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1, 6, 9, 19, 28, 36.
Feels like this is a lotto number.
16 Days in Pub Growth Update. Thanks For Your Hard Work. 36,110 Views and 26,249 Minutes Read.
A Quick update before I forget again.
Chicago’s Filipino Boom Continues With a New Bakery Near Seafood City
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<figcaption>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</figcaption>
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<p>Umaga Bakehouse will bring empanadas, pandesal and more to the Northwest Side</p> <p id="kkMcpd">Bakers and spouses Robert and Kissel Fagaragan say they can predict the future — at least when it comes to local hospitality. </p>
<p id="QxTurK">The owners of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/umagabakehouse/">Umaga Bakehouse</a>, a new bakery specializing in Filipino baked goods, the Fagaragans feel confident that the country’s <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/3/26/24112666/crumbs-and-creams-filipino-bakery-jefferson-park-silvana-sylvana?_gl=1*1gqq484*">distinctive baking tradition</a> will dominate the next phase of Chicago’s Filipino American restaurant boom. They’ll open the bakery on Friday, April 12 at 4703 W. Foster Avenue across from <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/seafood-city">Seafood City</a>, the pan Asian supermarket with a robust selection of Filipino goods. The bakery’s name means “morning” in Tagalog.</p>
<p id="0bwP51">At nearly 4,000 square feet, Umaga is touted as one of the largest Filipino bakeries in the U.S. Local designer Aida Napoles of AGN Design (also behind the design at West Town’s Diego and Mag Mile’s <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/the-evie">The Evie</a>) who’s opted for warm earth tones with modern touches like bronze tile. To capitalize on natural morning light, Umaga is equipped with floor-to-ceiling windows, and the team commissioned a custom-milled s-shaped wooden table to serve as both a display centerpiece and provide seating for 10.</p>
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<img alt="A box of Filipino rolls and pastries." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/skIAitSxOU-3EsfiEmAVKzKJdGE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25356461/20240315_UMAGA_179.jpg">
<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Umaga specializes in fresh Filipino baked goods.</figcaption>
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<img alt="A serving of halo-halo." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Hvo8V_srX_fsx6q6qG6Djr3y7xE=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25356428/20240315_UMAGA_055.jpg">
<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Halo-halo.</figcaption>
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<p id="xmXDbx">“I feel like the Filipino bakery is up next in the Chicago scene,” says Kissel Fagaragan. She’s watched with excitement as locals have embraced hits like Michelin-starred <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/kasama">Kasama</a>, Boonie’s Filipino Restaurant, and <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/bayan-ko">Bayan Ko</a>. “It’s been very motivating [to see] that Filipino dishes are starting to get popular. But I feel like Filipino bread is still a secret, so we want to bring that full force.”</p>
<p id="rvibaa">The Fagaragans feel strongly about honoring the techniques and traditions of Filipino baking while placing these baked goods in a contemporary space that’s appealing to both novices and experts — “the Filipino bakery reimagined,” Kissel Fagaragan says. </p>
<p id="wJnOPV">That means customers can count on staples like hot <a href="https://www.eater.com/2016/2/16/11007854/pandesal-philippines-bread-filipino-breakfast">pandesal</a>, a yeast-raised roll that’s ubiquitous in the Philippines, and fluffy ensaymada, a popular brioche pastry based on a Mallorcan treat of the same name. The Filipino version is distinctive from the original, evolving over 300 years of Spanish colonization. The couple put a lot of effort into perfecting Umaga’s ensaymada and say they’re finally happy with a version they can call their own — one that’s “soft, moist, not too crazy sweet.” </p>
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<img alt="Kissel Fagaragan smiles for a portrait photo." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ABiYdAf2Is5tJJgcZ_8vfL_znFU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25356456/20240315_UMAGA_192.jpg">
<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Umaga Bakehouse owner Kissel Fagaragan.</figcaption>
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<img alt="Robert Fagaragan smiles for a portrait photo." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yyXYHbKwie04OZhRET_P9F7OCdc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25356459/20240315_UMAGA_195.jpg">
