Get to Know Belmont Cragin

It’s a new week, and Belmont Cragin is the next neighborhood we’re exploring.

By the time Chicago annexed Belmont Cragin in the late 19th century, the Northwest Side neighborhood was a growing hub for factories. Workers, many of whom were European immigrants, lived in homes from bungalows to two-flats to Cape Cods. Belmont Cragin became a majority–Latino area in the 2000s.

Alonso Zaragoza, a lifelong Belmont Cragin resident, started Belmont Cragin United to connect neighbors with resources and to support small businesses. He shares his favorite things to do in the area.

Something to Eat

• 🌮 Memo’s Tacos sells $1 tacos and delicious agua de horchata.
• 🐟 Imagine you are dining beachside in Mexico at Baha Restaurant.
• 🥪 Su Taqueria Thaly’s creates new menu items — like a heart-shaped torta for Valentine's Day.
• 🇵🇱 Laramie Bakery & Deli is known for paczki.
• 🇸🇻 Try pupusas — thick corn tortillas stuffed with meats, beans, cheese, and squash flowers — at Salvadoran restaurant Olocuilta Pupuseria.
• 🍔 Charly’s Burgers has an array of burgers to select from including the la piña burger and the juicy burger.

Something to See

• 🐦 Riis Park has a running track, swimming pool, soccer fields, playground, and a large lagoon. Plus, it’s a hotspot for local birders.
• 🛋️ Dock 6 Collective — a collective of six independent designers, furniture-makers, and fabricators — is a hub for Chicago creatives.
• 💡 Crecer Incubator offers training, advising, and a physical storefront for several local business owners.

Something to Do

• ✨ Belmont Cragin is home to the largest Radio Flyer wagon in the world.
• 🎭 Aguijón Theater is Chicago’s oldest Latino theater and produces award-winning independent shows for English and Spanish speakers.
• 🚗 See vintage cars at the Klairmont Kollections Automotive Museum.
• 🎛️ Stereo Nightclub is a trendy hot spot that often features Latino and Polish DJs and entertainers.