The Best Places To Eat In West Ridge & Little India, Chicago
Published March 7, 2023
Ever since I moved to Chicago in April of 2021, I’ve been exploring different neighborhoods throughout the city. West Ridge is one of the most intriguing. It’s ultra-diverse, and has an almost suburban vibe. This is also one of the least touristy parts of the North Side, perhaps because it’s not located directly on any of the CTA train lines. However, all of these factors culminate in one of Chicago’s most underrated food scenes!
The heart of West Ridge (also known as West Rogers Park) is located on West Devon Avenue. Here you’ll find Chicago’s Little India! It’s an area that’s full of vibrant storefronts, restaurants, and cafes. On Devon, you can savor authentic cuisines from India, Pakistan, and Central Asia. All foodies should know about Little India, whether you’re visiting or local!
This blog post provides information on over a dozen awesome restaurants to try in this part of Chicago. It’s broken down by location, since West Ridge is surprisingly large. To skip down to any specific section or feature, click or tap the corresponding link below!
Restaurants in the North Part of West Ridge
The north side of West Ridge is largely residential. However, some great restaurants can be found along the major boulevards, including North California Avenue, North Western Avenue, Touhy Avenue, and West Howard Street.
Kizin Creole Restaurant
Address: 2311 W Howard St, Chicago, IL 60645
Website: https://www.kizincreole.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kizincreolerestaurant/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kizincreole/
https://www.instagram.com/chef_dandesir/
Haitian food is not super common in Chicago, so it’s pretty cool that delicious Creole cuisine can be found right on Howard. On my first visit to Kizin, I ordered their goat stew with rice and plantains. It was incredibly tasty! Goat stew and curry goat are popular throughout the Caribbean. Each island seasons goat meat a little differently, and trying it Haitian-style at Kizin was quite a treat!
El Garcia Restaurant
Address: 7515 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Elgarciarestaurant1
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elgarciarestaurant/
This Mexican restaurant is sort of tucked away on its own, across the street from the strip mall on the corner of Howard and Western. However, it is conveniently located right next to the north terminal for the 49B bus line. I was very impressed with the chile relleno and steak combo I ate here! Both the meat and the stuffed pepper were excellent, especially with a few grilled onions on top to give it all some extra spice.
The rice, beans, and salad that came with this dish were also delicious. That is definitely a factor I consider when choosing Mexican restaurants to feature on my food guides: whether their sides are tasty and fresh. All in all, this meal felt like a feast. Service was also quick and friendly!
Candlelite
Address: 7452 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
Website: https://candlelitechicago.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CandleliteCHI/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/candlelitechi/
Candlelite is one of the neighborhood’s long-standing institutions: according to their website, they’ve been serving tavern-style pizza since 1950! If you’re walking or driving along Western Avenue, this pizzeria’s flashy red sign will probably capture your attention. Their dining room feels like a modern sports bar with historic touches that hint at the restaurant’s long history.
Candlelite is known for their white pizzas, so I ordered a personal pan the first time I went. I am not generally a fan of pizza that doesn’t have a tomato sauce base, but the Candlelite White, which is topped with caramelized onions, goat cheese, and roasted garlic was still very good. I can’t wait to go back and try some of their other offerings!
Queen K's Kitchen
Address: 7210 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
Website: https://www.queenkskitchen.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Queen-Ks-Catering/100069050057273/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queenks2021/
The first thing I noticed about this cozy soul food restaurant near the corner of California and Touhy was its stylish sign, which displays a great big picture of their food! This sign also mentions their specialty: Cajun catfish, so of course I had to try that!
The fish was quite good cut up into pieces, breaded, and fried. All of the sides were delicious too! The mac and cheese was creamy, and their collard greens were phenomenal. The meal also came with a refreshing side salad that had a sweet poppy seed dressing on it.
Bina's Place
Address: 2210 W Touhy Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/binasplace/home
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Binas-Place/100063773462646/
Head to Bina’s Place for some delicious Balkan food! This is one cuisine I’m not as familiar with, but I am hoping to change that this year! At Bina’s, I’ve tried their cevapi plate, which consists of almost a dozen small beef sausages served with red onion, cabbage, and an incredibly soft pita. I’ve also ordered their signature dish: burek, a savory pie with your choice of meat or cheese filling. I got one with spinach and feta, and it was surprisingly light.