<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Umaga Bakehouse owner Robert Fagaragan.</figcaption>
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<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Kissel Fagaragan’s parents owned Kissel’s Bakery in Lancaster, California.</figcaption>
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<img alt="Robert holds up an old photograph of his father and himself as a child." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ZZKdYyjv3yNHX3ky5GHskZbY3Xc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25356454/20240315_UMAGA_205.jpg">
<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Robert Fagaragan’s father ran a bakery out of their home in the Philippines. </figcaption>
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<p id="PjiivS">Those seeking a sugar rush will have plenty of options including sans rival, a layer cake of buttercream, meringue, and chopped cashews; and pan de coco, a sweet roll stuffed with coconut and molasses. The couple also promises plenty of ube-infused delicacies, plus halo-halo and a collection of savory pastries like longanisa rolls, menudo buns, and crispy Ilocos empanadas. </p>
<p id="ZKWHqc">The couple’s commitment to a legacy of Filipino baking has roots that go deeper than cultural heritage — both spent their childhoods working (and playing) in their respective family bakeries. Born on the West Coast, Kissel Fagaragan vividly recalls Kissel’s Bakery, the small bakeshop her parents owned in Lancaster, California. “That was my playground, [and] that’s where I saw the hard work that they did,” she says. “It definitely gave me a work ethic early on and the passion to do this.” </p>
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<figcaption>The Fagaragan’s four-year-old daughter Kyle joins her parents in Umaga’s kitchen. </figcaption>
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<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Spanish bread.</figcaption>
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<img alt="A crispy empanada cut in half on a plate." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/J3JNYbmIgMpsW-1cTJ-sgE7CDX4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25356433/20240315_UMAGA_120.jpg">
<cite>J and L Photography/Umaga Bakehouse</cite>
<figcaption>Ilocos empanada. </figcaption>
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<p id="28gwSp">Her husband, Robert Fagaragan, a native of the Philippines’ Ilocos Norte Province, also recalls learning to make bread alongside his father in the small bakery he ran out of their home. He remembers getting up in the wee hours with his dad and riding his bike through the neighborhood hawking fresh-baked bread. After emigrating to the U.S. at 17, he would eventually find a job as a cleaner in a bakery in Sacramento, California — a move that would prove fortuitous, as that’s where he met his wife and reconnected with the joy baking brought to his childhood. </p>
<p id="sKtMDH">The couple took a leap of faith and moved to Chicago in 2018 to pursue new job opportunities. They fell in love with the city and are particularly excited about Umaga’s prime vantage point amid the Northwest Side Filipino community. They hope its proximity will draw shoppers from Seafood City (and away from Filipino powerhouse Jollibee). The morning commuters from the nearby Edens Expressway also present another potential source of customers. </p>
<p id="Jd1QVQ">But most of all, however, they’re delighted to be creating new baking memories with a new generation: their 4-year-old daughter Kyle.</p>
<p id="1SALIt">“She’s very hands-on and loves to work with Play-Doh, so with dough, she’s even more excited,” says Kissel Fagaragan. “But as much as we’d love for her to take over [Umaga Bakehouse] one day, we’re happy with whatever she wants to do — as long as she’s happy.”</p>
<p id="RQMYLn"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/umagabakehouse/"><em>Umaga Bakehouse</em></a><em>, 4703 W. Foster Avenue, Scheduled to open Friday, April 12.</em></p>
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Uncle Julio’s Closes on North Avenue After 32 Years
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<figcaption>After 32 years, Uncle Julio’s is closed along North Avenue. | Ashok Selvam/Eater Chicago</figcaption>
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<p>Workers were offered jobs at suburban locations</p> <p id="2lYKCm">After 32 years in Lincoln Park, Uncle Julio’s closed its doors on Tuesday along North Avenue without warning. The Mexican chain’s arrival in Chicago more than three decades ago was part of a construction boom in the rapidly gentrifying area.</p>
<p id="o9v92Q">A statement from Uncle Julio’s President RJ Thomas blames rising rent costs for the closure.</p>
