On the edge of Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood sits a hulking brick building with a surprising new life.
Once part of the city’s famous meatpacking industry, this former slaughterhouse is now called The Plant—a space dedicated to food, sustainability, and innovation.
From kombucha breweries to mushroom farms, it’s one of the most unusual and forward-thinking places you can visit in the city.
People walk in expecting an old factory—and walk out talking about aquaponics, craft beer, and vertical farming.
A Building With a Past
The Plant started as a meatpacking facility, built during the era when Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle put Back of the Yards on the map. After decades of industrial use, the building was abandoned—until entrepreneur John Edel bought it in 2010 with an ambitious idea: transform it into a zero-waste food production space.
Instead of tearing it down, Edel and his team repurposed the existing structure, layering in aquaponics systems, urban farms, shared kitchens, and food businesses. The goal? To create a closed-loop ecosystem where one process’s waste becomes another’s resource.
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What You’ll Find Inside
🍄 Farms & Food Producers
- Mushroom growers cultivating gourmet varieties in climate-controlled rooms.
- Aquaponics systems where tilapia swim below and plants grow above, their waste fueling the cycle.
- Vertical farming projects experimenting with new ways to grow food in cities.
🍺 Breweries & Kitchens
- Whiner Beer Company, a craft brewery housed right in the building, serving Belgian-inspired beers in a funky taproom.
- Kombucha and distilleries experimenting with fermentation.
- Shared kitchens where small food businesses test recipes, bake bread, and launch new products.
🌱 Sustainability Projects
The Plant runs on a mission of circular economy. Old materials are reused, food waste gets composted, and energy experiments test how buildings can be self-sustaining. It’s not just a place to visit—it’s a model for what the future of food might look like.
Tours & Events
The Plant offers guided tours where you can:
- Walk through the old industrial halls and see how they’ve been repurposed.
- Peek at aquaponic tanks, fermentation labs, and mushroom farms.
- Learn about closed-loop systems and urban sustainability.
On weekends, the building often hosts farmers’ markets, pop-up food events, and community gatherings. You might sample local honey one visit, and kombucha cocktails the next.
Practical Tips
- Location: 1400 W. 46th Street, Back of the Yards.
- Tours: Offered regularly, usually for a small fee ($7–10). Reserve in advance on their website.
- Hours: The building is home to private businesses, so general access is limited—go for a tour or event for the full experience.
- Food & Drink: Don’t miss Whiner Beer Company—stay after your tour for a flight and some bar food.
- Transit: Not far from the Ashland Orange Line stop; parking available on-site.
Pair It With…
- Back of the Yards exploration: This historic neighborhood has deep immigrant roots and is seeing a wave of community-led revitalization.
- Bridgeport breweries: Combine The Plant with stops at Marz Brewing or Lagunitas nearby.
- McKinley Park: A large green space just a few minutes away, perfect for a picnic with your market finds.
Why It’s a True Hidden Gem
The Plant isn’t polished like the downtown museums. It’s raw, experimental, and full of energy. That’s what makes it memorable.
Where else in Chicago can you sip a craft beer inside a former slaughterhouse while learning how mushrooms, fish, and kale work together in an ecosystem?
Visitors usually leave saying the same thing: “I had no idea this was happening here.”
Discover The Chicago
You Don’t Know
Join 20,000+ locals getting the inside scoop. Discover hidden gems, secret events, and the best Chicago has to offer.