In addition to dishes like cevapi and burek, Bina’s Place offers a wide variety of American classics, some with Balkan twists. These include burgers, pasta, and pizza. I need to go back to try these!
Zimi's Pizza And Grill
Address: 6954 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
Website: https://zimispizza.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Zimis-Pizza-Grill/100083195927814/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zimispizzagrill/
Zimi’s is another excellent place to get Balkan food on the northern side of West Ridge. In fact, it’s only a short walk away from Bina’s Place. I couldn’t resist ordering their stuffed pleskavica, pictured below. This huge grilled meat patty is made of 100% beef. If you get it stuffed, the pleskavica is folded over with a layer of melted provolone cheese in the middle! It’s a very filling dish that tastes amazing, especially with kojmok! This creamy spread sort of looks like butter, but kojmok tastes more like cream cheese. It pairs perfectly with the meat and the bread!
I was so impressed with the stuffed pleskavica at Zimi’s that I had to go back and try their pizza! According to their website, they serve New York-style, so it has a pretty thin and crispy crust. All of their flavors sound good, but the bresaola (dried cured beef) stood out to me. The thin strips of meat and mushrooms went well together. I’m sure I’ll be back soon to try even more of their menu!
Siam Pasta
Address: 7416 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL 60645
Website: https://www.siampastathai.com/
The first thing I noticed about Siam Pasta is its eye-catching wood-themed exterior. It kind of makes the restaurant look like a cozy cabin. If you visit for dinner, you’ll also be greeted by their distinctive neon sign in the window. Inside, beautiful gold decorations on the walls will make you feel like you’re actually in Thailand.
Since I’ve become a Chicago restaurant enthusiast over the last few years, I feel like I have a lot of experience trying different renditions of Pad Thai. And I have to say, I really like this iconic dish at Siam Pasta. The ingredients are fresh, and the portion size is generous. Their thin noodles and sauce have the right texture and taste; the flavors are balanced, and it’s not too sweet or salty. The appetizer I tried here, their “Treasure Bag” dumplings, were also crispy and delicious!
Restaurants in Little India (Central West Ridge)
Little India runs east to west along West Devon Avenue. It’s a great place to start exploring the area’s dining scene, as there are dozens of options within walking distance to choose from!
Nepal House
Address: 2601 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://thenepalhouse.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nepalhouse.devon.5
If you’ve never tried Nepali food before, Devon Avenue is a great place to get it! At Nepal House, you can try curry or rice dishes. Pictured here is their goat curry, a meal that is full of spice. I want to go back and try their momo, which are traditional dumplings from Nepal.
Kabab King Grill
Address: 2305 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://kabab-king-grill.business.site/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kababkinggrilldevon/
This highly-rated Indian restaurant on Devon is worth trying if you love a meat combo platter. I split their Kabab King Combo with a friend and found that it was an ideal amount of food for two people. At first, we were surprised that the meal only came with naan and no rice, but the bread ended up being pretty filling. The tandoori chicken and chicken tikka are delicious here, and this combo includes both! We also saw lots of people ordering biryani at Kabab King Grill, so I’ll probably order that the next time I’m here!
Ali's Nihari & BBQ
Address: 2548 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://alinihari.com/
I had never heard of nihari before trying it at this restaurant, but it was delicious here! This piping hot soup is served with a huge piece of beef that is incredibly tender. The broth itself is fairly viscous and opaque, perfect for dipping naan. The nihari is served with fresh jalapeño and ginger which can be added to give the dish even more spice and flavor.
Café Alif
Address: 2245 W Devon Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafealif/
One of the awesome things about Chicago’s food scene is that it features multiple places around town to get Central Asian food. Café Alif specializes in Uyghur cuisine, and is likely one of only a handful of Uyghur restaurants in the US.
I was first introduced to Uyghur food while studying abroad in Shanghai almost a decade ago, and I’ve loved it ever since. It features lots of lamb, thick noodles, beautiful flatbreads, and veggies such as peppers, onions, and tomatoes. At Café Alif, I’ve tried guru lagman, a thick noodle dish served with beef and veggies in a red soup. I poured the soup over the noodles and enjoyed everything together! They also serve a different style of lagman where the noodles, meat, and veggies are all grilled like a stir fry.
