Please note: The program will run from 9am on Wednesday July 22 until 5pm on Friday July 24.

Dining and Things to Do in Evanston

Dining

Evanston has a vibrant restaurant scene. The following are all located in or near the downtown area, most within easy walking distance of the conference hotels.

Restaurants

Trattoria Demi

1571 Sherman Ave Ste 1

Italian

$$

Local favorite for handmade pasta. Try the asiago-stuffed gnocchi.

NaKorn

1571 Sherman Ave Ste 1

Thai

$$

Upscale Thai with beautiful presentation and live music. Excellent cocktails.

Tapas Barcelona

1615 Chicago Ave

Spanish

$$

Lively tapas spot. Great for group dining. Known for paella and bacon-wrapped dates.

Five & Dime

1026 Davis St Upstairs

American

$$

Rooftop dining with great views. Connected to Blue Horse Tavern and Diablo Tacos.

LeTour Social Kitchen & Bar

625 Davis St

French-Moroccan

$$$

Elegant French-Moroccan fusion. Nice for a special dinner.

Stacked and Folded

824 Noyes St

American/Mexican

$$

Casual burgers, tacos, and brunch. Board games available. Great outdoor seating.

Peckish Pig

623 W Howard St

Brewpub

$$

House-brewed beers, excellent brunch, and a lovely brick patio.

Ten Mile House

1700 Central St

American BBQ

$$

Smoked meats, pizza, and brunch in a cozy setting. Great for groups.

Evanston Corner Bistro

703 Church St

American

$$

Adjacent to the Hilton Orrington. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

17

1710 Orrington Ave

Vegetarian

$$$

Small, creative plant-based dining located in the Hilton Orrington

Bat 17

1735 Benson Ave

American

$$

Casual and spacious pub with an extensive menu and vast sandwich selection

Ridgeville Tavern

1520 Sherman Ave

American

$$

Corner meeting place with classic pub favorites

Union Pizzeria

1245 Chicago Ave

Pizza

$$

Stylish location for Neapolitan wood-fired pizza & small plates; shares location with Space live music venue

The Barn

1016 Church St (rear, enter from alley)

American

$$$

Elegant spot for New American fare, steaks & cocktails in the rustic surrounds of a former stable

Quick Bites

Pono Ono

1630 Chicago Ave

Hawaiian

$

Industrial-chic Hawaiian cafe offering customized, seasoned raw fish bowls & hot chicken options.

Picnic

1619B Chicago Ave

American

$

Casual restaurant serving healthy, creative bowls and salads with vegan options, plus desserts; carry-out only

Soulwich

1634 Orrington Ave

American/Asian

$

Bright, contemporary counter-serve spot dishing up sandwiches & salads with an Asian twist.

Epic Burger

1622 Sherman Ave

American

$

Fast-casual burger joint featuring halal options, chicken sandwiches and skin-on fries along with milkshakes.

10Q Chicken

816 Church St

American/Korean

$

Straightforward restaurant offering chicken sandwiches & chicken wings with fries.

Habibi In

825 Church St

Mediterranean

$

Skewers, shawarma, gyros & other Mediterranean favorites

Joy Yee Noodles

533 Davis St

Pan-Asian

$

An extensive menu of Pan-Asian offerings & smoothies

Buffalo Joe’s

812 Clark St

Wings

$

Classic Evanston food spot featuring chicken wings; cash only!

Coffee Shops

Cupitol Coffee & Eatery

812 Grove St

Spacious cafe with excellent pastries and brunch. Very popular.

Colectivo Coffee

716 Church St

Roomy coffee shop with breakfast burritos. Good for working.

Backlot Coffee

2006 Central St

Beloved local roaster with outstanding pastries and espresso.

Reprise Coffee Roasters

710 Main St

Specialty roaster with creative seasonal drinks. Cozy atmosphere.

Newport Coffee House

622 Davis St

Coffeehouse offering artisan roasts plus pastries, desserts and teas.

Mr. Cachito Bakery & Coffee

1549 Sherman Ave

Small local coffee shop featuring Venezuelan bakery items

Bars and Cocktails

Ward Eight

629 W Howard St

Outstanding craft cocktail bar. Intimate, speakeasy atmosphere. Excellent food.

Five & Dime Rooftop

1026 Davis St

Rooftop bar with city views. Great for after-conference socializing.

The Blue Horse Tavern

1026 Davis St

Connected to Five & Dime. Cozy tavern with good wine and ales.

Oskar

844 Custer Ave

Whiskey bar with expertly crafted cocktails. Small and intimate.

Double Clutch Brewing Company

2121 Ashland Ave

Brewery, eatery, and event space with craft beer, live music, and vintage cars.

Sketchbook Brewing Co - Evanston

821 Chicago Ave

Brewery & tasting room pouring a dozen or more beers on tap or in growlers, with tours.

Local Amenities & Things to Do

Essentials

Whole Foods Market (1640 Chicago Ave) is centrally located in downtown Evanston for groceries and prepared foods. Walgreens, CVS, and Target are also available within the downtown area for pharmacy needs and sundries.

Bookstores

Bookends & Beginnings (1620 Orrington Ave) is a beloved independent bookstore with a curated selection and cozy downstairs reading area. Right next door is Middles Used Books for secondhand finds.The LakefrontEvanston sits on Lake Michigan, and the Northwestern campus features beautiful lakefront paths. A morning or evening walk along the lakefill is a wonderful way to start or end a conference day. Lighthouse Beach and Clark Street Beach are also nearby for those who want to relax by the water. Daily beach passes are available for purchase.

Getting to Chicago

Downtown Chicago is easily accessible via the CTA Purple and Red Lines (approximately 40–50 minutes to the Loop). The city offers world-class museums, dining, architecture, and music. Highlights include the Art Institute of Chicago, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Millennium Park, and the vibrant jazz and blues clubs across the city.

Events in Chicago/Evanston

Ravinia Festival,the longest running outdoor music festival in North America, will feature multiple performances the week of SMPC. The festival is located in Highland Park, an estimated 25-30 minute drive from Evanston, or 40 minutes taking the Metra.Grant Park Music Festival is a free classical music outdoor concert series held at Grant Park in downtown Chicago throughout the summer.

Concerts during SMPC

Thursday, July 23 at 7:30pm

Grant Park Music Festival

Broadway Sings America

More Info

Thursday, July 23 at 7:30pm

Ravinia Festival

Chicago Symphony Orchestra - Mahlers Sixth Symphony

Tickets

Friday, July 24 at 8:00pm

Ravinia Festival

 Chicago Symphony Orchestra - On the Movies

Tickets