<p id="8xEYde">“All of our other locations remain open; this location’s closing is due to rising rental rates on our lease,” a portion of Thomas’s statement reads. “Our employees have all been offered positions at our other restaurants so they can continue as valued members of the Uncle Julio’s family. As a company, we continue to grow, and we look forward to welcoming guests to our newest location in Frisco, Texas, in April.”</p>
<p id="P96n7L">Uncle Julio’s opening at 855 W. North Avenue came before the city brokered a deal with Apple to build a store at the northwest corner of Halsted and North in 2010. Uncle Julio’s opened six years before Crate & Barrel unveiled a flagship location on Clybourn and North in 1998 on a piece of land where a location of Byron’s Red Hots once stood. </p>
<p id="pmIryN">A <em>Tribune</em> story from <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/1994/06/03/make-room-for-uncle-julios/">1992 describes a scene</a> of “Old Town and Lincoln Park yuppies and buppies” that kept “the valet parkers hopping on the weekends.” The wave of development continued west into Wicker Park and Bucktown, eventually marching toward Logan Square and Avondale.</p>
<p id="75YTyZ">Moving trucks were parked outside on Wednesday morning and paper signs were taped to the doors calling the decision to close difficult and offering workers jobs at other locations. The closest Uncle Julio’s is in suburban Skokie at Old Orchard. Other locations include <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/woodfield-mall">Woodfield Mall</a> in Schaumburg, Naperville, and Orland Park.</p>
<p id="2CaZC8">But before Uncle Julio became a shopping mall staple, the restaurant had an ambitious menu with cooking up items like quail — at least before private equity firm L Catterton bought the chain in 2017. (the group also owns Bartaco, another chain that debuted last year in Chicago with a Bucktown location; Chicago-born <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/protein-bar-2">Protein Bar</a> is also part of the firm’s portfolio).</p>
<p id="V8wDWM">Former server and bartender Monica Beukema left Uncle Julio’s years ago and no longer works in the restaurant industry. Her six years of work at the North Avenue restaurant were important. It’s where she met her husband; she says she’s one of five couples who met their significant other while employed at the North Avenue Uncle Julio’s). It was also a lucrative job for a server: “You could make as much money there as anywhere,” she says.</p>
<p id="I7yhF7">But the restaurant now feels out of place. <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/lettuce-entertain-you">Lettuce Entertain You</a> Enterprises in 1989 opened the first location of Bub City a block west on Weed Street. That’s closed, as is Crobar, the club where Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman used to hang out in the ‘90s. </p>
<p id="MyvfWi">When former workers, some of whom had spent more than two decades at the restaurant, began texting Beukema about the closure, she says she wasn’t surprised. She remains disappointed that her former colleagues weren’t given warning. Restaurant workers are often treated as disposable, and Beukema wonders if it’s a trend and brings up how <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/1/22/24047165/etta-river-north-david-pisor-closed">Etta River North employees</a> were treated after that restaurant closed earlier in the year.</p>
<p id="9DyDwY">Some of Beukema’s former colleagues will take jobs at other locations, but it doesn’t take away the shock of finding out your place of employment is no longer in operation, she says. The restaurant is already listed as permanently closed on Google. Uncle Julio’s brass didn’t provide a reason for the lack of notice to workers.</p>
<p id="QAlwly">“We want to express gratitude to our guests for sharing great times with us at our North Avenue location for the past 30 years,” Thomas’s statement also reads. “It’s important to know that we remain committed to our presence in Illinois, and to offering our signature Uncle Julio’s dining experience through our six other thriving restaurants in the greater Chicago metro area.”</p>
<p id="lYRj3Y">The area has seen shifts. Goose Island Beer closed its original Clybourn brewpub in December <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2023/12/11/23996728/goose-island-beer-co-lincoln-park-brewpub-closed-clybourn">after 35 years</a>. <em>The New York</em> <em>Times </em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/14/business/commercial-real-estate-tax-revenue.html">is lamenting the high cost of real estate</a> down the street at the Collection at North and Sheffield in a recent story about the impact of rising commercial real estate on Downtown areas. Note: Lincoln Park, or the so-called “Clybourn Corridor,” isn’t in the Loop.</p>
<p id="vq9psU">Labels aside, suburbanites won’t have any trouble finding a frozen margarita at Uncle Julio’s. City dwellers will just have to make the commute, or just enjoy other amenities and restaurants urban areas offer.</p>
