I’m excited to share with a you a true Oak Park gem today. Marion Street Cheese Market is one of the first places we visited when we moved into our condo almost six years ago. It’s conveniently located steps away from the Oak Park Metra and Harlem Green Line stations so it’s the perfect spot for commuters to stop on their way home. Marion Street has both a shop and bistro. The shop carries tons of varieties of artisan and farmstead cheeses as well as charcuterie, chocolates, wine, beer, and several other gourmet goodies. I love stopping in here to pick up cheese whenever we host parties or have people over to our home. The cheese mongers are very knowledgeable and always help me pick out the best varieties. My favorite is the Raspberry Bellavitano which is a Parmesan cheese that has been soaked in New Glarus Raspberry Tart Ale.
In addition to the fabulous cheese shop, Marion Street also has a bistro with wonderful food. We have eaten here several times for both brunch and dinner. We almost always start with a cheese flight in which you can create your own three or five piece selection.
Their menu is constantly changing in order to highlight what is in season which I love. Today I will share some different dishes we’ve had over the years. First up brunch! We most recently stopped in for brunch over the summer when my parents were in town visiting. I ordered the Panzanella with Burrata, Tomatoes, Arugula, and Balsamic which was light and fresh. The perfect summer meal!
My dad opted for something a little more hearty with their Fried Chicken Biscuits and Gravy. He had no complaints about his meal either!
On another brunch visit Kevin ordered their version of Chilaquilles which as you can see was very different than a traditional dish of tortilla chips topped with salsas and eggs. Here the tortilla chips are baked into almost like a bread pudding consistency. It was definitely an interesting twist on this class Mexican breakfast.
And of course no brunch is complete without a side of Breakfast Potatoes. Perfectly roasted and crispy!
Some dinner items we have tried and loved include this Papardelle with Lamb Ragu, Carrots, and Pomegranate Seeds. One of my favorite pasta dishes to date. I loved the added crunch of the pomegranate seeds on top! This is quintessential fall.
Another favorite is the Shrimp and Grits with Greens. The perfect meal to warm up with in the winter.
One of my favorite sides to order are their Crispy Roasted Brussels Sprouts. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with roasted sprouts!
These are just a few of the many delicious menu items we have tried at Marion Street. It’s a perfect place for a date night or to meet up with friends. We have also come here after work and settled up at the bar to order a cheese flight with drinks for a little happy hour. They often have live jazz music on the weekends as well.
Marion Street Cheese Market is located at 100 S. Marion St. in Oak Park, IL
Those shrimp and grits and Brussel Sprouts look delicious. It’s so nice to see other bloggers giving the suburbs some love!
Oak Park doesn’t have a ton of great restaurants, but there definitely are a few that we love!