Where to find the Old South and the Big Apple in Evanston
When I stepped onto campus as a wide-eyed freshman, I was excited to live in a new place and meet new people. Little did I know that I would soon regret my early-decision bid to Northwestern University. The Early Decision Agreement lets you out of your binding contract only for unsatisfactory financial aid — unfortunately, there is no clause for unsatisfactory bagel options in Evanston. Hailing from Glen Rock, New Jersey, a small suburb about twenty-five minutes from New York City, I was utterly appalled by the bagel selection here — and don’t even get me started on Pizza.
Now I’m sure Midwesterners can make a mean muskrat — or whatever they eat here — but they seem to struggle recreating our East Coast and Southern favorites. But do not despair. While there’s no guarantee that anything in the Midwest will be comparable to your hometown favorites, here are the best alternative for those depressed, homesick students looking for their comfort food.
Bagels:
Evanston might have two Einstein’s, but these bready donut shaped imposters do not compare to what New York offers. Weinberg freshman Melissa Souto, from Westfield, New Jersey, is experiencing the same bagel-withdrawal as I am. “The bagels here are nothing like New York bagels,” she complained.
Try these:
The Bagel – Old Orchard Center, 50 Old Orchard Center, Skokie
The Bagel features New York-Style bagels from The New York Bagel and Bialy Company. They also offer traditional Jewish food, and we all know that the Jews know their bagels.
Pizza:
What’s the deal with Chicago-style deep-dish pizza anyway? Not only does it take a ridiculous half hour or more to prepare at every restaurant, but it is impossible to eat. They may be delicious in their own way, but they just don’t deserve the title “pizza”. Perhaps “lasagna” or “pie” would be more appropriate, but not “pizza”. Traditional New York-style pizza is foldable, wide, and thin — the complete opposite of Chicago-style pizza.
Try these:
Philly’s Best — 815 Emerson St., Evanston
Philly’s Best is located conveniently close to campus and offers super thin, extra greasy, very foldable pizza, their own attempt at a New York Style. Plus, according to the New York Pizza Blog, they also offer two specialties also hard to find in the Midwest: “real stromboli” and “Tastycakes”.
Gigio’s — 1001 Davis Street, Evanston
Gigio’s is another Evanston eatery that advertises New York-Style Pizza. This place is the closest you are going to get in Evanston. If you feel like venturing somewhere else in IL you can check out this website. This way you will never be too far from New York pizza!
Fried Chicken, Barbeque, and Sweet Tea:
East Coasters aren’t the only ones hurting here in Evanston. All y’all southerners out there have been complaining too. Emily Liftman, a Medill freshman from Sugar Land, expressed her deepest sorrows about the lack of Southern food around these parts. “I have yet to see sweet tea (regular iced-tea with lots and lots and lots of sugar) or fried chicken in Evanston, and I sure miss my BBQ. I normally get my sweet tea at Chick-Fil-A and my fried chicken at Church’s or Popeye’s.” Evanston might be quite unlike the deep South, but here are the closest alternatives.
Try these:
Chicken Shack –1925 N. Ridge Avenue
Chicken Shack seems to be Evanston’s very own chicken expert. It has all sorts of fried chicken specials throughout the day. There are also many scattered Popeye’s Chicken and Biscuits around Chicago if thats more your style. The nearest Chick-Fil-A is in Wisconsin. Road trip anyone?
Smoque — 3800 N Pulaski, Chicago
Smoque is an awesome BBQ place with a large variety of food options. Most importantly, they make traditional sweet tea! Arizona Tea also sells Southern Style Sweet Tea in tall cans that are available at CVS and 7-11.
Oddly enough, it’s easier to find an Ethiopian restaurant here than it is to find a New York bagel, but being in a place where soda is called “pop,” I don’t expect much to make sense. At least there are some options– even if it’s not quite the same as your hometown favorite, it’s better than nothing, and maybe one day you will learn to love the specialties of the Midwest.
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Find your Fall fashion for 2008. Or you can return home.
It’s not good writing to be derisive of a place simply for being different from what you know. It only shows you to be small-minded and critical.
jen
October 8, 2008 at 8:39 am
As someone who once left the midwest and did a previous degree in Texas, after living with real TexMex, NOTHING up here even comes close. Does anyone know of a decent south of the border style restaurant that a) has actual HOT salsa, and b) doesn’t taste like shit?
LowBass
October 8, 2008 at 8:57 am
jen- get a sense of humor or pot a chill pill or something
jimmy
October 8, 2008 at 9:44 am
LowBass – Nuevo Leon, in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. You’ll have to take the El to the Blue Line to get there, but as someone from a border state (CA), it’s the best, most authentic Mexican food I’ve had here.
Emily
October 8, 2008 at 10:28 am
You forgot Dixie Kitchen, a nice Southern establishment right next to campus.
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October 8, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Point of order here. Glen Rockers are NOT small minded and critical. We’re simply spoiled by having grown up on GOOD bagels, the BEST pizza, and for that matter, Taylor Ham, egg & cheese sandwiches.
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October 8, 2008 at 5:58 pm
TAYLOR HAM, YES!
jmegs
October 8, 2008 at 9:01 pm
This article makes me sick. Snotty and elitist.
If our bagels or pizza aren’t good enough for you, too bad. You are so closeminded in only trying to find your hometown favorites and then complaining when they aren’t what they used to. How about going out and trying something new? Ever give that a thought? You might find a new Chicago favorite! Wow, imagine that!
Alexandra
October 11, 2008 at 6:39 pm
probably coming from someone who lives 5 minutes from home….
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October 11, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Low Bass – don’t even go that far from evanston. go to rogers park, you’ll find it!
René Jovel aka SupaKat
October 12, 2008 at 9:33 am