View of Flossmoor Station and downtown from the Metra tracks

Flossmoor Metra platform

View of Flossmoor Station from the Metra tracks

The downtown block in Flossmoor

Flossmoor Station brewery and restaurant

The downtown block in Flossmoor

The downtown block in Flossmoor

Flossmoor Station brewery and restaurant

Sitting outside on the Flossmoor Station patio

A neighborly BBQ at a kids baseball game in Flossmoor Park just east of the Metra tracks

I recently had the opportunity to stop off at Flossmoor on the Metra Electric line to celebrate a co-worker's last day at my office. We hopped on the train after work at Millennium Station under Millennium Park and headed 45 minutes south to Flossmoor, where we enjoyed locally brewed beers on the outdoor patio at the Flossmoor Station brewery and restaurant, which is attached to the Metra station.

While there's not a whole lot going on in Flossmoor, it feels exactly like what every small Metra village should feel like. It's a great example of a streetcar suburb, with a one-block idyllic downtown where dense activity is concentrated around the train station. The downtown features tudor-style mixed-use buildings, surrounded by quieter residential streets. There's a library, a couple restaurants, Sweet Annie's Bakery, a few shops and an ice cream stand, with apartments on the upper floors of the main block. There are also a few golf courses within walking distance of the station. It could be a great place to take the train to for some afternoon golfing followed by dinner and beer at Flossmoor Station. It doesn't offer a whole lot to draw visitors, but that's not its job -- it serves the local residents extremely well, providing a quaint downtown and convenient amenities to stop at on the walk home from the train station.

On a nice day, the outdoor patio and craft brews at Flossmoor Station are worth the trip. Their beer is great, though I was less impressed with the food. Flossmoor's beers are also available in bottles at many local liquor stores.

Update: Looks like there's an art fair in downtown Flossmoor this weekend too (June 5&6). Good time to check it out. See "Classy atmosphere set for fine art fair in Flossmoor" & Homewood Area Chamber of Commerce.