Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood showcases the foundation of the city’s African American history and culture. Since the early 20th century, this tree-lined community has been the place to experience Black art, music, food, and cultural history. This South Side neighborhood stretches from 22nd Street south to 51st Street, with most businesses located on 43rd, 47th, and 35th Streets (walking down 35th Street, you can get a great view of the neighborhood’s architecture and historic homes). While Bronzeville offers plenty of historic sites and monuments, it’s also home to a thriving community of modern-day creatives. Take the Red or Green line CTA trains to this dynamic South Side enclave to discover classic and new restaurants, galleries, tours, and performances. Here are a few of my favorites to get you started.
Chicago Mahogany Tours
Sign up for a Bronzeville tour by Chicago’s beloved urban historian and TikTok celebrity, Sherman “Dilla” Thomas. He guides visitors through notable neighborhood landmarks like the church where gospel music was born, the headquarters for the first Black-owned insurance company, and the site where Black History Month was born. Each two-hour tour is customized, and Bronzeville architecture, public art, and folklore are woven throughout the engaging journey.
Little Black Pearl
A center for creativity and entrepreneurship for over 30 years, this neighborhood art and design center offers art workshops, including three-day wheel-throwing and one-day hand-building ceramics workshops. The Black Unplugged series presents intimate concerts with boundary-pushing musicians, and the center’s annual summer event, Pearl Fest, supplies live music, food and art activities at Oakwood/39th St. Beach. Inside Little Black Pearl, stop by the bar/gallery/café/garden of Carver 47 for dishes like catfish with yellow grits or lamb burgers in a relaxed, art-filled setting.
Gallery Guichard
Bronzeville is home to many of the city’s influential Black artists and galleries. One of the biggest is Gallery Guichard, located inside the Bronzeville Artist Lofts. The sleek galley features regular exhibits from talented artists from all over the African Diaspora. Upstairs, the artist lofts house a group of local artists who open their home studios for tours and exhibits. Gallery Guichard hosts a standout array of events, including Artini, a monthly cocktail party that highlights exhibits and features a live DJ and artist talks on the second Thursday of every month. Palm Sunday Jazz concerts supply live jazz in the gallery’s lovely Great Migration Sculpture Garden, and the summer white parties are popular outings for art lovers across the city.
Faie Afrikan Art
Stop by this vibrant gallery to view art exhibits from East, West, Central, and Southern Africa. Browse two floors of traditional and contemporary African art, including carved masks, sculptures, paintings, and jewelry. The gallery also holds engaging artist talks and art events.
Blanc Gallery
With a focus on contemporary art exhibits that foster thought-provoking community conversations, Blanc sponsors multi-faceted events that encourage public dialogue. The gallery features panel discussions, artist talks, and traditional and non-traditional exhibits, with multi-media elements.
Bronzeville Art District Trolley Tours
One of Chicago’s most anticipated summer experiences, these fun-filled tours feature double-decker buses that roll through the Bronzeville arts district from June through September on the third Friday of every month. The free trolley rides stop at the South Side Community Art Center, Gallery Guichard and Bronzeville Artis Lofts, Faie Afrikan Art, and Blanc Gallery on an hourly schedule so that visitors can take in all of the galleries without worrying about parking or walking. The galleries feature exhibits, music, and talks during the tours.
Haji Healing Salon
Wellness and natural lifestyles are the keywords at this welcoming emporium. Whether you’re shopping for plants or yoga classes, Haji supplies an assortment of healthy options. The shop features an apothecary with herbs, natural skincare, incense, teas, candles, and infusers. Classes cover topics including yoga, reiki, acupuncture, sound healing, and herbal remedies. The Sunday Sanctuary series offer special healing rituals drawing from traditional African healing practices.
Turner Haus Brewery
Chicago’s first Black-owned taproom pours out premium, high-gravity beers named for women in the founder’s family. The cozy space offers flights or individual beers accented with interesting ingredients like peanut butter and jalapeno. Another unusual aspect is that the brewery operates as the café Sip & Savor by day before morphing into a brewery at 5 p.m.
Yassa African Restaurant
Sample some of the best Senegalese food in Chicago at this warm and inviting restaurant. Prepare to spend some time enjoying heaping platters of staple dishes like the delectable Thieboudienne (Senegal’s national dish), a marinated whole fish with vegetables and jollof rice; the namesake Yassa chicken, fish, or lamb marinated with lemon, garlic and onions; or a host of other tasty offerings. Don’t miss the fresh juices like bissap (hibiscus), ginger, baobab, or honeydew and pineapple.
Peach’s on 47th
Stuff yourself with flavorful soul food classics at this brunch spot. A landmark Bronzeville favorite, Peaches features an extensive menu of highlights like shrimp & grits, salmon croquettes, peach bourbon French toast, or 7Up pancakes washed down with the signature peaches & cream coffee. The restaurant is open from Wednesday through Sunday until 2 p.m.; arrive early because the lines tend to be long.
Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream
The rich, old-fashioned flavors of this tiny ice cream shop draw fans from all over the city. From lemon pound cake to “my mom’s famous slap yo son” banana pudding ice cream, you won’t find ice cream like this anywhere else in Chicago. The store also serves a selection of Southern desserts like peach cobbler and Southern Comfort caramel rum cake.