Nafsi South Shore is the latest south side landmark with beautiful views and delicious food where residents can sip, savor, mingle and recharge.
Located inside the South Shore Cultural Center, NAFSI offers South Shore residents an upscale, yet affordable, dining experience that puts a luxurious spin on classic dishes such as shrimp & grits, fried green tomatoes, surf & turf, beignets, chicken & waffles, and more. The full bar offers wine, beer and spirits prioritizing local and minority-owned brands.
VIRTUAL TOUR OF NAFSI
Founded by Donnell Digby, a serial entrepreneur with a successful track record of both for-profit and non-profit projects throughout the city of Chicago, NAFSI acts as an essential Black-owned restaurant for beach goers and diners seeking lakefront views on Chicago’s south side.
Brunch is served on weekends, accompanied by live jazz and other incredible local music. Grab & go breakfast and coffee offers early morning golfers and South Shore business goers a delicious start to the day. The restaurant is also available for weddings, special events and catering.
The South Shore Cultural Center is nestled on picnic-worthy grounds that include a nature sanctuary and great lawn, and the surrounding neighborhood offers unique residential architecture. This charming pocket features a hodgepodge of architectural styles and towering mansions to complement the lake-front views.
About South Shore Cultural Center
Founded in 1905, the South Shore Cultural Center was once the South Shore Country Club, a “whites only” lakefront retreat reserved for the wealthiest of Chicago's society. The firm of Marshall and Fox, architects of the Drake, Blackstone, and Edgewater Beach hotels, were hired to design the neighborhood's crown jewel, an opulent, Mediterranean-style clubhouse for Chicago's elite.
The country club boasted private stables, a members-only beach, and a par 33 golf course. Tennis, horseback riding, and skeet shooting were enjoyed by the likes of Jean Harlow, Will Rogers, and Amelia Earhart. In 1974 the club held its last members-only event.
Today, the Chicago Park District owns the property. Saved from the threat of demolition in 1985, after years of persistent efforts by “The Coalition to Save the South Shore Country Club Park,” the building was restored and reopened as the South Shore Cultural Center; open to all individuals regardless of race or religion.
Since then, the space has collected its own share of Black American history and iconic visitors, such as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, who held their wedding reception at the historic landmark on October 3, 1992. Now, in 2024, the center welcomes its first Black-owned restaurant, NAFSI.
About South Shore
The community of South Shore stretches from 67th Street to 79th Street on the south side of Chicago. The neighborhood took shape over 100 years ago as European Americans came to the area to purchase homes in a “Bungalow Belt” neighborhood.
South Shore is and was known by its pristine stretch of lakefront that includes one of the city’s largest beaches; a popular location for swimming and sunbathing since the early 1900s. The neighborhood provided a wealth of eye-catching architecture, stunning views, and opportunity.
In 1950, South Shore had a population of 79,000 residents, 96% of which were white. By 1970, just a few years before the country club closed, the population had risen to 81,000, but was now 69% black and 28% white. By 1980, the population had fallen slightly to 78,000, and was 94% black.
The preservation of the cultural center mitigated an employment burden in South Shore, caused property values to increase, and became a center for culture-based recreational activities. NAFSI Restaurant will enable similar results to occur in the South Shore neighborhood by providing dozens of job opportunities, increasing the value of the space, and creating a healthy system of continuous shared wealth and opportunity for the South shore community.
As reported in the June 2020 report released by CMAP, the community data snapshot of South Shore, current residents are facing issues of low education levels, low wages and a waning population. The overall population fell by 12% from 2000 to present, with almost 50% of the households reporting under 25,000 in income. NAFSI will offset the population loss experienced in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago by adding a new sense of energy, pride and celebration of diversity to the neighborhood. The restaurant will contribute greatly to the neighborhood economically, increase visitorship, and allow residents creative and healthy outlets similar to those provided within more affluent areas of chicago.