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Construction Leads Logan Square Farmers Market to Move
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<figcaption>Chicago farmers market season is just around the corner. | Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Plus, Chicago-based food site “The Takeout” gets sold</p> <p id="iHg22F">Waking up to temperatures under 30 degrees might make Chicagoans wish they could be transported to the future for farmers market season, when they can roam community parks wearing summer gear and help support local vendors. Fortunately, the season isn’t too far away and three of the city’s biggest farmers markets have news.</p>
<p id="OHIrs6">The biggest change comes from Logan Square, which will hold farmers markets on Sundays starting on May 12. The market has been the subject of various traffic concerns in recent years, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C49bzbxrf55/?img_index=1">now the whole operation is moving</a> south.</p>
<p id="heETwF">The new site is on North Kedzie Boulevard between the Centennial Monument and Fullerton Avenue, and officials will throw a “dry run” at 9 a.m. on Sunday, April 7 so patrons can get comfortable with it. This practice farmers market will allow regulars to walk through the new layout.</p>
<p id="NnAqu8"><a href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/01/08/work-on-logan-squares-most-confusing-intersection-set-to-begin-this-spring/">As Block Club Chicago clarifies</a>, the catalyst for the move is construction on a traffic circle, which includes work at the Logan Square and Avondale parts of Milwaukee Avenue, starting at Kedzie and Logan. The work will displace the farmers market for two seasons with plans to eventually move in summer 2026 to a plaza that will be built as part of the construction project. </p>
<p id="A88uiT">Meanwhile, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/green-city-market">Green City Market</a>, the revered group that’s linked Chicago chefs and diners with farmers across the Midwest, has news about its Lincoln Park and West Loop markets. Green City, which is also behind <a href="https://www.instagram.com/chicagochefscook/">Chicago Chefs Cook</a>, the charitable effort that’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars over the last few years, will start the farmers market season early. Lincoln Park will kick off on Saturday, April 6 with the West Loop starting on Saturday, May 4. A press release states Green City Markets hosted 445,000 visitors in 2023.</p>
<h3 id="wAhtiU">The Takeout is sold as G/O Media crumbles</h3>
<p id="UKZSMC">Digital media has been volatile across the country with layoffs and the sale of various publications. <a href="https://thetakeout.com/">The Takeout</a>, a Chicago-based site that covers national food trends founded in 2016 by former <em>Tribune</em> food writer Kevin Pang, <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/03/26/media/former-deadspin-owner-g-o-media-puts-the-onion-up-for-sale-source/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=nypost_sitebuttons">has been sold by G/O Media</a>. Two weeks ago G/O <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/03/11/deadspin-sold-by-go-media-editorial-staff-to-be-laid-off">sold its sports site, Deadspin</a>. Pang left the site years ago and, at last check, the site had been reduced to three full-time workers. According to the <em>NY Post</em>, which reviewed a memo by G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller, “two of The Takeout’s three staffers will go to Static Media, with the third being kept by G/O.” G/O has also put <a href="https://www.theonion.com/"><em>The Onion</em></a> up for sale. The G/O workers are represented by the Writers Guild of America, East. <a href="https://www.static.com/">Static Media’s</a> brands include Tasting Table and Chowhound. Per its website, they’re “a fast-paced startup with a team that’s passionate about creating quality content.”</p>
<p id="YJJLWo"><em>Disclosure: Certain roles within Eater are unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East.</em></p>
<h3 id="OVsknr">Southsiders are tepid on Chick-fil-A </h3>
<p id="qlaAJ2">Many times, fast-food chains, especially ones that made it big outside of Chicago, are welcomed with open arms. Locals are tantalized with the prospect of trying something that they once couldn’t, and the chain (and real estate developers) celebrate a win. Not so fast! In Pullman, an area earmarked for <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2022/12/7/23498650/obama-center-restaurant-partner-south-side-chicago">the Obama Presidential Library</a>, residents aren’t completely enthused about Chick-fil-A opening the chain’s first South Side location. Chick-fil-A’s fried chicken presents Southern charm, but on the corporate level — <a href="https://www.eater.com/2018/11/28/18116008/chick-fil-a-anti-gay-rider-university">despite campaigns to makeover</a> the company’s image — there’s still the stench of anti-LGBTQ policy. <a href="https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/03/26/pullman-neighbors-divided-on-chick-fil-as-first-south-side-restaurant/">Block Club spoke with residents</a> who object to the chain’s arrival.</p>
