Evelyn Thompson is a great tour guide…read more We decided to stay in the Rogers Park area, but she said that she would do South side tours or Polish and Chinese grocery stores depending on what people were interested in. The tour started with the Rogers Park Fruit Market. This market caters to Jamaican/Caribbean clientele. Here we learned about some of the different types of white breads. They were half-leaven bread since when the bread and yeast was first introduced to the Caribbean the yeast did not do so well in the hot and humid conditions. The bread was pretty heavy and dense. The butcher had different cuts of goat for the locals. We tasted some epizote as well as saw some yucca and cactus pears that seemed to be common theme of all the markets. Two things we bought were a sweet lemon and a sour orange to try later at La Unica Supermercado Chapala was the second stop of the tour. This Mexican grocery store sells fresh produce, memorable guacamole and specialty items such as Mexican sour cream. There is an eating area with about 10 little booths where you can eat some the best carnitas around and roast chicken. They also have a selection of tacos like cabeza tacos. The store was packed when we went in on a Monday morning, it might have been due to the heavy thunderstorm, but people looked pretty happy to be there. The next place was La Unica that has food for all types of Latin cuisine. Some of the unique items I saw were the quince and mango jellies that were sliced and place on crackers with cheese to provide a sweet contrast. Block and cone sugar and chocolate was interesting to see as well as purple corn. People of the Andes make a refreshing drink from purple corn called "chicha morada" which is now recognized as a nutritive powerhouse due to its phenolic content. The interesting thing was the eating area to the side. Walking past the store front, one would never know that it has a restaurant in the back. We took a little break and tried a few foods; yucca (pan fried?) with some picked onions and two types of plantains. The yucca was very starchy and dense. It tasted like a potato, but was a little grainier. I could see how the yucca could make food go a long way because it was filling. We also had a fried sweet yellow plantain that was tender almost creamy. The green plantain was lightly fried and then pounded flat and fried again. It was like a very dense potato chip with just a light hint of sweetness. The sweet lemon and a sour orange we bought from the Rogers Park Fruit Market added a nice amount of acidity to the plantains and cut some of fat. The rest of the menu was pretty varied including Cuban sandwiches and some Peruvian dishes. The next stop was the Devon Market that caters to mainly Eastern Europeans. Here we see a lot of the same fruit and vegetables. They have a wide variety of wines form Eastern European countries such as Romania. The great thing about this market is the freshly baked bread. As you start to approach the bread section, the scent of freshly baked bread begs you to take a look. From what I remember a huge loaf was about $1.59. They also had fresh bread stuffed with cheese, meat, spinach or a combination of the three. Thai Grocery store was next. In the back, they have a place where you can buy freshly fried fish. Other things of note that I saw were Thai eggplant and Luk Chup (fruit-shape desserts made of mung-bean flour with natural coloring). As we were walking out of the store, we saw a stack of the infamous durian. There were quite a few so I wondered who buys this on a regular basis. Middle East Bakery was the next stop. Here we got to see all sorts of interesting grains and lentils. This was the first time I saw red lentils and red rice. We sampled Za'atar which I had only seen on Iron Chef America. They were many interesting desserts like a jar or nuts filled to the brim with honey and raisin and walnut sausage. Yes, I said sausage. They string raisins and walnuts together and dip it in honey to form multiple layers. Lastly the sample of fresh savory pastries stuff with chicken, broccoli, cheese, olives or a combination of the three was great. I hear that he sells these to Whole Foods. So you can actually buy from the source. The next two stops were Fresh Farms and Patel Bros on Devon. As you walk into each of these store you are bombarded with the scent of spices, it almost knocks you over. They had things that I had never seen like fresh red and white (no blue) tumeric, black radishes and fresh dates. From looking at the freezer sections, it seems that you can get just about any For $35 you get to have a fun 4 hour tour, learn some new things, enjoy great company and best of all eat and experience new food. To top it off Evelyn drives so this is a great value. I would highly recommend this experience.

