Pilsen walking tour for students

I could use some help as I searched this forum and others and it became information overload!!!

I am taking a group of college culinary students on a walking tour of the Pilsen neighborhood and we are going to first visit the National Museum of Mexican Art as I have been there in the past and enjoyed it very much. Afterwards I would like to take them to a good local market in the area near the museum and finally for a nice lunch (if possible under $10 as they are poor, broke students). Any suggestions would be very helpful and appreciated to give them a good cultural food experience.

If there was a thread that was posted in the past on this topic and can save time for anyone please leave me a link.

Thanks!
Johnh

JohnH wrote:for a nice lunch (if possible under $10 as they are poor, broke students).

Nuevo Leon, maybe?

I would check out La Casa Del Pueblo for the market. They have great produce at very reasonable prices. For your meal I would hit Birreria Reyes de Ocotlano. It will be a chance for many of your students to sample some goat, the most consumed meat in the world.

La Casa Del Pueblo
1810 S Blue Island Ave
Chicago, IL 60608

Birreria Reyes de Ocotlan
1322 W 18th St
Chicago, IL 60608

Hi,

You may want to snag ideas off this AIWF Tour of Pilsen. If you buy things to taste rather than a sit down meal. You could probably hit most of those places and stay within budget.

Regards.

For the market, La Casa del Pueblo on Blue Island south of 18th Street.

For lunch, nsxtasy's suggestion of Nuevo Leon is a fine one. La Cebollita on Ashland south of 18th is another possibility.

there are also places which specialize in one thing: e.g. carnitas (Carnitas Uruapan on 18th near the L station), or birria (Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlan further east on 18th). But with a group it sounds like a place with a variety of things to choose from would be good.

Edit: I see Big Willi has some of the same suggestions!

The best grocery in the area is Casa del Pueblo on Blue Island, just south of 18th...

You might also consider visiting one or more of these places...

Carnitas Uruapan
viewtopic.php?p=1786#p1786

Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlán
viewtopic.php?p=31325#p31325

Don Pedros Carnitas
viewtopic.php?p=8805#p8805

Antonius

Wow! I do like the idea of going for birria as I am sure many have not tried it but its one of my favorites. Thanks for all your suggestions and maybe if the weather is good a picnic might be the way to go. We are going next Wednesday(8/18) but I am going to link this post for my students to view your suggestions when they have time on their own to visit Pilsen again in the future.

Thanks a bunch and you are all quite amazing for your quick suggestions and knowledge of the area!

Big Willi wrote:It will be a chance for many of your students to sample some goat, the most consumed meat in the world.

Wikipedia states, "Although cited in a New York Times article as 'the most widely-consumed meat in the world', goat is actually a distant fourth globally behind pork, beef, and chicken", citing this article as a source.

JohnH -- Let us know how the outing goes!

Antonius

Very close to the museum is Abuelo's, which I think would be a fine lunch stop, but you'd probably want to hit the market afterwards.

Thanks alot everyone and I will post pictures from our tour next week!
Cheers!
Johnh

john: no one has yet mentioned the wonderful cafeteria style taqueria casa del pueblo, which is across the parking lot from the grocery store (same owners). your students can get a good meal for under $10. the refried beans and tamales are my favorite in the city and i often get a dozen tamales and a quart of beans to go. justjoan

http://chicago.menupages.com/restaurant ... ueblo/menu