Vote 48 in the Reader Best of Chicago 2025 Poll!

***Note! The winners for Chicago Reader’s Best of 2025 poll have been announced! See all 48th Ward winners on our blog here.***

It’s that time of year again! The Chicago Reader has launched their Best of Chicago 2025 Poll and it’s full of 48th ward businesses, organizations, and neighbors across every category, including Best Alder! See a list of 48th ward nominees below, and vote online by December 31!

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48th Ward Nominees

• ARTS & CULTURE

  Best Theater Bar or Lobby

  • George’s Bar at Bramble Arts Loft

  Best Venue for Theater

  • The Edge Off Broadway

  • Bramble Arts Loft

  Best storefront theater company

  • Redtwist Theatre Co.

  Best established theater company

  • Raven Theatre

  Best new theater company

  • Bramble Arts Loft

  Best film programming

  • Reeling - The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (Chicago Filmmakers)

  Best film festival

  • Reeling - The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival (Chicago Filmmakers)

  Best venue to see drag

  • Hamburger Mary’s

  Best dance studio or training program for youth

  • GUS | Original Gus Giordano Dance School

  Best Open Mic

  • Eli Tea Bar Friday Open Mic

  Best art gallery

  • Andersonville Galleria

  Best Mural

  • Go Ask the Flowers - Ryan Tova Katz (5225 N Clark)

• BUY LOCAL

  Best shoe store

  • Alamo Shoes

  Best local clothing designer

  • Bergen Anderson Lilla Barn Clothing

  Best streetwear brand

  • SOUNDOFF

  Best T-shirt shop

  • Raygun

  • Cowboys and Astronauts

  Best place to buy men’s clothing

  • Cowboys and Astronauts

  Best place to buy women’s clothing

  • Lilla Barn Clothing

  • Violet Hawthorne

  Best place to buy gender-neutral clothing

  • Lilla Barn Clothing

  • Sandbox Baby Boutique

  Best kids clothing

  • Lilla Barn Clothing

  • Sandbox Baby Boutique

  Best vintage store

  • Broadway Antique Market

  Best resale shop

  • Broadway Antique Market

  Best home furnishings

  • Broadway Antique Market

  Best place to buy local wares

  • Andersonville Galleria

  Best place to get pictures framed

  • Wall to Wall Framing

  • Iloilo Custom Framing Inc

  Best bicycle shop

  • IGOR does my bike

  Best Garden Supply

  • Gethsemane Garden Center

  Best place to get married

  • Colvin House

  Best independent bookstore

  • Women and Children First

  Best board game store

  • Chicagoland Games Dice Dojo

  Best record store

  • Rattleback Records

• CITY LIFE

  Best north side neighborhood

  • Edgewater

  • Andersonville

  Best tourist attraction (outdoor)

  • Andersonville

  Best place to throw a party

  • Colvin House

  • Bramble Arts Loft

  Best Chicago institution

  • Broadway Armory

  Best library branch

  • Edgewater

  Best networking community/organization

  • Edgewater Chamber of Commerce

  Best email newsletter

  • Edgewater Chamber of Commerce

  Best Alderperson

  • Alderwoman Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth

• FOOD & DRINK

  Best wine shop

  • Independent Spirits

  Best wine bar

  • Uvae Kitchen & Wine Bar

  • Regalia Restaurant

  Best beer shop

  • Andersonville Wine & Spirits

  Best liquor store

  • Andersonville Wine & Spirits

  • Independent Spirits

  Best coffee shop

  • The Understudy Books and Coffee

  • Loaves & Witches

  Best coffee roaster

  • Metropolis Coffee Roasters

  Best desserts

  • deFloured

  Best bakery

  • deFloured

  • Lost Larson

  Best bagels

  • Loaves & Witches

  Best sourdough

  • pHlour Bakery & Cafe

  • Lost Larson

  Best bread

  • pHlour Bakery & Cafe

  • Lost Larson

  • Loaves & Witches

  Best bang for your buck

  • Pizza Lobo

  Best overall restaurant

  • Regalia

  Best hot dog

  • Devil Dawgs

  Best taqueria

  • Edgewater Tacos

  Best Italian beef sandwich

  • Patio Beef

  Best Burger

  • Beard & Belly

  Best banh Mi

  • Alice and Friends

  Best pizza by the slice

  • Pizza Lobo

  • Pete’s Pizza & Bakehouse

  Best pizza

  • Pizza Lobo

  Best steak house

  • Regalia

  Best vegan restaurants

  • Alice & Friends Vegan Kitchen

  Best vegetarian restaurant

  • Alice & Friends’ Vegan Kitchen

  Best soul food restaurant

  • Tesfa Ethiopian Cuisine

  Best Vietnamese restaurant

  • Little Vietnam

  Best Thai Restaurant

  • Nha Hang Vietnam Chicago

  Best Middle Eastern restaurant

  • Fiya

  Best Mexican restaurant

  • Edgewater Tacos

  Best Italian restaurant

  • Calo Ristorante

  Best Indian restaurant

  • The Little India

  Best Chinese restaurant

  • Sun Wah BBQ

  Best farmers market

  • Andersonville Farmers Market

  Best local grocer

  • Edgewater Produce Market

  Best food relief effort

  • Care for Real

  Best outdoor dining

  • Pizza Lobo

• MUSIC & NIGHT LIFE

  Best gay bar

  • Hamburger Mary’s

  Best Bar

  • Wil’s Martini Lounge

• SPORTS & RECREATION

  Best neighborhood park

  • Berger Park

  Best community fitness center

  • Broadway Armory

  Best professional men’s sports team

  • Edgewater Castle

  Best professional women’s sports team

  • Edgewater Castle

Did we miss someone? Let us know by emails comms@the48thward.org.