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  1. Photograph: Joe C. Moreno
    Photograph: Joe C. Moreno

    Art Smith, Jesus Salgueiro

  2. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    Freehling Pot & Pan Company (1365 E 53rd St, 773-643-8080), Chicago�s only family-owned cookware store, has everything possible for your kitchen, and even for a Top Chef�s kitchen.�

  3. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    �I come to family-owned Hyde Park Produce (1226 E 53rd St, 773-324-7100) on Saturdays for the Sisters of Notre Dame�s amazing French baked goods.�

  4. Photograph: Krystal Thibault
    Photograph: Krystal Thibault

    �When they opened Z & H MarketCafe (1126 E 47th St, 773-538-7372) on 47th, I was like, How? It�s a quiet street, and putting a destination gourmet food store there was brave in this economic climate. But everyone from the President to regular folks comes for great cheeses, sandwiches, coffee and other foods.�

  5. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    �From the crispiest fried chicken to amazing authentic tandoori chicken, and other delicious Indian specialties�plus lots of soulful sides�Rajun Cajun�s (1459 E 53rd St, 773-955-1145) got it. You get your karma and your comfort.�

  6. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    Valois Cafeteria (1518 E 53rd St, 773-667-0647): I�m Southern and love a cafeteria with sassy cooks and political gossip.�

  7. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    �Gaze at President Obama�s residence, but the real beauty is across the street at KAM Isaiah Israel temple (1100 E Hyde Park Blvd, 773-924-1234). This Byzantine structure is one of the great synagogues of Chicago.�

  8. Photograph: Krystal Thibault
    Photograph: Krystal Thibault

    �The Medici on 57th (1327 E 57th St, 773-667-7394) is the place where my not-for-profit Common Threads was born over one of the best cappuccinos.�

  9. Photograph: Martha Williams
    Photograph: Martha Williams

    �At the Oriental Institute (1155 E 58th St, 773-702-9514), you can wander the halls rumored to have inspired the Indiana Jones movies.�

  10. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    Bottles of pure extracts on display at the Freehling Pot & Pan Company store in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood.

  11. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    Rajun Cajun in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood.

  12. Photograph: Allison Williams
    Photograph: Allison Williams

    Rajun Cajun in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood.

Art Smith’s top Hyde Park-Kenwood spots

The chef shows us around his favorite neighborhood haunts.

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Art Smith, best known as Oprah’s former chef, Top Chef Masters participant, chef-owner of Table Fifty-Two and all-around nice guy, has called Hyde Park–Kenwood home for a decade. He and his partner, artist Jesus Salgueiro, love the area’s diversity. “You will find Nobel laureates next to activists, plus just regular folks who enjoy the ’hood,” Smith says. “We love the history, people and the peace.” While the chef’s been busy prepping for the late-December opening of his new New York restaurant, Joanne’s, a partnership with Lady Gaga’s father, he still finds time to hit some of his favorite neighborhood spots.

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