I’m excited to share a feminist city guide to Chicago with you written by guest writer Elizabeth Flock.
Elizabeth Flock is an Emmy Award–winning journalist with a focus on stories about women. She recently published a book called The Furies: Women, Vengeance and Justice. She is based in Chicago.
In the summer, there is no better energy in the world than in Chicago. After its bitter cold winters, the entire city bursts forth, ready to eat, drink, swim and play. There’s even a name for it: Summertime Chi.
As a kid growing up in Chicago, I always looked forward to the summers for the glittering fireflies, the ice pops at the pool, and the warm nights where the sun never seemed to set. As an adult who moved back last year, I can’t get enough of the beaches, the farmers’ markets, the overflowing bookstores, the endlessly diverse food, and the myriad places to get a strong iced coffee or a local beer.
When I grew up to become a journalist, I was proud to remember that I’d come from a city with a rich history of famed female writers, artists, journalists and activists. But it’s kind of incredible when you list off this city’s pioneering women.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fcd849f6f-a4f1-4484-b133-b7de0821e6e1_190x265.jpeg)
There’s Gwendolyn Brooks, the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet who wrote “We Real Cool,” a poem that oozes the energy of summer and rebellion. There’s Jane Addams, who founded the Hull House to house recently arrived immigrants, was an international peace activist, and the first woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6946c1c4-f1d1-4901-bcd2-8ceece2dbb3a_213x378.jpeg)
Feminist artist Judy Chicago, who created the famous art piece “The Dinner Party,” was born Judith Sylvia Cohen but made the place of her birth part of her moniker. I only recently learned about Rachelle Yarros, an OB-GYN who opened one of the first birth control clinics in the country in Chicago. Even Ida B. Wells, the black investigative journalist who crusaded against the horrors of lynching and fought for women’s suffrage, resided here.
Today, you can visit Jane Addams’ Hull House, which is now a museum, or see Gwendolyn Brooks’ or Ida B. Wells’ former homes. It is truly a city of radical women.
If you’re visiting Chicago in the summer (or anytime), here are some of my other favorite spots, all run or populated by women —
What to do:
From the hopping North Avenue Beach to LGBTQ+ fave Hollywood Beach, there are so many amazing beaches to check out along Lake Michigan. Did you know that the lake is so big and so deep that it’s actually considered an inland sea? My personal favorite beach, if you have pups with you, is the super fun Montrose Dog Beach.
Farmers markets are open in neighborhoods across Chicago from April to November. They are a place to eat, drink, see exquisite flowers and artistry—and be seen.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fafb5581a-b442-4854-abf8-42ccf9b6cc31_1024x604.jpeg)
New and used bookstores dot the whole city, but I have a soft spot for Women & Children First. The radical feminist bookstore opened in 1979 and hosts regular author events. I launched my recent book, “The Furies” there, and when my baby cried for me and I had to breastfeed him on stage, no one batted an eyelid.
There is amazing thrifting in Chicago, but Lost Girls Vintage is a mustl. A lot of it is pink and punk, it’s inclusive, and it’s perfect.
The comedy
Chicago has the famed Second City comedy institution, but it’s also got lots of smaller independent shows. Don’t Tell Comedy, which does live pop-up shows, is definitely worth a visit if you want to belly laugh in secret venues across the city.
Where to stay:
If you want cozy, local and charming, stay at Ray’s Bucktown Bed and Breakfast in Bucktown. I love this little bed and breakfast which includes free, made-to-order breakfast, alllll the snacks, and a sauna—plus the best funky decor.
If you’re looking for something fancier, The St. Regis, whose undulating design came from female powerhouse architect Jeanne Gang, is a five-star-hotel and one of the tallest buildings in the Chicago skyline.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F857ae9aa-444d-410b-a5ee-9a8b0162bd3a_1591x1198.png)
Where to eat:
Kasama, a ridiculously delicious bakery and Filipino restaurant in the Ukrainian Village, is worth its long lines (don’t miss its appearance on the hit TV show The Bear—or the fact that it has a Michelin star). From Chefs Genie Kwon and Timothy Flores.
The Chicago Diner in Lakeview has been a favorite of mine since I was young. Its hearty vegetarian and vegan food by Chef Jo Kaucher can’t be beat.
Demera, owned by Ethiopian-Chicagoan Tigist Reda, is hands-down the best Ethiopian food in the city. Catch her flavors at the brick and mortar restaurant in Uptown or at the Time Out Market in the West Loop.
For dessert, there’s nothing better than Black Dog Gelato in the East Village, which is owned by Chef Jessica Oloroso. The gelato is somehow both smoother and grittier than any ice cream I’ve tasted.
What to drink:
Need caffeine? Tasa Coffee in West Humboldt Park is an adorable new coffee spot owned and managed by Jackie Marquez with her husband Pierre. They also have incredible tamales on the weekends.
Another great place to hang is Volumes Cafe, an independent bookstore run by two sisters, where you can read a book while enjoying local beer, wine and espresso drinks.
The acclaimed Greek restaurant Andros Taverna, in Logan Square, has an impressive drink selection, with over 100 bottles on its wine menu, many of them from Greece. Courtesy of beverage director Alexandria Brashears and Lead Sommelier Amber Pike, you can even try wine from the islands of Crete and Santorini.
And last, I highly recommend ERIS in Chicago’s Old Irving Park. The spot is named after the goddess of chaos, and it’s a women-owned brewery and cider house. Need I say more?
Thank you for reading this guest post by Elizabeth Flock. Don’t forget to check out her book The Furies: Women, Vengeance and Justice.