District 12 of 12 · Oak Park’s Southern Border · The Veltway

Roosevelt Road
Business District

Oak Park’s southernmost district — and the northern edge of one of the Chicago area’s great entertainment corridors. Kinslahger Brewing, Pete’s Red Hots on Turano rolls, Salerno’s Pizza on the Oak Park side. Directly across the road in Berwyn: FitzGerald’s live music (since the ’80s), Autre Monde, Bodhi Thai, Friendly Tap (since 1937), Milly’s Pizza, Turano Baking Company, and more. Roosevelt Road doesn’t ask which side of the line you’re on.

Kinslahger Brewing — Travel + Leisure FitzGerald’s — TripAdvisor #1 Berwyn Turano Baking Since 1962 I-290 Direct Access The Veltway
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District 12
of 12 — Oak Park’s last
Since 1937
Friendly Tap — Berwyn Neighbor
Since 1962
Turano Baking Company
6 Nights
Live Music at FitzGerald’s
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About the Oak Park / Berwyn Border
Roosevelt Road is a border street: north of the centerline is Oak Park; south of the centerline is Berwyn. The businesses in this district sit on both sides. The four on the Oak Park side (Kinslahger Brewing, Pete’s Red Hots, Salerno’s, Camp Bow Wow) are official Oak Park businesses. The eight on the Berwyn side (FitzGerald’s, Autre Monde, Friendly Tap, Milly’s, Java12, Bodhi Thai, Turano, Distro Music Hall) are technically in Berwyn — but every south Oak Park resident uses the entire corridor as one shared strip. This page covers the full corridor as it actually functions, with each business’s location clearly noted.

District Overview

Oak Park’s Southern Edge — and One of the Area’s Great Shared Corridors

A century ago, the blocks just north of Roosevelt Road were informally known as “South Oak Park” — north Berwyn residents sent their kids to Oak Park schools and received mail with Oak Park addresses. The border never fully separated the two communities. Today the Wednesday Journal describes Roosevelt Road as the street “where the north side is Oak Park and the south side is Berwyn,” and Berwyn residents call their stretch of it “The Veltway.” From a daily-life standpoint, it is simply one shared corridor.

On the Oak Park side: Kinslahger Brewing Company at 6806 Roosevelt Rd — named by Travel + Leisure among the best local breweries, specializing in lagered beer, taproom open Thu–Sun — is the district’s craft brewery anchor. Pete’s Red Hots at 6346 Roosevelt, next to the Turano bakery, serves Italian beef on Turano rolls with 4.6/5 on Restaurant Guru and 2,300+ reviews — one of the most-reviewed spots on the entire corridor. Salerno’s Pizza at 7128 Roosevelt (est. 1966) has been a neighborhood Italian institution for nearly 60 years. Camp Bow Wow at 6046 Roosevelt has been serving the Oak Park dog community since 2007, with live webcams, three play yards, and 4.8-star ratings across 268+ reviews.

Directly across the road in Berwyn: FitzGerald’s Nightclub at 6615 Roosevelt (TripAdvisor’s #1 attraction in Berwyn) has been booking live music six nights a week since the 1980s. Autre Monde at 6727 Roosevelt is the corridor’s fine dining destination — a farm-to-table Mediterranean restaurant that the Wednesday Journal noted “gets more mentions in Chicago magazine than Rahm.” Bodhi Thai Bistro, Friendly Tap (est. 1937), Milly’s Pizza, Turano Baking Company’s company store, Java12, and Distro Music Hall round out a genuinely impressive strip for a southern suburban border road.

A local developer quoted in the Wednesday Journal put it plainly: “Harrison Street has blown up and now resembles an established area in Chicago, like Bucktown. There are so many businesses on Harrison, Roosevelt Road and South Oak Park Avenue that buyers can enjoy.” Roosevelt Road is part of that argument.

On the Oak Park Side

Roosevelt Road’s Oak Park Businesses

These four businesses sit on the north side of Roosevelt Road — officially in Oak Park — and anchor the district from Kinslahger’s taproom at the far east end to Camp Bow Wow near the Harlem border.

