Hermosa is a Chicago neighborhood on the northwest side, west of Logan Square, with the boundaries generally south of Belmont, east of Kenton, north of Courtland and west of Pulaski.
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.
This can be seen in the diverse mix of the small markets, shops, cafes and restaurants along the main corridors. I loved the feel of the neighborhood and the friendliness and kindness of everyone I met. It made me feel like I was back in San Miguel Allende, MX. When I was exploring on a hot Saturday afternoon and evening in August, there were a number of local block parties happening with activities for local children and large groups of locals dining on the street together.
On my first visit I focused on West Armitage. On my second visit, I focused on West Fullerton and further north on West Diversey. My recommendations to visit include:
Right Bee Cider: At 1830 N. Kostner in the former Schwinn Bicycle factory. They make and distribute their ciders onsite, and in addition, there is a tasting room so you can try their ciders along with cocktails, using their products, and with guest beers. Currently they make eight ciders. I particularly liked the Blossom 6% which was light and refreshing on a hot night. It is made with cherry blossom, lemon myrtle and rooftop honey. It is operated by Charlie Davis and his wife Katie Morgan.
La Central Bakery: This local bakery has a large number of pastries, breads, sweet breads, cookies and sandwiches. You can buy flan and tres leches cake, which are two of my favorite desserts! The flan was very tasty and the staff was delightful. Remember, in a Mexican bakery you grab a metal tray and a set of tongs and help yourself. 4348 W. Armitage.
Rica Arepa: Located at 4253 W. Armitage is this popular Venezuelan spot operated by husband-and-wife owners Kharim Rincon and Maria Uzcategui. The menu is extensive. You can feast on more than two dozen varieties of arepas or light corn cakes that they crisp on the griddle and stuff with meats, cheeses, and other fillings. The most popular “Pabellon” features shredded beef, black beans, plantains, and cheese, but there are plenty of options for vegetarians too. There are also empanadas and Venezuelan-style burgers. This was my first exposure to Venezuelan food, so I had to try the Pabellon. I thought it was really excellent. I also loved the Rompe Colchon & Toson made with plantains and shrimp ceviche. There is a lovely outside patio for summer dining. I hope to try their Lakeview location 2913 N. Lincoln.
Xurro Churro Factory: I love churros, fried dough, and had to stop in at their location at 3755 W. Armitage. In addition to churros, they have coffee, Mexican hot chocolate, horchata, funnel cakes, ice cream and milkshakes. I loved the traditional churro rolled in cinnamon sugar.
Guadalajara Bakery: This is a small Mexican bakery offering bread, sweet pastries plus a selection of sandwiches. I enjoyed the pecan and coconut cookies that I bought. 4014 W. Armitage
Latino Plus Plus: Owned by the familia Rivera, this is a small, colorful shop selling flowers, sweets, religious statues, stuffed animals and teddy bears and gifts; 4208 W. Armitage
La Michoacana Frutileta #2: This is a recently opened shop selling ice cream and paletas. Paletas are Mexican ice pops containing fresh fruit, juices and flavorings. The coconut ice cream was refreshing on a hot August night. They have an outside patio on the west side. 4058 W. Armitage.
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.
I recently 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 octupus salad with tostones or fried plantains. The coconut flan for dessert was the best!
After lunch I drove south around the corner to see the Walt Disney Birthplace Home at 2156 N. Tripp Ave. The two-story wood cottage was built by Walt’s Father Elias in 1893. Walter Elias Disney was born on December 5, 1901, on the second floor. On February 10, 1906, Elias sold the property and moved his family to Marceline, MO. Today it is privately owned, but group tours are available.
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 the 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.
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 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 of Worshop 4200 who helped develop the concept. He is also from Puerto Rico.
