The West Argyle Street Historic District. Photo: Paul R. Burley / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Argyle Street is only a few blocks long, but it carries more culinary weight than many entire neighborhoods. Between Broadway and Sheridan Road, and spilling onto Broadway itself, is one of the country’s best-known clusters of Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Cambodian and Lao restaurants, groceries and bakeries.
How Argyle came to be
The corridor took shape in the 1970s and early 1980s. Chinese American businessman Charlie Soo and others promoted the area as a new commercial district, and refugees from Southeast Asia, many of Chinese descent, opened shops and restaurants after the Vietnam War. Taste of Argyle, a street festival, began in 1981.
In 2010, the West Argyle Street Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing the early 20th century commercial buildings along the street.
Pho and noodle houses
The street is known first for pho, the Vietnamese beef noodle soup. Several restaurants specialize in it, and regulars have strong opinions on broth, herbs and the right ratio of noodles to meat. Most also serve bun, rice dishes and spring rolls.
Banh mi and bakeries
Banh mi sandwiches, on crusty baguettes with pickled vegetables, cilantro and grilled or cold-cut meats, are a staple of the street. Bakeries sell them alongside pastries, mooncakes and sweet buns. Prices remain among the most affordable for lunch on the North Side.
Groceries and markets
Tai Nam Market Center at Broadway and Argyle and other grocers stock produce, seafood, sauces and dry goods that are hard to find elsewhere in the city. Restaurant owners across Chicago shop here for supplies.
Getting there
The Argyle Red Line station, rebuilt and reopened in July 2025 as part of the CTA’s Red and Purple Modernization project, sits right on the street. Parking can be tight, especially on weekends.
A tip for first-timers
Go hungry and go with friends. Many dishes are made for sharing, and a walk down Argyle is best done with a few stops: a bowl of soup, a sandwich to go and something sweet for later.
Linh Tran-Whitaker covers Argyle Street, dining and community life.
