Belmont & Central
The intersection of Belmont and Central isn't the easiest to get to via L, and while a decent bike or bus ride will deposit you there easy enough, it's a destination worth driving to if you can. Heading to the Polish- and Mexican-flavored Portage Park neighborhood in a car will definitely do you good: You're likely to load up on enough bags of pierogi and produce that you'll need a roomy trunk, and you'll leave so full of gyros and paczki that you'll be glad to exert minimal effort. The free Belmont-Central shopping district parking garage makes it all the sweeter.
(Chris Sweda/Sun-Times)
If the containers of dried mango don't tempt you, the stack of fresh mangoes sure will -- as will A & G's seemingly endless produce aisles, which make even Whole Foods seem wimpy. The market's stock goes well beyond the norm: Sweet peaches are sided by both Saturn and white varieties, and plain ol' green beans share space with wax, cranberry, pole and long beans. Barrels of sauerkraut and a large selection of sausages from Andy's Deli give a nod to all things Polish; homemade ceviche and nopales are tasty indications of the 'hood's Mexican bent.
Hours: 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.
When a business' only bit of decoration is a muted wall mural featuring a smiley-faced pieorgi surrounded by eggs and a rolling pin, you know it means business. And Alexandra Foods strips it down to the bare pierogi minimum: Its flat facade features its name in basic red capital lettering; walk inside and there's nary a table, chair or magazine rack, just a long space between you and the counter that fronts pierogi-filled freezers. Take your pick from about 15 flavors, including kraut and mushrooms, potato and cheese and blueberry. It's a slim $2.70 for a package, but buy 10-plus and you'll knock the price to $2.20.
Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday.
After one quick look at the pastry cases, it's clear that cakes are Oak Mill's piece de resistance ... until you take a peek at the paczki-praising articles papering its walls. The European-style bakery does a brisk cake business, from celebratory wedding and communion cakes to the famed pear cake, a yellow cake with pear and chocolate mousses topped with halved pears and ringed in ladyfingers. But smaller sweets abound, from Polish doughnuts called paczki in flavors like rose and blueberry to fruit-studded cream puffs. Three small tables and a few carafes of coffee allow you to stay awhile.
Hours: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Lutnia certainly proves that not all Polish eateries revolve around massive buffets. The fine dining restaurant doesn't give away too much from the outside. Three gaping bulbous windows resemble portholes, but peek inside and prepare to be surprised. Beyond the chandelier and grand piano is menu of elegant dishes, such as old-fashioned roast boar with juniper gravy, and duck breast in raspberry sauce. Bring your favorite plus-one and save room for dessert: The menu features a number of flambes, including crepes suzette.
Hours: noon-10 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday-Friday; 1-11 p.m. Saturday.
The awards that pepper the wall above Central Gyros' bar date back to 1974 ... the same year the restaurant opened and started serving what many say are Chicago's best gyros. The Greek specialty is a combination of seasoned beef and lamb fired on rotating spits in the restaurant's front windows, and is the starring dish on a sizeable menu of standards like saganaki and dolmades. With its hearty carryout and delivery business and large, mural-filled dining room, Central Gyros caters to both foodies on a quick gyros run and Opa!-shouting groups.
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Kate Schwartz is a local free-lance writer.