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Things to do, see, and eat in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood
<div><p><img width="900" height="409" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/05/DK_Bronzeville_10022_6b3c8ab6-10ae-4318-a1ad-7e0fe198510b-900x409.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Bronzevill mural" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/05/DK_Bronzeville_10022_6b3c8ab6-10ae-4318-a1ad-7e0fe198510b-900x409.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/05/DK_Bronzeville_10022_6b3c8ab6-10ae-4318-a1ad-7e0fe198510b-768x349.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/05/DK_Bronzeville_10022_6b3c8ab6-10ae-4318-a1ad-7e0fe198510b-750x341.jpg 750w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/05/DK_Bronzeville_10022_6b3c8ab6-10ae-4318-a1ad-7e0fe198510b.jpg 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px"></p><p>History lines the streets in Chicago’s landmark <strong><a href="https://www.choosechicago.com/neighborhoods/south/bronzeville/">Bronzeville</a></strong> neighborhood.</p>
<p>Dubbed the city’s “Black Metropolis,” this south side community served as the headquarters for African American cultural and entrepreneurial innovation for most of the early 20th century.</p>
<p>That legacy is still alive today in Bronzeville, where you’ll find a vibrant array of art galleries, cafes, restaurants, and restored mansions dotting the streets. This is the neighborhood for history and culture fans interested in spending a day steeped in an artsy vibe. Here’s how to spend 24 hours in Chicago’s historic Bronzeville neighborhood.</p>
<h2>Bronzeville history and landmarks</h2>
<figure id="attachment_275657" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-275657" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-275657" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/05/CHOOSE_CHICAGO_Bronzeville_GreatMigrationMonument-1-900x600.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/05/CHOOSE_CHICAGO_Bronzeville_GreatMigrationMonument-1-900x600.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/05/CHOOSE_CHICAGO_Bronzeville_GreatMigrationMonument-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-275657" class="wp-caption-text">Monument to the Great Migration</figcaption></figure>
<p>Start with a stroll to the <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_s_publicart-alisonsaarsmonumenttothegreatnorthernmigrati.html"><strong>Monument to the Great Northern Migration</strong>,</a> which greets visitors near the entrance to Bronzeville at 26th and King Drive. Towering 15 feet high, this bronze statue commemorates the thousands of African Americans who fled the Jim Crow South to Chicago in search of freedom and opportunities.</p>
<p>The <strong><a href="https://www.enjoyillinois.com/explore/listing/bronzeville-walk-of-fame/">Bronzeville Walk of Fame</a></strong> stretches for 10 blocks along King Drive between 26th Place and 35th. The bronze plaques honor over 100 famous Bronzeville residents, including legends like dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham, Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet and author Gwendolyn Brooks, blues icon Muddy Waters, and Daniel Hale Williams, the doctor who performed the world’s first open heart surgery.</p>
<img decoding="async" width="900" height="566" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/06/CCG07131901_890-e1564592007814-900x566.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="" link="none" columns="2" size="medium" ids="86104,279138" orderby="post__in" include="86104,279138" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/06/CCG07131901_890-e1564592007814-900x566.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/06/CCG07131901_890-e1564592007814-768x483.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px">
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="599" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-900x599.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Historic map of Bronzeville" link="none" columns="2" size="medium" ids="86104,279138" orderby="post__in" include="86104,279138" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-900x599.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-1800x1198.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/06/ericallixrogers-bronzeville-24-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px">