Safari Somali Cuisine
Address: 6319 N Ridge Ave, Chicago, IL 60660
This restaurant is sort of off on its own, away from the main stretch of Little India on Devon. However, Safari is worth walking over to if you’re looking for an amazing meal! I had never had Somali food before trying it here, but I’m already a huge fan. I ordered the goat, which came with rice, cooked veggies, a fresh salad, and beans. It was a very filling plate, full of spice and flavor! The goat was also really tender.
This colorful dish was served with a small cup of hot sauce, which really added some zing to the meat and rice. I tried to spread it out over everything, and it was still pretty spicy. I’m also planning to return to Safari to try their beef or chicken. Furthermore, a common staple in Somali cuisine is spaghetti! I’d love to substitute the rice for noodles next time to see how it is. I bet it’ll be amazing!
Restaurants in the South Part of West Ridge
The southern third of West Ridge is a gateway to a bunch of other cool neighborhoods and suburbs, including Lincolnwood to the northwest, North Park to the west, Lincoln Square to the south, and Andersonville to the east. Restaurants here are clustered on North Lincoln Avenue and West Peterson Avenue.
Wolfy's
Address: 2734 W Peterson Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://www.wolfyshotdogs.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WolfysChicago/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfyshotdogschicago/
Wolfy’s is hard to miss, with its massive sign in the shape of a hot dog on a skewer out front. This is West Ridge’s most prominent “Chicago-style” local fast food joint. They serve Chicago dogs, burgers, fries, beef sandwiches, gyros, and other popular menu items.
I think Wolfy’s hot dogs are good with everything on them, and their burgers are even better. They are pretty juicy and filling! If you’re really hungry, consider getting one of each!
Milo's Pita
Address: 5731 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://www.milospita.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Milos-Pita/100063785356464/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milos_pita/
https://www.instagram.com/milos_pita_westridge/
Milo’s Pita is aptly named, because their pita really is delicious! It’s fairly thin, but always served warm and fresh with white and red dipping sauces. Milo’s Pita offers tasty and affordable lunch combos. I’ve had their vegetable and meat over rice lunch plates. Both are filling yet refreshing!
BryAnna's Restaurant
Address: 5695 N Lincoln Ave Apt 2, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://www.bryannasrestaurant.com/
Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/bryannasrestaurant/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bryannasrestaurant/
Central American food is always such a treat, and BryAnna’s is a great place to get it! They specifically offer Guatemalan and Salvadorian dishes, and I’ve loved everything I’ve tried here. Their combination plates are a great way to try many different offerings at once, or you can order a traditional dish such as their pollo amarillo: chicken and veggies served in a tasty yellow-orange sauce.
Afghan Bamyan Kabob
Address: 5701 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
This restaurant is located near the corner of California and Lincoln (along with Milo’s Pita and BryAnna’s). I absolutely love their lunch specials, which come with your choice of kabob, rice, a small salad, and two delicious dipping sauces. The meat here is perfectly seasoned, and it’s a lot of food for a pretty good price.
I’ve also tried Afghan Bamyan Kabob’s mantu ground beef dumplings, which are phenomenal. They’re prepared with a red tomato sauce and a garlic yogurt sauce, as well as split peas and cilantro on top. This plate is bursting with flavor, but it’s not overly heavy.
R-Haan Thai
Address: 5848 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60659
Website: https://r-haanthai.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhaanthaichicago
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhaan.thai/
R-Haan Thai has a tiny dining room with only a few tables, but it’s a restaurant I keep going back to again and again! I’ve tried their fried rice, Pad Thai, moo ping (pork skewers) with sticky rice, curry, and more. Everything is really satisfying at R-Haan, and their Pad Thai is cooked to perfection. Prices here are pretty competitive, so be sure to check them out!
Go Try One of These Amazing Restaurants!
West Ridge is a largely residential area, about a mile inland from Lake Michigan on Chicago’s north side. The restaurants featured in this guide are geographically spread out, but they come together to form one of the most impressive international food scenes not only in Chicago, but arguably in the whole country.
Have you tried any of the places mentioned in this food guide? Is there one I missed that you think should be included? Leave a comment below and let me know! I am always open to expanding this post if I find something new worth sharing! Thanks for reading and bon appétit!
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This post was published on Mar 7, 2023
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