Minna's– fresh masa in Belmont Cragin

With recent chatter, I thought I'd get a thread rolling about this gem on the block where Armitage meets Grand, home of another heavy hitter, Morena's.

And surprisingly, there's a lack of talk about this place here as its been well covered by Kindelsperger & Dolinksy. And of course, we have our own Da Beef to thank for luring us to this far flung corner.

Its a real tough call choosing not to go for the pica pollo next door at Morena's, unless you've got bang-bang level hunger. You'll be glad you saddled up to the counter at this bustling Mexican diner though. The place is packed with locals of all stripes, I sat next to a vegan biker the last time I ate there. And you're in for a show watching at least half a dozen abuelitas pat out tortillas, quesadillas, and huaraches on the other side of the counter.

It's hard to go wrong here with all that earthy masa goodness. But for me, my favorite bite so far, is the cecina taco, adorned with grilled onions & peppers and a slice of avocado. The best-in-class fresh tortillas are the perfect vehicle for the meaty, salty, creamy interplay of this relatively simple taco. A contender for best taco in town!



Minna's
5046 W Armitage Ave, Chicago, IL 60639
(773) 417-7602

Reminded me of this recent article about masa from heirloom corn:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/dining/c ... story.html

Ditto!


As I was sitting and waiting for my order I noticed one of the staff had a t-shirt that called the restaurant ‘Mina’s’.

Whatever.

I used to live a few blocks south on LeClaire in another life and a long time ago. This used to be my favorite diner in the area.

... of course before tacos were being served.