<p>For a lively, interactive account of Bronzeville’s history, check out<strong> <a href="https://www.chicagomahogany.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=wix-smart-campaign&utm_campaign=google-ads-campaign-2023-2-6-100235e6&gclid=CjwKCAjwkuqvBhAQEiwA65XxQHYOfsvXN-h7M5heDXxlDhPzk4y0POjqz3uG9LswcK8gdvRZx5wv2xoCbnoQAvD_BwE">Chicago Mahogany Tours</a></strong>. Chicago’s acclaimed urban historian and TikTok sensation Sherman “Dilla” Thomas, guides visitors through historic sites like the birthplace of Black History Month, the headquarters for the first Black-owned insurance company, and the church where gospel music was born.</p>
<p>While you’re in the neighborhood, keep an eye out for <a href="https://www.theforumbronzeville.com/"><strong>The Forum</strong>,</a> a historic 1897 building that hosted music greats from Nat King Cole to Muddy Waters to the Jackson 5. Today, it’s being restored and transformed into a hub for cultural programming.</p>
<h2>Arts and culture in Bronzeville</h2>
<figure id="attachment_299368" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-299368" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-299368" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-900x600.jpg" alt="The sculpture garden at Gallery Guichard" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-900x600.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2021/03/2021_0909_Gallery_Guichard-4-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-299368" class="wp-caption-text">Gallery Guichard; photo by<br>Abel Arciniega @tequilagraphics</figcaption></figure>
<p>To dive into Bronzeville’s standout art scene, stop by <a href="https://www.galleryguichard.com/"><strong>Gallery Guichard</strong></a> and the Bronzeville Artist Lofts for immersive art that reflects the African Diaspora. <strong><a href="http://faieafrikanart.com/">Faie Afrikan Art</a> </strong>highlights pieces from East, West, Central and Southern Africa and <strong><a href="http://blancchicago.com/">Blanc Gallery</a></strong> starts cultural conversations with art exhibits, panel discussions, and artist talks. Continue your art exploration at the<a href="http://www.sscartcenter.org/home.html"><strong> Southside Community Art Center</strong></a>, the oldest African American art center in the U.S.</p>
<p>From June to September, visitors can drop into all these spots during the <a href="https://www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com/"><strong>Bronzeville Art District Trolley Tour</strong></a>, held on the third Friday of each month. Another fun summer event is the <a href="https://www.bronzevilleartdistrict.com/palm-sunday-s"><strong>Palm Sundays</strong></a> concert series, featuring jazz and blues performances in the Gallery Guichard Sculpture Garden from May to September.</p>
<figure id="attachment_85883" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-85883" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-85883 size-medium" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/07/CCG07111902_549-900x600.jpg" alt="South Side Community Art Center" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/07/CCG07111902_549-900x600.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/07/CCG07111902_549-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/07/CCG07111902_549-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-85883" class="wp-caption-text">South Side Community Art Center</figcaption></figure>
<p>For the past 30 years, <strong><a href="https://www.blackpearl.org/">Little Black Pearl</a></strong> has been a dynamic haven for creativity and opportunities for the community to engage with art and culture. They host an after-school program, a Sunday brunch series with gospel music, an annual festival with live music, and more.</p>
<p><strong><a href="https://hajihealing.com/">Haji Healing Salon</a></strong> focuses on community wellness and traditional African healing practices with a robust offering of yoga, reiki, sound meditation, and herbalism classes as well as an apothecary that sells organic herbs, houseplants, incense, and natural skincare.</p>
<h2>Must-visit restaurants in Bronzeville</h2>
<figure id="attachment_576487" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-576487" style="width: 900px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-576487" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/BronzevillleWinery_Bronzeville_Vignette-900x675.jpg" alt="BronzevillleWinery" width="900" height="675" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/BronzevillleWinery_Bronzeville_Vignette-900x675.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/BronzevillleWinery_Bronzeville_Vignette-1800x1351.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/BronzevillleWinery_Bronzeville_Vignette-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/BronzevillleWinery_Bronzeville_Vignette-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/BronzevillleWinery_Bronzeville_Vignette.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-576487" class="wp-caption-text">Bronzevillle Winery</figcaption></figure>
