Lindy's Chili & Gertie's Ice Cream - Mount Greenwood - Chicago
Two historic Chicago businesses in one: Gertie's Ice Cream dates to 1901, beginning as a drugstore with a soda fountain at 55th and California, while Lindy's Chili opened in 1924 at 36th and Archer, after Moe "Lindy" Linderman, working with E.L. Griffith's new spice processing and mixing company, developed his secret recipe. The McKinley Park location, the original Lindy's, lays claim to the title of Chicago's first chili parlor (if you don't count the San Antonio Chili Stand at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition). The two concepts were combined after local businessman Joseph Yesutis bought them in 1974.
Sundaes, floats, sodas and "triple rich" malts and milkshakes are built with house-made ice cream that has a 14-percent butterfat content, and the real whipped cream and caramel sauce are also house-made. A local favorite, the "Three Queens" sundae features three large scoops of ice cream topped with chocolate, lime and cherry syrups, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, bananas, Brazil nuts and vanilla wafers.
The mild, chunky, beef-and-tomato chili comes with or without your choice of beans or macaroni. Cheese, sour cream and onions are optional add-ons. Lindy's also serves chili over pasta and a variety of burgers, hot dogs and sandwiches. Fries are fresh cut daily.
Other locations include Ashburn and Garfield Ridge in Chicago, and the suburbs of Bridgeview, Cicero, Countryside and Morris.
—Leah A. Zeldes
