10 Best Breweries in La Grange Park

"North Center/Bowmanville Founded in 2006 well before the current craft beer craze took hold of America, Half Acre is one of the OGs of Chicago brewing and is regarded by many experts as the finest craft brewer in the city. With not one, but two breweries on the North Side (within a 10-minute drive of each other), Half Acre recently opened its massive 60,000-square-foot Balmoral facility as a testament to its increasing popularity and thirst for experimentation. Daisy Cutter (one of five year-round ales) is the beer that put Half Acre on the map, but the new digs have carved out more room for so-called “wyld beers” marked by experimentation and mixed fermentation."

"You won’t find a classier brewery around Chicago than Moody Tongue, now settled into South Loop. For god’s sake, their beers are served in wine glasses, and if that isn’t dedication to the atmosphere, we don’t know what is. Their minimal menu includes fan favorites like the Smoked Applewood Gold and Carmalized Chocolate Churro Porter (WUT), but also a few limited releases, such as the champagne-reminiscent Shaved Black Truffle Pilsner."

"It’s not often that you find a fine-dining tasting menu inside of a brewery. But everything about Moody Tongue will subvert your expectations. The kitchen at their intimate South Loop space is helmed by nine-time Michelin star chef Jared Wentworth, who has crafted a menu designed to thoughtfully elevate the intersection of food and beer."

"Moody Tongue is a newcomer to the list, earning its first stars in 2021. The brewpub's 2019 move from Pilsen to South Loop has proved to be a productive move and we can't wait to get back to the dining room, which opens on May 20th."

"You don’t need to be a beer snob to have heard of Goose Island, probably the most recognizable Chicago beer to the general public across the country. Their Clybourn taproom is a spacious and central location that you can easily integrate into your Chicago itinerary. If you get the chance to visit in person, you’ll have access to their bottled lineup of bourbon barrel aged stouts, but their year-round and seasonal offerings are just as enticing."

"Goose Island Beer Company may have multiple locations in the U.S., but John Hall opened the first brewery in Chicago after returning home from a trip to Europe that inspired him to bring good beer to the states. The brewery has separate rooms for innovation programs and yeast propagation units. Barrel-aged beers have a 143,00 square foot barrel warehouse and dedicated stockroom."

"If German-style lagers are your thing, then head straight for Metropolitan Brewing—they’ve been making this sort of beer since 2009 and they’re quite good at it. Krankshaft, the flagship brew, is made year-round and offered at Soldier Field, O’Hare and Midway International Airports, and at the home of the White Sox. Once a bit under the radar, the popularity of Metropolitan Brewing has increased since the addition of the Rockwell Taproom (listed on their website as dog, kid and freak-friendly) in Avondale, overlooking the Chicago River."

"Since 2009, Metropolitan Brewing has specialized in bringing Chicago German-style lager, like their flagship brew, Krankshaft. Krankshaft is a Kölsch style beer and uses lemon flavor to pay homage to the characteristics of beer brewed in Cologne. Krankshaft can be found year-round."

"Corridor Brewery and Provisions is a creative gastropub that features seasonal brews. It is a warehouse-style brewery with delicious meals. As a craft brewery, they regularly change their draft list."

"Food and crowlers are available for patio dining, pick-up and delivery from these Lakeview brewers!. Patio tables are seated on a first-come, first-served basis."

"The first Latin American-inspired brewery in the U.S., 5 Rabbit infuses Hispanic culture into American beer styles. The brews, named for days on the Aztec calendar, include an avocado stout, Mexican lager, and fruit-forward styles inspired by Mexican paletas. Try them all in their cozy taproom — they’re the perfect complement to the tacos (served on Thursday evenings) and tamales (every Saturday afternoon)."

"Those who love to pair delicious food with expertly made craft beers will love what Hammond’s Byway Brewing Company has to offer. Find a spot in the biergarten-style outdoor seating area, and choose from Byway’s eclectic, yet delectable, menu offerings. Order a glass of your favorite beer to go with your food to make for a perfect lunch or dinner."

