t be out of place in your great-uncle’s basement, cheap drinks (including Jeppson’s Malort and a wide array of Czech pilsners), and a killer jukebox (doo-wop to Irish folk to old-school R & B)." (3238 S. Halsted St.)
3. Carbón - We reviewed this taco joint nearly five years ago and they opened a second location in Noble Square a year or so back. Carbón still has one of the best fish tacos in Chicago and their steak taco is hands down among the top five in the city. (300 W. 26th St.)
4. Cork & Kerry at the Park - Some long-time regulars lamented the closing of Jimbo's. To be honest, Billy Guide gave the space the sports bar and Irish pub the neighborhood deserved. (3258 S. Princeton Ave.)
5. Uncle Johnny's Grocery & Deli - You can't walk a half-mile without passing a place that makes a breaded steak. Uncle Johnny's is the best in the neighborhood, hands down. (500 W. 32nd St.)