Craft Brewery — Travel + Leisure Pick
Kinslahger Brewing Company
6806 Roosevelt Rd, Oak Park, IL 60304
Oak Park’s craft brewery anchor on Roosevelt Road — named by Travel + Leisure among the best local breweries. Specializes in lagered beer, both traditional styles (Munich Helles, Pilsner, Dunkel) and experimental variations that push the style forward. The taproom is a community gathering point for south Oak Park: a snack menu anchored by a house-made fresh pretzel with dunkel mustard, plus an extensive list of local food delivery partners (Publican Quality Bread, Pete’s Red Hots, Taco Mucho). Kinslahger also supplies the craft beer for the Arts District’s annual What’s Blooming on Harrison Street festival. Taproom: Thu–Fri 5–10pm, Sat 2–10pm, Sun 2–6pm.
Chicago Hot Dog Stand — 4.6/5 — Turano Rolls
Pete’s Red Hots
6346 Roosevelt Rd, Oak Park, IL 60304
A classic Chicago hot dog and Italian beef stand directly next to the Turano Baking Company — which is more than a coincidence, given the rolls. 4.6/5 on Restaurant Guru with 2,300+ reviews; 290+ on Restaurantji. Known for Italian beef (reviewers call it “top-tier quality,” noting the “flavorful seasoning and good retention of taste even after soaking in the roll”), double cheeseburgers, gyros, and Italian ice — whipped and served half lemon, half watermelon in summer. Fast and friendly with a “mom-and-pop vibe.” A quintessential south Oak Park lunch stop, open daily. The proximity to Turano is the not-so-secret reason the Italian beef is that good.
Italian Restaurant — Est. 1966
Salerno’s Pizza
7128 W Roosevelt Rd, Oak Park, IL 60304
The Original Salerno’s Pizzeria, established 1966 — nearly 60 years in the Chicago area. The Oak Park location brings thin-crust pizza, homemade cavatelli, lasagna, meatballs, eggplant parmigiana, spaghetti, shrimp scampi, ribs, and desserts (tiramisu, cannoli) to Roosevelt Road in a full sit-down dining room with wood wainscoting, an eye-catching bar, and a warm, neighborhood feel. 248+ Yelp reviews; 7,984+ Facebook check-ins. TripAdvisor reviewers: “a gem on Roosevelt Rd,” “homemade cavatelli noodles,” “same warm welcome and same great food.” Dine-in, delivery, carryout, and catering. Mon–Thu 10am–11pm, Fri–Sat 10am–midnight, Sun 10am–11pm.
Dog Day Camp & Boarding — Est. 2007
Camp Bow Wow
6046 Roosevelt Rd, Oak Park, IL 60304
A full-service dog day camp and overnight boarding facility on Roosevelt Road, serving Oak Park’s dog community since 2007. Three play yards, private sleeping cabins, live webcams so owners can check in any time, and a staff that reviewers consistently call caring and genuinely engaged with the animals. 4.8 stars, 268+ reviews; 364+ on Birdeye. Services include doggy day camp, overnight boarding, group and private training, “Play & Train” and “Board & Train” packages, and grooming. Reviewers: “I love that Camp Bow Wow is close to my house and a part of my neighborhood.” Mon–Fri 6:30am–7pm, Sat–Sun 7am–7pm.

Just Across the Road — Berwyn Neighbors

The South Side of Roosevelt: Berwyn’s Entertainment Strip

All eight of the following are technically in Berwyn — on the south side of Roosevelt Road, across the centerline from Oak Park. Every south Oak Park resident uses them as freely as their Oak Park counterparts. They are included here because they are the actual daily-life dining, entertainment, and service context for buyers considering this part of the village.

