As graduation approaches, we asked the Class of 2024 to share some of their most beloved Hyde Park businesses. From elevated Southern cuisine to a classic cup of coffee, which slice of Hyde Park’s food scene will remain in their hearts?
Virtue Restaurant
1462 E. 53rd Street, Chicago, IL 60615
Chef Erick Williams opened Virtue Restaurant in 2018 with the vision of bringing classic southern hospitality to the Hyde Park community. Over time, this upscale eatery has received many accolades, including a prestigious James Beard Award and a spot on the Michelin Bib Gourmand. As Richa Pillai describes, “Virtue has perfected the art of elevated southern cuisine, and their corn bread is to die for.” Other menu stand-outs include their roasted chicken and blackened cod, both bursting with flavor and southern charm.
Build Coffee
6100 S. Blackstone Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
Nestled in the red brick wall of Blackstone Avenue is Build Coffee, a coffee shop, bookstore, and art gallery in one. According to Mason Harris, the shop serves “the best breakfast sandwich in Hyde Park and has such a great vibe for doing casual homework with friends or for a quick pick-up coffee before a walk to the Point.”
Designed as a hub for radical collaboration, Build Coffee has deep ties to the community-driven nonprofits of the South Side. The shop is also located right next to the 61st Street Farmers Market, which hosts outdoor markets every Saturday from May to October.
Valois Restaurant
1518 E. 53rd Street, Chicago, IL 60615
A longtime staple of 53rd Street, Valois serves a smorgasbord of classic comfort dishes including pancakes, omelets, and eggs. Over its 100+ years in operation, the cafeteria-style breakfast joint has won the hearts (and stomachs) of generations of Hyde Park residents, from former president Barack Obama to Nish Sinha.
“There are plenty of newer places that I like too, but Valois really is special. A #4 omelet with hash browns has single-handedly recharged me after multiple brutal reading periods,” Sinha said. “Whatever morning you’re there, it feels like all of Hyde Park is there too, and that’s a really warm experience: I’ve run into friends with their family, longtime Hyde Parkers, and even visiting prospies. If I have a free morning and I’m needing energy, I’m there.”
Salonica
1440 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
According to Brianna Liu, no brunch in Hyde Park compares to Salonica’s. This cozy Greek and American diner offers familiar menu items in a vintage-style storefront on 57th Street. In particular, Liu notes that “the pancakes, skirt steak, and diner-style setting make for a homey and hearty brunch experience.”
Cheesie’s Food Truck
Usually parked at 58th & Ellis; check here for daily location.
If you ever see a bright yellow truck roaming around campus emblazoned with a giant, grinning grilled cheese, you know that Cheesie’s is in town. The food truck serves old-fashioned grilled cheeses made fresh to order. “On a good day, when I want to treat myself, their Tendy Tots or Tenderizer combine cheese, carbs, chicken, bacon, and an onslaught of sauces into the most delicious midday meal I could ask for,” Sam Johnson said. “The owner is also really kind and makes really interesting conversation while you wait for the food, so I always leave really happy.”
Ascione Bistro
1500 E. 55th Street, Chicago, IL 60615
Ascione Bistro is a local eatery serving contemporary Italian cuisine, featuring a spacious dining room and backyard patio. When Julia Marcussen visited the University for the first time after being accepted, the salmon dish from Ascione Bistro sold her on the idea of coming here. “I went to Ascione [with my brother], so it was very special … to celebrate getting in,” she said.
Woodlawn Tap
1172 E. 55th Street, Chicago, IL 60615
Woodlawn Tap, affectionately known as “Jimmy’s” after the barkeep who owned it for a half-century, offers an array of classic pub snacks to accompany late-night hangouts. “The food at Jimmy’s is nothing to shake a stick at,” Xochitl Carrera said. “Sometimes, you just need a cheap, greasy, unpretentious burger with a side of cheese curds.”
For any readers planning on visiting, remember that Jimmy’s is cash only.
Subway
1400 E. 53rd Street, Chicago, IL 60615
While the Subway on 53rd Street may not be your first choice for date night or a girls’ night out, it has become a sentimental favorite of Gabriel Reyes Esclasans: “[It] never closes and is always reliable after partying/clubbing and during finals. One of the guys there is also super nice.” Perhaps, most decisively, it is only a 2-minute walk from Esclasans’s apartment.
Robust Coffee Lounge
6300 S. Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637
Perched on the corner of Woodlawn and 63rd, Robust serves free-trade brews, breakfast sandwiches, and Belgian waffles in an industrial-chic lounge. The coffeehouse has become the “go-to place for weekend study sessions” for many students living south of campus, including Isaiah Escapa. “They have the best smoothies in Hyde Park, alongside the perfect atmosphere,” he said. Escapa notes that he will especially miss their Honey Nut Latte after graduating.