Imagine you are trying out a new recipe. This calls for a little bit of a certain spice. Now you…read morecan either buy an entire bottle that will gather dust (i.e. start clumping) after a couple uses, or do 'unauthorized modifications' to the recipe. Enter Wild Onion - they have something I've never seen in a grocery store before... you're able to buy spices and some baking needs (e.g. cornmeal) by weight! No more caked up spices or asking mom if you can borrow some cumin, and having her give you the whole bottle anyway. Another area where Wild Onion shines is the sheer volume of local products. It is like a little farmers market in a store. While I understand why these products are more expensive than Kroger's, other products came with some sticker shock. Since Wild Onion is small, it likely won't replace your everyday grocery store. However, it can be an excellent supplement, especially if you're looking for something locally grown/made (in the case of bread), or just a bit of a spice. Final note, while interaction has been limited, service was refreshingly kind and welcoming. Thus, Wild Onion won't make it into my regular rotation, but when I need something a little extra special or specific, it will be the first place I go.

First time stopping in and I was really impressed! The prices on produce looked pretty decent to…read moreme. Overall I don't think the prices were as high as I was expecting. Everything I was looking for was at a price I found reasonable. They have a really nice array of specialty items and the grocery basics you need. My favorite thing was something I miss dearly from the pre-covid days at Whole Foods: spices in bulk bins. I love being able to get just enough of a spice that I need for a recipe without having to shell out for a whole jar that I may not use. The store is really clean and well organized. The bathroom was very tidy. Everything was easy to find. The store was pretty quiet while I was there. I didn't really need any help other than checking out, but I did see people working who I could've asked if I needed. I don't know if they have every single thing you'd need. The meat section was pretty small, which i appreciate as a way to reduce waste. I did have to stop at another store to get something I thought i would've been able to find. But I liked the store a great deal and hope to go back soon.

City Olive is great. Last year I learned that making tapenade is super easy and it's also…read moredelicious, and that City Olive was a mile away, so it was kismet! The store is cute and has some nice specialty items; of course you'll find olives and oils, but they have nice chocolates, vinegars, and other food and gift items here. I've made tapenade with the olives and oil I bought here more than once and it was delish! Parking can be tricky, as it's solely street parking in north Andersonville. If you're walking around the neighborhood, it's worth a stop. Service was friendly and not overbearing, which I appreciate.

I've been meaning to check out this shop and am so glad I did. The selection of olive oils is…read moreastonishing. There are so many other goodies (different type of vinegars, condiments, pastas, chocolates) as well. Karen, the owner, is very helpful and just delightful. This will be my go-to place for gifts in the future!

Got some things from this locally owned market. It has an okay location in West Rogers Park. Morse…read moreFresh Market is on the same street. Has a lot of what to expect. The produce makes up a lot of the store's inventory, so be sure to get some of this. Before it was pretty common for grocery stores to be independent. It's getting to be like these are all chains, but not at this one. This market is committed to the local community, and helps introduce unfamiliar items to people. A long time business in the community. It opened in 2004 at this location. A few hard to find specialties like Caribbean, Latin, and West African ingredients can be found. They also have hot food service. Has quite a lot inside. It's located on Morse Avenue at Greenview and is popular with many people. They make a lot of the prepared foods made to order, so it's fresh, and there's a good selection of meats and vegetables.

A solid local neighborhood grocery store. No, it's not cheap, but it has a quality selection that…read morecaters to a variety of tastes and is always staffed with friendly people hustling to keep the store clean and well stocked. Sometimes they have good sales on particular items, such as produce that's overripe. I really love their selection of prepared foods, both entrees and bakery items. Their tiramisu "Greco traditional style" is some of the best tiramisu I've ever had!! Yes, their recently implemented "bag policy" is somewhat of a hassle, but I imagine they are such a small store that theft is actually an issue. Therefore they are trying to keep their profit margins in the black and I get that! They always have homeless people outside the store, many of whom I now know by name, who are just trying to get something to eat (and they do, from me and other neighbors), but it's still a liability for the store if someone steals from them. This isn't Walmart, i don't condone thieving from local markets!