Live Music Venue — TripAdvisor #1 Berwyn — Since the ’80s
FitzGerald’s Nightclub & Sidebar
6615 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
One of the Chicago area’s most celebrated independent live music venues — TripAdvisor’s #1 attraction in Berwyn. Originally a Bohemian hunting lodge, FitzGerald’s has been booking live music since the 1980s: Americana, blues, jazz, country, folk, rockabilly, and more, six nights a week. Capacity: 400 inside, 100 seated outside in the parking lot venue during summer months. Featured in the films A League of Their Own and The Color of Money. An open mic every Tuesday. 177+ Yelp reviews; 195+ photos. Babygold Barbecue — from celebrated Chicago chef and Berwyn resident John Manion — operates adjacent to the venue. Tue–Thu 5pm–11pm, Fri–Sat 5pm–midnight, Sun noon–11pm.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Farm-to-Table Mediterranean — Highly Reviewed
Autre Monde Café & Spirits
6727 W Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
The corridor’s fine dining anchor — a scratch kitchen delivering creative, seasonal farm-to-table Mediterranean cuisine that the Wednesday Journal noted “gets more mentions in Chicago Magazine” than most suburban counterparts. A chef’s tasting menu alongside an à la carte seasonal menu, phenomenal brunch, and a spirits program that earned it the name “Café & Spirits.” 360+ Yelp reviews; 243+ photos. Owned by the same proprietors as the adjacent business — they chose the location specifically for its Roosevelt Road setting and proximity to FitzGerald’s. Mon & Thu–Sun 5–9pm (Fri–Sat until 10pm). Closed Tue–Wed.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Thai Bistro — 438+ Reviews
Bodhi Thai Bistro
6211 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
Described by the Berwyn tourism site as offering “seriously delicious street-style Thai fare” with an expansive menu including vegetarian and vegan options galore. 438+ Yelp reviews; 248+ photos. One of the most consistently reviewed restaurants on the entire Roosevelt Road corridor, with a menu ranging from classic curries and pad thai to more adventurous regional Thai preparations. Named by a local developer as one of the signature restaurants drawing buyers to south Oak Park. Mon & Wed–Thu 11am–9pm, Fri–Sat 11am–10pm, Sun noon–9pm. Closed Tuesday.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Music Community — Est. 1937 — Open Mic
Friendly Tap & Friendly Music Community
6733 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
A Berwyn institution since 1937 — the Friendly Tap, Friendly Coffee Lounge, and Friendly School of Folk Music together form what they call the “Friendly Music Community.” Billed as a modern-day juke joint and bar with open mic Wednesdays, regular live music, outdoor seating, and Wi-Fi. In recent years it has become an all-day, family-friendly gathering space that opens with coffee in the morning and closes with live music at night. Reviewers: “Greatest musicians in the western hemisphere!!!!” and “one of the best watering holes in Berwyn.” Steps from FitzGerald’s; next door to Milly’s Pizza.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Detroit-Style Pizza — Hand-Crafted — Sells Out Daily
Milly’s Pizza in the Pan
6737 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
A tribute to founder Robert’s grandmother, who taught him to cook — started as a pandemic ghost kitchen in 2020, expanded to Uptown, then opened this Berwyn second location in 2024 in the former Gina’s Italian Ice building (itself a 46-year Berwyn institution). Detroit-style pizza with a cold-fermented dough, crispy-airy crust, caramelized cheese edges, signature pepperoni cups, and meticulous topping selection. A limited number of pizzas are handcrafted each day — they regularly sell out. Reviewers: “You can absolutely taste the love and care that goes into their food.” Order ahead strongly recommended. Wed–Sun 4–8pm.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Italian Bakery HQ — National Distributor — Company Store
Turano Baking Company
6501 W Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
Founded by Mariano Turano in 1962 — who came from Calabria, Italy to build a better life — the Turano Baking Company has been headquartered on Roosevelt Road since 1967. Today it produces over 400 varieties of full and par-baked breads, rolls, and baked specialties distributed to thousands of foodservice customers across Chicagoland and nationally. The Roosevelt Road company store sells direct to the public: fresh-baked Italian hearth breads, rolls, ciabattas, and baguettes. The bakery is so embedded in the corridor that Pete’s Red Hots — next door in Oak Park — is famous partly because the rolls are Turano rolls. Mon–Fri 8am–5:30pm, Sat 8am–4pm.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Coffee, Ice Cream & Crepes — Family-Owned
Java12
6303 W Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
A family-owned neighborhood café on Roosevelt Road serving coffee, ice cream, pastries, and crepes. Known for signature frappes and a comfortable gathering-place feel, with outdoor seating in warmer months. Instagram: “Coffee | Ice Cream | Pastries | Crepes & more — Family Owned & Operated.” A lower-key, daytime option on the corridor that fills the gap between a quick coffee and a full restaurant. Mon–Thu 8am–8pm, Fri–Sat 8am–9pm.
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park.
Live Music Hall — 400+ Capacity — Est. 2024
Distro Music Hall
6815 Roosevelt Rd, Berwyn, IL 60402
A live music venue that reopened in 2024 in a building with a rich history: opened as the Oak Theater in 1934, renamed the Oakwyn Theater in 1937 (combining “Oak Park” and “Berwyn”), became a Teamsters union hall in 1951, then Wire live music venue in 2013, and now Distro Music Hall. Capacity: 400+, with a spacious stage, top-of-the-line audio and modern lighting, an upscale VIP room on the second level, and live music, DJ sets, and private event bookings. 4.4 stars, 149+ reviews; 6,383+ Facebook check-ins. A younger, higher-energy counterpart to FitzGerald’s a block east. Thu–Sun 8pm–1am (Fri–Sat until 3am).
Located in Berwyn, IL — directly across Roosevelt Road from Oak Park. Building history dates to 1934.

