10 Best Chicago Neighborhoods for Foodies
Looking to live in a Chicago neighborhood with great food? Explore some of the hotspots of Chicago’s food scene for the best deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, and Chicago-style hot dogs.
Bordering Washington Park to the East, Hyde Park is a popular and culturally diverse South Side community. Lush, spacious parks and the University of Chicago campus dominate the neighborhood. Although there is a wide selection of luxury communities, there are many apartments and rental houses that are surprisingly affordable, attracting students, faculty, staff, and any renters looking for a good deal.
This small park-like neighborhood is rich with history. Hyde Park is home to one of Chicago’s most famous landmarks: The Museum of Science and Industry, the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere. Hyde Park was also home to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, several Nobel Prize winners, and former President Barack Obama. The neighborhood is surrounded by beautiful green spaces, lush foliage, and lakefront parks with small beaches. Midway Plaisance Park is a long stretch of parkland with sports facilities and an outdoor skating rink. With over 36 acres of land, Burnham offers beautiful waterfront views, tennis courts, and more.
On the northeast corner of the neighborhood, you’ll find a wide selection of restaurants, coffeehouses, and specialty shops. Rail service is also available in this neighborhood in case your desired destination isn’t within walking distance.
Walking trail through Hyde Park's luscious greenery
On-campus architecture
An aerial view of the University of Chicago in Hyde Park
As of May 2025, the average apartment rent in Hyde Park is $1,102 for a studio, $1,590 for one bedroom, $2,356 for two bedrooms, and $3,487 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Hyde Park has increased by 2.4% in the past year.
Studio
410 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,102/month
Average Rent
1 BR
644 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$1,590/month
Average Rent
2 BR
954 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$2,356/month
Average Rent
3 BR
1,282 sq ft
Average Sq Ft
$3,487/month
Average Rent
Looking to live in a Chicago neighborhood with great food? Explore some of the hotspots of Chicago’s food scene for the best deep-dish pizza, Italian beef, and Chicago-style hot dogs.
Walker's Paradise
out of 100 WalkScore® Rating
Lace up your walking shoes because this area is considered a walker’s paradise.
Good Transit
out of 100 TransitScore® Rating
The area around this property has good transit with many nearby transportation options.
Biker's Paradise
out of 100 BikeScore® Rating
Do you prefer to get around on two wheels? You’ll love living in this neighborhood, which is considered a biker’s paradise.
Current Resident
1 years ago•Niche Review
Hyde Park is quite the unique town in Chicago. Although a neighborhood, I consider it a town because of the immense consumerism present with every other street filled to the brim with new places to visit and shop. Hyde Park feels vibrant and special compared to the surrounding areas of the city.
Current Resident
1 years and 11 months ago•Niche Review
It's a great neighborhood with what I personally to have some of the best food in the whole city and considering it's in Chicago, that means probably some of the best food in America by association. The people can be cool for the most part but some of them be tripping sometimes.
Current Resident
2 years and 6 months ago•Niche Review
The things that I like about Hyde Park is being able to be close to the Lake. It's beautiful go there during spring, summer, and fall (not so much winter, then it gets freezing with the wind). The thing that I disliked about it was the fact that there is definitly a "bubble" that you feel safe and comfortable to be around in, but outside of the "bubble" you have to be very aware of your surroundings and make sure to stay safe.
Current Resident
2 years and 9 months ago•Niche Review
Hyde Park is a diverse and lively neighborhood. The University of Chicago and amazing venues and restaurants are within reach when you're a resident here.
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† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.
Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.
Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2025.