Logan Square

Despite being one of Chicago’s most rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods, Logan Square is an area steeped in history. Nowhere in the city is its famed boulevard system better represented. These spacious, tree-lined thoroughfares encircle the city, connecting major public parks. Two of these, Logan and Kedzie Boulevards intersect at ‘Logan Square’, a large grassy traffic circle surrounding a 70-foot tall eagle-topped marble column. This Illinois Centennial Monument was designed by architect Henry Bacon, who is perhaps better known for his Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C.

Logan Square: Historic Boulevards Home to Diverse (and Delicious) Dining

Written by Alan Solomon, with research assistance from the Chicago Neighborhood Tourism Project. 

In a city renowned for its boulevards, Logan Square is a neighborhood with four of them in its own National Historic District.

More on those later. First, the food.

At the corner of Western and Armitage Avenues near the eastern border of Logan Square is a time-capsule called Margie's Candies. It's been here since 1921, selling chocolates and malteds and devilishly seductive banana splits. Booths still have those little tabletop jukeboxes. They haven't worked in years, but it's still fun to flip through the options and find "Muskrat Love" by the Captain and Tennille.

Less than a block east is Sam's Red Hots. Compared to Margie's, it's a newcomer. One of a vanishing breed (the no-frills Chicago hot dog stand) it's been here a mere 70 years, owned during all that time by just two families.

"Ain't many of us left," says employee Julia Rempala as she assembles, with perfection, the quintessential Chicago hot dog: Vienna all-beef frank with yellow mustard, bright green relish, chopped onions and two -- always two -- potent sport peppers. 

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