By Bob Glaze
Today there are over 200,000 residents in the Chicago metropolitan area with Puerto Rican heritage. Since the 1930s, they have made significant contributions to the
economic, social and cultural fabric of the city. To experience the culture, make sure to visit:
Humboldt Park
Humboldt Park is home to Little Puerto Rico and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture. According to the book Puerto Rican Chicago by Wilfredo Cruz, Puerto Rican immigration peaked in Chicago in the 1950s and 1960s as they came searching for jobs and a good economic future. In 1950 there were 255 Puerto Ricans in the city. By 1960 the number had jumped to over 32,000 and by 1990 it had tripled to 120,000. In 2000 it had reached over 155,000 and is second only to New York City as an immigrant population.
The neighborhood takes its name from Humboldt Park, a 207-acre park designed by William Le Baron Jenney and famed landscape designer Jens Jensen.
The heart of Little Puerto Rico is now known as Barrio Borikén since June 2024. Paseo Boricua, the hub of the neighborhood, is where you can see the east and west Puerto Rican flag sculptures at the entrances on Division St. at both Western and California. “These are the matching, abstract sculptural representations of the Puerto Rican flag that arch over the street, 59 feet tall and weighing approximately 45 tons, in vibrant blue and red steel.” In between there are local casual restaurants, cafes and shops. There are also colorful murals and street art along with Las Puertas del Paseo Boricua or the painted Doors of the Puerto Rican Promenade that was established in 2017.
Las Puertas del Paseo Boricua
Paseo Boricua
Paseo Boricua
Paseo Boricua
Make sure to visit:
The National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture is located in the park at 3015 W. Division. The building is located in the historic Humboldt Park Stables and Receptory from the late 1880s. In addition to art exhibitions NMPRAC offers hands-on arts and crafts workshops/classes in painting, drawing, sculpting, printmaking and photography. There are lectures on Puerto Rican culture plus the annual Barrio Arts Festival. This is a two-day community celebration featuring live performances by local musicians and poets, numerous art exhibits, workshops given by the exhibiting artists, and authentic Puerto Rican cuisine.
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture
La Casita de Don Pedro at 2625 W. Division St. is a public art project and walled garden celebrating the Puerto Rican nationalist leader Dr. Pedro Abizu Campos.
Paseo Boricua – La Casita de Don Pedro
Make sure to stop in for a coffee and pastry at Café Colao. They also have a menu of sandwiches. Don’t miss the guava queso or guava and cheese pastries! 2638 W. Division.
Café Colao
Café Colao
Down the street is Nellie’s Puerto Rican Restaurant at 2458 W. Division St. I went for brunch on Sunday two weeks ago, after it was recommended by a friend. They have a coffee, breakfast and lunch menu with many options. I chose the breakfast buffet so that I could try the popular coconut oatmeal, an omelet, maduros or sweet plantains and a tasty flan for dessert along with a latte. I enjoy the atmosphere, the staff and visiting with the other diners.
Nellie’s Puerto Rican Restaurant
After my brunch I happened to walk past El Schomburg Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo. This is a contemporary art space that “prioritizes the visibility, circulation and production of art from Puerto Rico and its Diaspora, serving as the axis where artists, cultural workers, patrons, and the community can self-actualize, reclaim,
exchange ideas, and organize around artistic and cultural practices.” It was started in 2023 by Brenda Torres-Figueroa, “an interdisciplinary artist, curator, and art educator born and raised in Puerto Rico working mainly between performance art, installations and public art.”
El Schomburg Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo
El Schomburg Espacio de Arte Contemporáneo
I enjoyed meeting Brenda and talking to several artists who were hosting a small show. I was very impressed with the quality. Brenda also teaches art classes. They are open on Saturday or by appointment. 2538 W. Division.
Hermosa
North of Humboldt Park is Hermosa, a neighborhood west of Logan Square.
The area includes the birthplace of Walt Disney and is the former headquarters of the Schwinn Bicycle Company. The area was originally populated primarily by Germans, Scandinavians with newer groups of Poles, Hungarians, and Austrians. Today it has grown to be more than two thirds Hispanic with immigrants from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador and Venezuela. The bulk of the residents are from Mexico and Puerto Rico.
Hermosa
Hermosa
Hermosa
Make sure to visit:
Las Delicias de Puerto Rico: This is a Small, casual Puerto Rican restaurant at 4821 W. Armitage. The menu features traditional Puerto Rican meat and seafood entrees, corn fritters, tostones or fried plantains and sandwiches.
Las Delicias de Puerto Rico
My friend who recommended Nellie’s, also told me about La Bomba, a casual Puerto Rican restaurant with great murals at 3221 W Armitage Ave. I am excited to go after I get back in January.
Last month, I went to Ponce Restaurant at 4314 W. Fullerton Ave. This is a popular family-owned restaurant serving authentic Puerto Rican food since 1988. According to their website “Puerto Rican cuisine is characterized by a distinctive blend of cultural influences – from the Spanish, Americans, Africans, and the Taíno – an indigenous group of people from Puerto Rico. It uses indigenous seasonings and ingredients such as coriander, papaya, cacao, and plantains. Locals call their cuisine “Cocina Criolla”. The seasonings and flavors are bright, bold, and comforting.” The menu has many dishes to choose from. I loved the colorful atmosphere, the service and the food along with great music. I enjoyed the flavorful shrimp and octopus salad with tostones or fried plantains. The coconut flan for dessert was the best!
Ponce Restaurant
Ponce Restaurant
Further north was a great new find that I happened to come across when I was visiting Factotum Coffee. Located at the corner of Tripp and Diversey, Workshop
4200, is housed in the former Hammond Organ Factory building. The company was founded in 1934.
Workshop 4200 was launched in 2015, “as Chicago’s much needed home for all kinds of creators: makers, builders, artists, teachers, performers, designers, engineers, and innovators. As the first-ever Creatorspace™, Workshop 4200 has developed into a productive, inspiring environment that encourages the creative spirit of innovation.” Today it is home to almost 40 tenants including artists, designers, a distillery, coffee shop, tea wholesaler and printers in addition to the offices of Porchlight Music Theatre, which is one of my favorites in Chicago.
Workshop 4200
Workshop 4200
Factotum Coffee is a locally owned coffee roaster on the first floor, that “originated in the minds of 2 Puerto Rican coffee professional’s whose main goal was to establish a trustworthy connection between the Specialty Coffee World and the habitual coffee drinker in our community. Due to the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic, like so many other people, we found ourselves laid off. Thanks to this series of events, we then saw the opportunity of catapulting our ideas into reality by building our own company. From a distant dream we had always considered; Factotum then became a means for us to sustain our family.” I really enjoyed my visit and my latte. It is a great spot to work and hang out in this very attractive space. I also met one of the staff members of Workshop 4200 who helped develop the concept. He is also from Puerto Rico.
Factotum Coffee
I hope you enjoy exploring the Puerto Rican culture in Chicago. I look forward to going back again myself after the Holidays to check out some new restaurants.
For more travel destinations and recommendations, visit globalphile.com.