"The octopus was some of the best I've ever had and the poutine was pretty delicious as well. Great place, great food and great beer. Watching the snow fall outside of the huge wall of windows and enjoying a Cuban sandwich and beer was a great way to spend an afternoon!"

"Restaurants Bakeries Humboldt Park. One of Chicago’s oldest family-run businesses has operated out of the same storefront, distinguished today by its vertical neon sign and quaint painted lady facade, since its establishment in 1911. Today it’s a good all-arounder, with doughnuts and danish for breakfast, and a wide selection of cake slices and cookies (many in Chicago sports team motifs) for dessert."

"A staple of Chicago’s Humboldt Park for over 100 years, this Roeser’s Bakery celebrates true vintage fashion by selling incredible baked goods for cheap. This bakery in Chicago features custom cakes, tortes, and cookies and more, making Roeser’s Bakery everyone’s go-to place for amazing quality sweets."

"Roeser’s Bakery is the ancient family-owned bakery still in the same location in Chicago. They are now in their fourth generation, with John C. Roeser IV leading the way. They are truly passionate about what they do, you can see it in the wide variety of products they offer."

"You can probably already tell that we love our cupcakes here in Chicago. More Cupcakes is known for their upscale environment and minimalist display. Stop by for delicious cupcakes with unique toppings."

"Bar Siena's walk-up dessert window, BomboBar, offers a riff on doughnuts - the "bomboloni" - an Italian hole-less doughnut Top Chef alum Fabio Viviani serves at his restaurants, Siena Tavern and Bar Siena. It's the specialty of the house at BomboBar and works wonderfully in the West Loop for dessert or post-party hunger pangs. Order one, four, six or a dozen and any of six rotating custard flavors that you inject into the doughnut."

"The wildly over-the-top ice cream confections at BomboBar are Chicago’s answer to Black Tap’s milkshakes. These colorful creations are topped with all manner of sprinkles, mini bomboloni, and candy, and the dozen or so flavors of gelato on rotation are all made fresh from scratch daily. Flavors like birthday cake, banana split, and cookie monster dough are especially kid-friendly."

"As you walk inside, you’ll be greeted by a host, but you’ll order on your own at one of their tablets up front. Your food will be brought to you at whatever table you choose. BomboBar serves sandwiches, pizza and beer on tap."

"A post shared by George's Ice Cream and Sweets (@georgesicecream) on Aug 11, 2018 at 1:38pm PDT. A tub of ice cream is a fail-safe friend. You can rely on it to lift your spirits, calm your sweet urge, and refresh you."

"Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account. View this post on Instagram. A post shared by George's Ice Cream and Sweets (@georgesicecream)"

"Every single ice cream flavor you have ever dreamed of can be found at George’s. They even have baked goods that pair perfectly with your ice cream cone."

"The Crepe Shop has the best crepes in the city, but did you know that their coffee is equally impressive?. They have a handful of flavored lattes on the menu, and they all taste excellent. It’s a one-stop-shop for breakfast/brunch, and they have the cutest space."

"The creative mash-ups at this Asian-Latin spot won’t be replicated anywhere else. Chef Rafael Lopez crafts fusion bites like chorizo egg rolls, “bacos” (bao tacos), Cuban banh mi, and Asian-style paella."

"Every restaurant in Chicago seems to be doing fried chicken these days but Belly Q serves it up Thai style with sweet chili and lime. Belly Q is known for its Asian bbq but also for its fusion of different flavors to create tastes that are uniquely its own. Chef Billy Kim invites diners into his industrial-chic restaurant, which formerly housed a pickle factory, that easily seats 200."

"Whether you snag a tabletop grill for a DIY experience or relax and let Bill Kim and crew do all the work, start with the golf-ball-size crispy tofu, move on to the tea-smoked duck, and finish with the textural delights of the seafood hot pot.L Mon–Sat, D nightly."

"Its popularity inspired Chef Kim to open a second location just this year. Other than their famous dumplings, Urbanbelly favorites include the Phat Rice (or Noodle) and the Wok Fired Rice Cakes."