Thirty years in the Heartland

If you’ve got even an ounce of granola about you, odds are you’ve eaten at the Heartland Café (7000 N Glenwood Ave, 773-465-8005), a health-focused restaurant that’s known as “the heart of Rogers Park” to regular patrons. Opened in 1976 by Michael James and Katy Hogan, both teachers and political activists, Heartland Café has expanded over the years to include a bar, theater, radio show, quarterly journal and general store. “We wanted to build a base camp for progressive folks,” James says. The space is still as well known for its political discussions and liberal community as it is for its buffalo burger. “The neighborhood has had its ups and downs, but Heartland Café has really stayed the same,” says Brettly Kawaguchi, whose father owned what is now the Red Line Tap, a neighboring tavern that was bought, restored and renamed as part of the Heartland Café after his father’s death. A four-day anniversary celebration will kick off Thursday 10 with the Outlaw Family Band and the Long Gone Lonesome Boys. On Friday 11 at 7pm, the owners will discuss the Heartland’s history and reflect on their time in the neighborhood. Visit www.heartlandcafe.com.—Kate Rockwood