EDGEWATER

diverse  -  dense urban  -  family-friendly

Edgewater is an amazing neighborhood in Chicago that borders Lake Michigan. It's one of the largest of Chicago's neighborhoods, so it's split into smaller areas: Edgewater Glen and Edgewater Beach, with Andersonville sometimes also included. The area has excellent dining and leisure options, above-average public schools and high diversity.

Edgewater Glen and Edgewater Beach are the two main areas of the neighborhood. Edgewater Glen is a small area in northern Edgewater with predominantly American Foursquare homes, and it's just west of Granville station. Edgewater Beach runs along Lake Michigan, and Sheridan Road replaces Lake Shore Drive as the main lakeside road. There are mainly high-rises along Sheridan, many modernist style and home to celebrities in the mid-1900s.

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Edgewater is about 8 miles north of the Loop. It typically takes about 50 minutes to get to the Loop by public transportation, or about an hour to get to O'Hare Airport. Without traffic, driving to the Loop takes about 20 minutes, and driving to O'Hare takes about 25. The neighborhood is also very walkable and bikeable.

There are​ some absolutely amazing restaurants and coffee shops in Edgewater. Some of the best ones are Mango Pickle, a modern and critically-acclaimed Indian bistro; Sauce and Bread Kitchen, which offers local coffee and homemade pastries; Water Front Café, with one of the best outdoor café environments directly on the lake; and Ethiopian Diamond, a deliciously authentic Ethiopian restaurant.

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Edgewater also has great antique shopping. My favorite spot is the Broadway Antique Market, a two-level store that is actually the oldest and largest antique store in Chicago.