Alternative Guide to Chicago
Pilsen/Little Village
Community Highlights
Pilsen, a popular part of the Lower West Side, is bordered on the south and east by the Chicago River and on the north and west by the Burlington Northern Railroad tracks. The neighborhood was originally settled by Bohemians and Czechs who were run out of the North Side of Chicago by ethnically motivated attacks. Given that fact, it is not surprising that the area is named for Plzen, a city in the Czech Republic. In the 1840s, German and Irish immigrants began to enter Pilsen as well, looking for work with the Burlington Northern Railroad, the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and the construction of Southwestern Plank Road (now known as Ogden Avenue). The area's growth was further fueled by the thousands of unskilled workers seeking jobs found in lumber mills, garment sweatshops, and the railroad in the aftermath of the Great Fire of 1871.
It was not until the years following World War I that the area saw an influx of Mexicans, due largely to labor shortages in the early 1900s, the expansion of the University of Illinois at Chicago in the 1950s and 1960s, and relaxed immigration laws. Once Mexicans had established their presence in the area, they began to reshape the neighborhood through art, working-class organizations, and community building. Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, Pilsen's residents have withstood attempts at gentrification and have made every effort to maintain the neighborhood as a safe haven for incoming immigrants.
Little Village, officially a part of South Lawndale, has joined Pilsen as a destination for new arrivals to the United States. The arch on 26th Street welcomes visitors to Little Village-or La Villita, as it is known to the Spanish-speaking residents. Like Pilsen, South Lawndale was first settled by Germans and Czechs following the Great Fire of 1871. Subsequently, Poles and Mexicans entered the area. Today, Little Village is a vibrant, working-class community with a strong population of young people. Little Village is bounded by the Stevenson Expressway to the south, Cermak Road to the north, Western Avenue to the east, and Cicero Avenue to the west.
Eateries, Shops, and Other Destinations
Café Jumping Bean
1439 West 18th Street
312-455-0019
Coffee shop
$
One of the friendliest and warmest cafs in Chicago. The excellent service makes you feel like a regular the second you walk in the door. Latin music plays overhead, and there's colorful artwork everywhere-right down to the mosaic-tiled tables. The menu includes sandwiches, salads, and daily soups, as well as a selection of delicious fresh cakes and sweets. Prices for sandwiches with chips or pasta average $4. Enjoy a good, strong cup of coffee while soaking up the cool Pilsen vibe.
Dulcelandia
3300 West 26th Street
773-522-3816
Mexican bakery
$
Welcome to candy heaven, everyone! This place is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. You come into a room with candy up to the ceiling, literally. To make it even better, there are piatas hanging from the ceiling. This place is so colorful that you cannot help but become a kid again. It contains candies of all fruit flavors, chocolates, and even spicy and coconut-flavored sweets. Whether you are old or young, sophisticated or nave, mature or a kid, this place will surely get your mouth watering. As a Latino, this store sure brought me back to the days my mother would place that little treat in my lunchbox. It has absolutely everything. A must-see spot in Little Village. Just make sure to have enough time, because there are so many varieties of candy that you will not know which ones to get.
El Changuito
3447 West 26th Street
773-522-3566
Mexican
$
As you enter this seemingly ordinary taqueria, you spot a lot of nice Mexican paintings on the walls that create a wonderful ethnic ambience. The food is really good (especially the chicken), and the coconut shake is spectacular. Your appetite will be fully satisfied. The service is highlighted by humility and quickness. The workers greet you with a smile and an "hola," and at the end they send you off with a polite 'tenga un buen da.' This is definitely a place to get some Latino kindness, hospitality, and ambience with your food.
El Vaquero
2000 West 18th Street
312-738-1008
Mexican
$
Although a little further west than most restaurants in Pilsen, El Vaquero's casual and cozy diner atmosphere guarantees tasty, authentic Mexican cuisine. Courteous and friendly servers bring you crispy tortilla chips with genuine salsa and a cheese quesadilla prepared in sweet tomato sauce-free of charge. Beverages include a tasty banana shake topped with fragrant cinnamon. If you're in the mood for a light entre or craving a loaded enchilada, both are available. While the beef stew (which really isn't stew but a light broth filled with vegetables and meat) satisfies you without weighing you down, the flavorful chiles rellenos (one of their stuffed peppers) is guaranteed to fill you up. If you're ever this far out in Pilsen, El Vaquero is definitely worth a visit.