Decided to go to my favorite spot for a bite to eat and I've never noticed this place. So I had to…read moregive them a try. I don't know if they change out their specials, but today was 2 gyros, fry and drink for 12.99. So that's what I ordered. The gentleman behind the counter is very soft spoken and thanked me for my order. I'm guessing the brothers part comes in as the other gentleman started working on my order. They were able to pass things off with barely a word. The dining area was clean and tidy. I took my order to go. The pita was nice and warm with thick cuts of gyro meat. The tomatoes and onions were fresh with a slight zing of the tzatziki sauce. The fries were good but the gyro was the star. The second gyro I asked for the sauce on the side so I could reheat it. The next day I was able to separate everything nicely and reheat it everything slowly and it was about jeff as good as being fresh. Looking forward to going back.

It was ok. Pros:…read more small business, kind people Cons: Not a lot of flavor Tip: Cash only I only came in here for burgers and fries. The fries had no salt and the burgers didn't seem seasoned or flavorful. So it's an ok place but nothing I'd come running back to. Sorry.

I go for the food which is always consistent. The workers there hustle and deserve to be ripped. I…read moregenerally order the steak tacos and the guisados which are very good. I the chicken tends to be dry and over cooked so I avoid that. If you like menudo, I get that from there only.

Loved the whole scene. Tacos were flawless. Pork cooked to perfection. Sharp and memorable salsas…read more Super affordable.

A friend of mine told me about this new African market in Skokie that sells a variety of groceries,…read morefrozen foods, snacks, drinks, etc. I'm not familiar with a lot of their products but I was happy to make a purchase and support this small family owned business. The owner was very friendly and appreciated our stopping in:

From the owner: Mado’s African Market is your go-to destination for authentic African food and ingredients, proudly…read morebringing the rich tastes of Africa closer to your home. From premium goat meat and cow skin to dry fish, spices, and native delicacies, we’re passionate about quality and cultural connection. What sets us apart is our dedication to freshness, fast delivery, and a warm, community-focused shopping experience. Whether you're preparing a traditional dish or exploring African cuisine for the first time, Mado’s African Market makes every meal memorable.

Decided to try something new and go to a different sweets place on devon. Totally happy that I was…read morefeeling adventurous today, because this was a great find. The shop is very simple, with just various snacks lined up on the shelves. I decided to try some halwa to see how I liked it, and it was tasty. Even tastier than the food though was the price, I got a great deal. Definitely will be coming back here.

This shop is a distributor of savories and sweets to many parts on the US. They have a wide variety…read moreof sweets. They have the BEST samosa!! I picked up 3 samosas first. They tasted so good that, after a few hours, I went back again and picked up 5 more. The size of the samosa was the biggest I have seen. It tasted like the authentic Punjabi samosa from Chandigarh, India. I'd highly highly recommend checking this place when you are on Devon Ave.

Believe it or not there's more than Indian stuff at this international market on Devon. Fresh Farms…read morehas a few locations, including this one in an area well known for being international. It has a pretty big selection of produce. Careful in bringing the best stuff to here. They have a lot of experience selecting based on geographic regions, seasons, and weather. After going inside for the first time, we were surprised it was bigger than it appeared to be. It's got a pretty big produce section. This takes up a lot of the inside, and seems to be the main thing. A lot of the usual fruits and vegetables, but also has quite a lot that's not as common. The rest of the store has the bakery and deli counters, and they have fresh meats if you like getting meaty. Also they have a stand to get fresh gelato. The prices are pretty good, and they had lots of cheap specials. Clean and organized with everything looking fresh. It's certainly got Indian products, but there's a whole lot more, and good prices. This is located on Devon at Talman.

Good grocery store with lots of variety and produce along with some hard to find items and…read morereasonable prices. The place is clean and fairly well organized with helpful staff ready to assist. The best part is the fresh juice bar that they have. You pay for the juice at the cashier and take your receipt over to the juicer and they will freshly squeeze the juice for you. The sugar cane and the strawberry / watermelon were real standouts for us. Definitely worth checking out for both groceries but also to get some fresh fruit juices.