Is Avondale the next Fulton Market? Maybe, maybe not, but it did just land on Lonely Planet's hot 'hoods list, which outlines 10 under-the-radar areas that "should be on any traveler’s must-visit list."
Sandwiched between Irving Park, Roscoe Village, Bucktown and Logan Square, it's fairly easy to see why Avondale is receiving national attention. Lonely Planet tapped its national travel experts to curate the list, which also includes Point Loma in San Diego, Sunset Park in New York City and Montavilla in Portland. The Avondale writeup cites Revolution Brewing, Kuma's Corner, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Prop Thtr and Parachute as reasons why out-of-town visitors should visit the North Side destination. (Might we also point you to Belmont Snack Shop, Crown Liquors, Beer Temple and the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance?)
Travel writer and Chicago resident Karla Zimmerman offers one last piece of advice: "Get here soon though, because Avondale teeters on the edge. Hipster ‘hoods nibble at its borders, poised to spill over. And that may change its scruffy, artsy, lived-in magic." Ominous.