Chicago's International Flavor--Devon Avenue

Taking a walk down Devon Avenue is like taking a trip to New Delhi or Karachi without the passport. There are at least 30 small neighborhood grocers in the blocks of Devon Avenue located between Western Avenue and Kedzie. You will find a Georgian bakery, over a dozen Indian and Pakistani restaurants, and plenty of Kosher and Halal options, reflecting the diverse nature of this community.

Quick Tips:

If you're looking for good cheap produce and Eastern European breads, try Ted's Fruit Market at 2840 W. Devon, with multiple ethnic food items.

For crazy-cheap health and beauty items try Daveco, at 2454 W. Devon.

And...multiple options about for food. I'd try one of the all-you-can eat Indian buffets to get a full sample...or if you know what you want, check out Tiffin at 2536 W. Devon...my favorite of the bunch.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is not a particularly nearby El stop to this neighborhood, but you can take whichever train line you are near to Western Avenue, and take one of the Western Avenue buses North to Devon Avenue. As always, your best bet is to check out either the CTA website at transitchicago.com, or call the Regional Transportation line which will always give you the best public transit route at 312-836-7000. You may also want to check out the neighborhood's website at http://www.devonnorthtownonline.org

Though I wouldn't call this the best Indian restaurant in Chicago's Devon Avenue district, it is a good place to get an introduction to Indian food, if you've never tried this cuisine. Almost all entrees are under $15, with many under $10.

But, if you are unsure about your desire for Indian cuisine, and would like to dabble, your best bet is the lunch buffet, for a remarkable $6.95 (slightly higher on Sunday). A good variety is had, mainly standard fare such as tandoori and curry dishes...but a truly economical way to find your favorite Indian dishes.

Of course this is no substitute for a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo, but if you are looking for a nice picnic setting near Devon Avenue, the tiny zoo is a pleasant perk to this park, which isn't very well known outside the immediate neighborhood.

More information about events in the park can be found at chicagoparkdistrict.com, just look for Indian Boundary Park in the pull-down menu of the Chicago Park District's properties.

So, when you think of getting items "fresh" from a farmer, you probably don't think of downtown Chicago, do you?

Well in this case, you should. Vegetarians will cringe and the squeamish won't survive. This is a store that caters to the ethnic and religious needs of the community, slaughtering meat according to the Islamic Halal standards. Regardless of your religious beliefs, meat eaters swear by the quality of the freshly-killed meat, as it is minimally processed. A very informative article on the market can be found at this website.

Though I don't recommend this store for everybody, if you're staying in the area, have a kitchen, and want to eat some fresh meat or fish, this is the place to get your goods.