Guidebook for Oak Park
Food Scene
Great coffee, great food (apple/brie: best burger I've had in my LIFE), incredibly kid-friendly.
37 locals recommend
Buzz Cafe
905 S Lombard AveGreat coffee, great food (apple/brie: best burger I've had in my LIFE), incredibly kid-friendly.
The Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor
7347 Madison StDelicious ice cream and very family-friendly.
Cheap delicious mediterranean food. Now delivers to the house, too. The actual restaurant is hilariously tiny.
15 locals recommend
Grape Leaves Restaurant
129 S Oak Park AveCheap delicious mediterranean food. Now delivers to the house, too. The actual restaurant is hilariously tiny.
Soft-serve. I've never ordered anything else, but it's a neighborhood tradition (you'll want to drive from our house, since it's not in our immediate neighborhood). Lines can be long on summer evening
13 locals recommend
Hole In the Wall Custard & Yogurt Shoppe
901 S Oak Park AveSoft-serve. I've never ordered anything else, but it's a neighborhood tradition (you'll want to drive from our house, since it's not in our immediate neighborhood). Lines can be long on summer evening
Saigon Pho & Cafe
726 Lake StVietnamese, not expensive and DELICIOUS.
Citrine Café
100 S Oak Park AveFantastic food and extensive drink selections!!
Everything Else
Ice skating family fun. Skate rental, on-ice walkers for preschoolers.
6 locals recommend
Ridgeland Common Ice Arena
415 Lake StIce skating family fun. Skate rental, on-ice walkers for preschoolers.
Saturdays May-Oct, 8am-1pm. Fresh hot doughnuts (cash only) and live folk music, in addition to a first-class fruit&veg market (cards accepted). We always walk from home.
Oak Park's Great Food Truck Rally
Saturdays May-Oct, 8am-1pm. Fresh hot doughnuts (cash only) and live folk music, in addition to a first-class fruit&veg market (cards accepted). We always walk from home.
Parks & Nature
Playground good for toddlers through late elementary. There is a park building with bathrooms but they aren't always open. It's just a few blocks from our house.
Stevenson Park
49 Lake StreetPlayground good for toddlers through late elementary. There is a park building with bathrooms but they aren't always open. It's just a few blocks from our house.
Essentials
Just a couple of blocks' walk. Ample parking great coffee, gelato, made-to-order food bar. Huge selection of groceries and produce, too.
200 locals recommend
Pete's Fresh Market
2333 W Madison StJust a couple of blocks' walk. Ample parking great coffee, gelato, made-to-order food bar. Huge selection of groceries and produce, too.
Getting Around
We are equidistant between two stops on the same train line. They are each a 7-minute walk from the house. There are kiosks to buy transit cards. See transitchicago.com for travel details, or use Google Maps. If you are traveling at a non-busy time and are not familiar with the area, just sit in the first car and don't be flashing around fancy electronics on your ride.
Austin
351 North Austin BoulevardWe are equidistant between two stops on the same train line. They are each a 7-minute walk from the house. There are kiosks to buy transit cards. See transitchicago.com for travel details, or use Google Maps. If you are traveling at a non-busy time and are not familiar with the area, just sit in the first car and don't be flashing around fancy electronics on your ride.
On a nice day, you can walk past the Buzz Cafe and board the train at the Lombard entrance to this train stop. It's about a 15 min walk. There are kiosks to buy transit cards. See transitchicago.com for travel details, or use Google Maps. If you are traveling at a non-busy time and are not familiar with the area, just sit in the first car and don't be flashing around fancy electronics on your ride.
13 locals recommend
Austin Blue Line Station
On a nice day, you can walk past the Buzz Cafe and board the train at the Lombard entrance to this train stop. It's about a 15 min walk. There are kiosks to buy transit cards. See transitchicago.com for travel details, or use Google Maps. If you are traveling at a non-busy time and are not familiar with the area, just sit in the first car and don't be flashing around fancy electronics on your ride.
Drinks & Nightlife
Novo
734 Lake Street