Oak Park Neighborhood

The Neighborhood This District Anchors

Roosevelt Road is the southern boundary of Oak Park’s South-of-290 neighborhood — the village’s most southerly residential zone and one of its most value-oriented entry points. Buyers in this neighborhood have direct access to this entire entertainment corridor regardless of which side of the road any given restaurant is on.

Oak Park Neighborhood
South of 290
The South-of-290 neighborhood sits between I-290 and Roosevelt Road — Oak Park’s southernmost residential area. The Wednesday Journal has noted the broader south Oak Park renaissance: “Harrison Street has blown up… There are so many businesses on Harrison, Roosevelt Road and South Oak Park Avenue that buyers can enjoy.” Buyers in this neighborhood have direct access to Kinslahger Brewing, Pete’s Red Hots, Salerno’s, FitzGerald’s, Autre Monde, and the full Roosevelt Road corridor, plus all of the Harrison Street and Southtown businesses nearby. Price points remain among the most accessible in the village.
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Scott Berg, Oak Park Real Estate Broker

Photo: Prestige Real Estate Images

Your Local Expert

Roosevelt Road Is Where the “South Oak Park Value Story” Gets Its Most Compelling Supporting Evidence

The argument for south Oak Park has always been price point and undervaluation — same schools, same parks, same CTA, lower cost of entry. But the argument has gotten more interesting as the corridor has developed. FitzGerald’s has been booking serious live music for forty years. Autre Monde is the kind of restaurant that generates Chicago Magazine coverage. Kinslahger is brewing beer that gets Travel + Leisure national attention from a taproom on Roosevelt Road in Oak Park. Milly’s Pizza sells out every day.

That is the context buyers are getting when they purchase near Roosevelt Road in south Oak Park — and most of them don’t fully realize it until after they’ve moved in and started using the corridor. The question is not whether the strip has value. It clearly does. The question is which specific blocks and price points make the most sense for what you’re looking for. That is a conversation I can have in detail with anyone who is serious about this part of the village.

