"A city of neighborhoods" is an enduring Chicago cliché for good reason. The neighborhood boundaries and their distinctive characteristics have been formed by waves of immigrants—Irish, German, Polish, Asian, Latino, and others—who have moved in, left their mark, and moved on. Following is a short list of neighborhoods you may want to see while in Chicago:

Hyde Park: Home to the University of Chicago and numerous seminaries, Hyde Park probably has more bookstores per capita than anywhere in the nation. Favorites for new books are 57th Street Books and the Seminary Co-Op Bookstore. The largest of the used bookstores is Powell’s at 1501 East 57th. Visitors may also want to tour the Museum of Science and Industry, located at East 57th and Lake Shore Drive. The architecture of the museum was originally designed for the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893.

Greektown: Along Halsted Street, just north of the Eisenhower Expressway, is Greektown, where visitors will, not surprisingly, find some of the best Greek food in town. Notable restaurants include Greek Islands at 200 South Halsted, the Parthenon at 314 South Halsted, Pegasus at 130 South Halsted, Rodity’s at 22 South Halsted, and Santorini’s at 138 South Halsted.

Uptown: On the north side, Uptown is home to an assortment of ethnic groups living west of Lakefront to Ashland Avenue, between Irving Park Road and Foster Avenue: Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Cambodian, and Laotian. The Green Mill Lounge offers jazz music and the Poetry Slam competitions made nationally famous by local Chicago poet Marc Smith. The Green Mill is also known for its place in gangster lore as the bar where Al Capone smuggled bootleg liquor through a trapdoor behind the bar. Current owner Dave Jemilo has restored the "Mill" to its Prohibition-era, speakeasy décor.

Lincoln Park: Named for the city’s largest park, Lincoln Park is the most gentrified of Lakefront neighborhoods. The park itself boasts an excellent zoo and botanical conservatory, and the area west of the park between Armitage and Diversey is fashionable and upscale. Armitage Street itself is recommended for shopping—stylish but "offbeat" fashions are the ticket here. Charlie Trotters, at 816 West Armitage, is one of the city’s finest restaurants. (For lower-end dining, Demon Dogs on Fullerton Avenue, under the Fullerton "El," sells hot dogs and fries, Chicago style.) Lincoln Park is also home to DePaul University.

Wrigleyville: North of Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville is where baseball fans can find Chicago’s Cubs and the famed "Friendly Confines" of Wrigley Field. Wrigleyville is also a thriving neighborhood of restaurants, shops, bars, and bookstores. The White Sox play at the new Comiskey Park, on the south side, near 35th Street and Shields Avenue.

Lincoln Square/Ravenswood: Located between Montrose and Bryn Mawr avenues, and between Ravenswood Avenue and the Chicago River, Lincoln Square—a.k.a. Ravenswood—was historically home to a large German population. Meyer’s Deli in the square (4750 North Lincoln) is a local favorite, and the square itself (where Lincoln Avenue bends into Western Avenue) is home to Merz Apothecary (4716 North Lincoln), the homeopathic pharmacy established in 1875. In the summer, Lincoln Square is the site of one of the city’s most popular street festivals, the German-American fest.

Andersonville: West of Uptown on Clark between Foster and Bryn Mawr, Andersonville is historically a Swedish community. The cinnamon rolls at Ann Sather’s, a Swedish diner featuring breakfast, brunch, and lunch, are not to be missed. (Watch for crowds on weekend mornings; other Ann Sather’s locations are on Belmont and Southport avenues.) Next door to the restaurant is a museum of Swedish-American history. More recently, a sizable Mid-Eastern community has settled here, and Clark Street also boasts several fine Mid-Eastern restaurants.

Devon Street: A thriving Indian community has made its home here. Up and down the street are shops selling Saris and some of the best Indian restaurants in town. An especially good one is Gandhi, at 2601 West Devon.

The city’s Chinatown, on the near south side, is lively and colorful. River North, just across the Chicago River, has many fine restaurants, art galleries, and shops. And of course, the "Magnificent Mile" on Michigan Avenue is the place to go for shopping.

Not confined to any particular neighborhood is Chicago’s famed deep-dish pizza. Special favorites are Lou Malnati’s, on Wells Street near the Merchandise Mart, and on Lincoln and Sheffield in Lincoln Park. Giordano’s, another favorite, has locations throughout Chicago.