Evanston is the biggest restaurant town on Chicago’s North Shore, and the simplest way to eat well here is to pick a district first and a restaurant second. The city’s commercial areas are spread out, each has its own character, and most sit within a few minutes’ walk of a train station.
Downtown
Downtown is the densest concentration. Centered on the Davis Street stop for the CTA Purple Line and Metra’s Union Pacific North Line, it holds more than 85 restaurants and over 300 businesses by one commonly cited count, and the range runs from quick counter service to sit-down dinners. Sherman Avenue, Davis Street and the blocks around Fountain Square are the core. Edzo’s Burger Shop, at 1571 Sherman Ave., drew national notice in 2013 when Zagat named it Chicago’s entry on a list of the best burgers in 25 cities. Downtown Evanston, the district’s business organization, publishes its own restaurant directory.
Central Street
Central Street, in the north end of the city, is a stretch of low-rise blocks around the Central Street Metra station and the Purple Line stop. The corridor has drawn a number of restaurants over the years alongside independent shops, and it is a comfortable place for a lunch or a weekend brunch with some browsing before or after.
The Main-Dempster Mile
South of downtown, Chicago Avenue, Main Street and Dempster Street form a district the North Shore convention and visitors bureau describes as home to more than 200 independent businesses. Two Purple Line stops and the Main Street Metra station anchor it. Dempster has more than 60 shops near its station, and Main Street has about three blocks of mostly independent boutiques and restaurants.
Howard Street and Noyes
Howard Street runs along Evanston’s southern border with Chicago and is served by a station where the Red, Purple and Yellow lines meet. The street has a long history as an entertainment strip, and dining there ranges widely. Around the Noyes Purple Line stop, near Northwestern, there are about a dozen restaurants, along with dry cleaners and convenience stores, making it more of a neighborhood stop than a destination.
Finding more
Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau lists restaurants across the area and has run a February Restaurant Month promotion with special offers at dozens of North Shore places. Seasonal pop-ups, patio openings and new restaurants change often, so check hours and menus before heading out, particularly on holidays and during Northwestern graduation and move-in weekends, when downtown fills quickly.
Many diners skip the car entirely and take the Purple Line or Metra.
District details are drawn from the City of Evanston, Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau and public reference sources.