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Explore Oak Park

Other Oak Park Business Districts Nearby

District 11
Oak Park Arts District
Harrison Street: Publican Quality Bread (James Beard Award), MORA Asian Kitchen, Trattoria 225, Taco Mucho, Happy Apple Pie, Val’s Halla Records (est. 1972).
Explore →
District 10
Southtown
Avenue Ale House, Sen Sushi, Kettlestrings, Addis Café, Hole in the Wall (70+ yrs), Westgate Flowers (est. 1935), Carnival Grocery, The Looking Glass.
Explore →
District 09
Garfield-Harlem
Autobarn Volvo, Animal Care League (no-kill est. 1973), Kiddie Academy, White Crane Creative Thai & Sushi (Forest Park neighbor).
Explore →
District 08
Madison Street
Al’s Grill, Tacos ’76, Chicago’s Home of Chicken & Waffles, Sugar Beet Co-op, Madison Street Theatre, Pete’s Fresh Market (coming soon).
Explore →
District 05
Hemingway District
Rustico (Yelp #1), Maya Del Sol, Citrine Café, Grape Leaves, Seoul Ave, Mulata Kitchen, Unity Temple (UNESCO), Spilt Milk.
Explore →
District 07
Pleasant District
Victory Italian, Poor Phil’s, Anfora Wine (USA Today Top 3), Blackout Baking, Ebert Studio, Mira Social, Carleton Hotel, Pleasant Home NHL.
Explore →

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions:
Roosevelt Road District

Roosevelt Road is Oak Park’s southernmost commercial corridor and 12th official business district. Because it is a border street — Oak Park north of centerline, Berwyn south — the corridor includes businesses on both sides. Oak Park businesses include Kinslahger Brewing (6806), Pete’s Red Hots (6346), Salerno’s Pizza (7128), and Camp Bow Wow (6046). Directly across in Berwyn: FitzGerald’s Nightclub, Autre Monde Café, Bodhi Thai, Friendly Tap (est. 1937), Milly’s Pizza, Turano Baking Company, Java12, and Distro Music Hall. South Oak Park residents use the full corridor freely.

Kinslahger Brewing Company at 6806 Roosevelt Rd, Oak Park is a craft brewery specializing in lagered beer — named by Travel + Leisure among the best local breweries. The taproom is a community gathering point, working with neighboring restaurants for delivery and supplying craft beer to the Arts District’s annual What’s Blooming festival. For buyers evaluating south Oak Park, Kinslahger is one of the tangible anchors of the corridor’s quality-of-life case — a serious craft brewery at the end of the village’s southernmost block.

Completely. Roosevelt Road is the border and the centerline is the technical dividing point, but no one who lives in south Oak Park thinks of the Berwyn side as a different destination. FitzGerald’s has been booking live music since the 1980s, Autre Monde generates Chicago Magazine coverage, Bodhi Thai has 438+ Yelp reviews, and the Friendly Tap has been open since 1937 — all directly across the street. A local developer quoted in the Wednesday Journal specifically cited Bodhi Thai and other Roosevelt Road businesses as part of the value case for south Oak Park real estate. They’re part of the deal.

FitzGerald’s Nightclub at 6615 Roosevelt Rd (Berwyn, directly across from Oak Park) is TripAdvisor’s #1 attraction in Berwyn and one of the most respected independent live music venues in the Chicago area. Books six nights a week — Americana, blues, jazz, country, folk, rockabilly — in a venue that once served as a Bohemian hunting lodge and has appeared in the films A League of Their Own and The Color of Money. Capacity 400 inside. Open mic every Tuesday. Babygold Barbecue from chef John Manion operates next door. Yes, it is worth knowing about if you’re buying near south Oak Park.

South of 290 Oak Park near Roosevelt Road typically offers the most accessible price points in the village — same school district, park district, and village services as the rest of Oak Park, with I-290 direct access and Blue Line nearby. The corridor itself — Kinslahger, Pete’s Red Hots, Salerno’s, FitzGerald’s, Autre Monde, Bodhi Thai, Friendly Tap, and more — represents genuine entertainment and dining value that buyers only fully discover after they move in. Scott can walk through current listings, specific blocks, and what comparable properties have sold for in this area of the village.

Ready to Find Your Neighborhood?

The Roosevelt Road Corridor Is the Best Supporting Argument for South Oak Park Real Estate

A Travel + Leisure craft brewery. Live music six nights a week at a venue that has been here since the ’80s. A Mediterranean restaurant that makes Chicago Magazine. Detroit-style pizza that sells out by 6pm. Italian beef on rolls baked across the parking lot. A 1937 bar with open mic on Wednesdays. All of this is within walking distance of neighborhoods where Oak Park real estate is still accessible. Let Scott explain what that means in practice for your search.

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