La Baguette
3117 West 26th Street
773-254-0006
Mexican bakery
$
This really big bakery offers a wide range of pastries from ordinary doughnuts to Mexican favorites, as well as freshly baked breads and a wide range of cakes and tortes. The food is really fresh, appetizing, and absolutely delicious. The smell and the color of the pastries immediately draw you into the store. But if you feel disappointed for some weird reason, the smiles and attitude of the workers and the other fellow sweet toothers will make up for it. A must for good pastries!
La Chiquita
3555 West 26th Street
773-522-0950
Supermarket
This little grocery store is packed full with delicious treats. From the moment you come in and you hear a warm "hi," you know that this place is going to be wonderful. There are not that many aisles, but you would be surprised at how many things this supermarket has: from Spanish cookies to Mexican chips, from tropical fruits to pia colada and churro mixes. Even though I do not cook, this place made me want to start experimenting with a variety of goodies from the Latino world. Also, if you happen to get hungry while looking at the food, there is a small taqueria at the back of the supermarket. This will satisfy your stomach with a nice burrito or taco and make the visit to this local supermarket a completely satisfying one.
Laredo Bakery
1540 West 18th Street
312-733-9293
Mexican bakery
$
The minimalist setting of the Laredo Bakery allows you to focus on what is really important: the baked goods. Take a tray and a set of tongs, and start piling them up. They aren't labeled, so go where your stomach leads you. Try timbales (fried and sugared rosettes) or pan de huevo (sweet breads with sugar on top)! The place is self-serve, but your purchases are rung up with a smile. Prices range from 35 to $1 per piece.
Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum
1852 West 19th Street
312-738-1503
Admission: Free
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This fascinating museum supplements Mexican history with a representative selection of art. There is also a good deal of contemporary art that deals with issues facing Mexican Americans today. Founded in 1982 by schoolteachers and community activists, the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum has expanded to become the largest Latino cultural center in the Midwest. Chock-full of folk art goodness as well as the occasional big name-see sketches by Diego Rivera!
Nuevo Leon
1515 West 18th Street
312-421-1517
Mexican
Vegetarian friendly
$$
Fresh salsas and chips plus pickled jalapeos start off your traditional Mexican meal, and it only gets better from there. The servers are wonderfully friendly, more Spanish is spoken than English, and the walls are brightly painted with a Mexican theme. Entres run about $8 to $13, but could easily feed two people each. Vegetarian options are limited but delicious; vegan options are nonexistent. Some of the dishes are very spicy. We recommend that you order a cool glass of horchata (a sweet rice drink) to wash it all down. Nuevo Leon is easy to spot-just look for the most colorful building on the street.
Panaderia Nuevo Leon
1634 West 18th Street
312-243-5977
Mexican bakery
$
Cluttered full of sweet things, the Nuevo Leon Bakery has a variety of not only pastries and cookies but also other desserts such as cake and gelatin fruit cups. Prices range from 35 to $1 for the pastries, and up to $3 for other desserts and drinks.
Rosy's Bakery
3237 West 26th Street
773-247-1947
Bakery
$
Just one of the many wonderful bakeries in Little Village. The smell that hits you as you walk through the door is absolutely wonderful. As you come in and grab your trays and tongs, it's hard to decide which of all the delicious treats to buy. The pastries are really good and really fresh. They are so fresh, in fact, that you can see people in the back making the goodies-so you know they are good. As if that's not enough, the ceiling is decorated with images of various kinds of pastries. Now only a place that knows how good it is would do that. Definitely good, and I recommend it. But then again, how can a bakery be bad?
Taqueria La Fogata
4014 West 26th Street
773-521-8602
Mexican
$
This little restaurant is very good to go to with friends because it is much roomier than other taquerias around Little Village. The seating is Caféteria style, but it has so much room that you can go with a big group of friends and be able to sit together. As a bonus, it is so quiet and relaxing that you can have nice conversations and actually hear what the other people are saying. The dcor is kind of plain and bland. But the quantity of the food is generous, and it is absolutely delicious. Summary: There are better places, but it's not a bad spot. You should try it.
