Been to the "North Market" in Columbus, Ohio?

Is there a nything like Columbus's "North Market" here in Chi, or the Western Suburbs?

I dunno - tell those of us who've never been there a little more about what it's like and we'll do our best to think up an analogous version in town. Are we thinking farmers market, costco, or ethnic?

Mutiple purveyors in one space.
Imagine Whole Foods, if each department were seperately owned and operated.
Also some small restaurants included.

I know --"Why not just go to Whole Foods?"
It's because at the North Market each purveyor is more devloped and personally involved than at WF.
There's a spice store, a cheese store, a couple meat markets where you buy great meat, poultry, rabbit. One of the meat purveyors is the retail end of a local family farm. The ice cream shop is by far the best ice cream I've ever eaten (try the Salted Caramel)
Plus you don't need a bank loan to buy incredible ingredients, and there's no attitude.

opaline wrote:I know --"Why not just go to Whole Foods?"
It's because at the North Market each purveyor is more devloped and personally involved than at WF.
There's a spice store, a cheese store, a couple meat markets where you buy great meat, poultry, rabbit. One of the meat purveyors is the retail end of a local family farm. The ice cream shop is by far the best ice cream I've ever eaten (try the Salted Caramel)
Plus you don't need a bank loan to buy incredible ingredients, and there's no attitude.

There is no problem duplicating this experience in Chicago, what with all the ethnic markets and specialty sotres we have...just not in one place.

No, there's no North Market here. You need to shop around. There's Caputo's, in Addison, with another store on Harlem, just north of Diversey - Italian greengrocer with good meats and deli. It's worth a trip into the latter store, around which there are also other specialty stores, including two bakeries as you go north on Harlem. One is Giordano's (sp?), a few blocks south of Belmont on the east side of Harlem, and another is Casa Nostra, with great bread, on Belmont, just east of Harlem (on the north side of the street). Also, a few blocks above North, still on Harlem, on the west side of the street, is Gene's (?). It's an Italian grocery store and next to a fresh pasta store.

Sadly, there's no such thing here. Boy, I miss the bakery that had the big buckeyes and the giant devils food cupcakes with the thick buttercream frosting and mini chocolate chips. And the egg lady and the cheese guys and the guy with the big stainless steel tray of potato salad and Sanfilippo's produce. I don't even know how many of them are still around. And the old building, of course...

For cheese I'd recommend The Cheese Stands Alone at 4547 N. Western Ave.

If anyone knows where to get good handmade buckeyes, I'd be glad to hear about it. I've seen machine ones at Trader Joe's and didn't have the heart to try them. I've also had a small but ok one from the candy counter at Fields downtown.