Best Day Ever: Comedian Matt Friend's favorite places in Chicago
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Matt Friend does his impression of Paul Giamatti to Paul Giamatti at the Golden Globes in 2024. Photo: Gregg DeGuire/Golden Globes 2024/Golden Globes 2024 via Getty Images
Comedian Matt Friend's impressions of Howard Stern, Jennifer Coolidge and Jeff Goldblum have taken the 26-year-old from TikTok superstar to mainstream voice actor on shows like "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons."
- Not bad for a kid from Lincoln Park.
State of play: Friend returns to his stomping grounds next week for a live show at the Park West.
- His days from clowning around the North Side may be over, but his love of his hometown is still strong.
We asked Matt to reminisce about growing up here and what his perfect day in Chicago would look like:
🍔 Breakfast: "I'm gonna do a double lunch answer and get a burger at Small Cheval … a Chicago classic that I truly dream about eating ALWAYS."
🏃 Morning activity: "Go for a run by Lake Michigan. I'll start in Lincoln Park near where I went to high school and then go up and down the trail … It's the Turkey Trot trail in Chicago which I do every year at Thanksgiving with my sister Nina and cousin Jonny."
🥗 Lunch: "Athenian Room … It's such a classic. I love a gyros salad and the wet fries … Also must get the red sauce."
🍪 Afternoon activity: "I go over to my mom's INCREDIBLE cookie store, Big Fat Cookie on Halsted. Throughout my childhood, my mom's creativity in the kitchen inspired me so much and I think ultimately helped lead me to become a comedian. You should all go!!"
🍜 Dinner: "I love Shanghai Terrace in the Peninsula Hotel. It's my favorite restaurant in Chicago and I have so many wonderful memories of weekend family dinners there … My favorites are the Kung Pao potato and beef."
🥤 Evening activity: "Chocolate milkshake at Wieners Circle … kidding!! Although I did order one when I was a kid and let's just say: I'm a comedian now."
- "I love going to Blackhawks games … I hosted the NHL Awards in Vegas and it was especially sweet knowing that I come from a city that won three Stanley Cups in my childhood!"
🤣 Afterparty: "MY OWN SHOW AT PARK WEST BABY!! Chicago is a comedy town … I interned at Second City and grew up idolizing Zanies and the overall history of comedy in the city."
- "I wrote a paper in eighth grade about Chicago's impact on comedy. And now it's my turn to make Chicago and the world laugh!! Can't wait!!"