<p>Culinary creativity is a big part of Bronzeville’s legacy. Whether you crave soul food or craft cocktails, there’s something to check out here.</p>
<p>Head to one of the two stylish Bronzeville locations of <a href="https://www.sipandsavorchicago.com/"><strong>Sip & Savor</strong> f</a>or certified Fair Trade coffee, smoothies tea, pastries, sandwiches, and salads. The cafe provides karaoke, cocktails, and DJs on select evenings. <strong><a href="https://peachson47th.com/">Peaches on 47th</a></strong> serves up big doses of Southern brunch classics and signature dishes like salmon croquettes, shrimp & cheese grits, and peach bourbon french toast. Nosh on fried catfish or a chicken salad croissant sandwich and drink fresh pressed juices in the cozy space at <strong><a href="https://www.carver47.com/">Carver 47 Food & Wellness Market</a></strong>.</p>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/09/20OCT23_Skalawag_ChooseBronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_03-900x675.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Bronzeville Winery" link="none" columns="2" size="medium" ids="578514,576421" orderby="post__in" include="578514,576421" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/09/20OCT23_Skalawag_ChooseBronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_03-900x675.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/09/20OCT23_Skalawag_ChooseBronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_03-1800x1350.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/09/20OCT23_Skalawag_ChooseBronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_03-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/09/20OCT23_Skalawag_ChooseBronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_03-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2019/09/20OCT23_Skalawag_ChooseBronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_03-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px">
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="675" src="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/Bronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_LP_Card_the77-900x675.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="" link="none" columns="2" size="medium" ids="578514,576421" orderby="post__in" include="578514,576421" srcset="https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/Bronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_LP_Card_the77-900x675.jpg 900w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/Bronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_LP_Card_the77-1800x1350.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/Bronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_LP_Card_the77-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/Bronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_LP_Card_the77-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.choosechicago.com/uploads/2024/03/Bronzeville_BronzevilleWinery_LP_Card_the77.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px">
<p>The hickory smoked barbecue at<strong><a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/honey-1-bbq-chicago-3"> Honey 1 BBQ </a></strong>attracts a cult following and <strong><a href="http://www.truthitalian.com/">Truth Italian Restaurant</a></strong> supplies refined options like the jerk shrimp alfredo omelet and Cajun crawfish and grits. Foodies travel from all over the city for the spicy Senegalese dishes and warm atmosphere at <strong><a href="https://www.yassarestaurant.com/">Yassa African Restaurant</a></strong>. Enjoy art, an extensive wine list, and sophisticated American cuisine at <strong><a href="https://www.bronzevillewinery.com/">Bronzeville Winery</a></strong>, which also offers live music and DJs throughout the week.</p>
<p>Toast the evening at the crimson bar at <strong><a href="http://www.renaissancebronzeville.com/home.html">Renaissance Bronzeville</a></strong> while grooving to themed music nights. Enjoy live jazz and classic cocktails after a flavorful meal of sausage jambalaya or jerk chicken at <a href="https://www.normansbistro.com/"><strong>Norman’s Bistro</strong>.</a> Relax in the <strong><a href="https://www.turnerhausbrew.com/">Turner Haus Brewery</a></strong>, the city’s first Black-owned taproom, and choose from a variety of craft brews named for the founder’s family members.</p>
<p>For late-night fun, catch laidback DJ sets or karaoke at the self-described “grown folks bar,” <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Lounge/Juke-Joynt-556392027714140/"><strong>Juke Joynt</strong>. </a>Whatever you do in Bronzeville, the neighborhood’s history and welcoming feel will always embrace you.</p></div>
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