Every neighborhood in Chicago is different from the food they offer to the people walking down the streets. OMSA would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of these ethnic neighborhoods with an Asian American flair! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albany Park, Chicago, IL
Since 1980’s, this northern Chicago area has been coined "Koreatown". Korean shops and restaurants line the streets of Lawarence Avenue and run to Kedzie and Pulaski—known colloquially as Seoul Drive.
The neighborhood is known for its annual Korean Festival, held last year in August. This festival and other local events are broadcasted through Korean media outlets such as the local television station (WOCH-CA Ch. 41) and radio station (1330 AM), both of which call this neighborhood home as well. Along with Korean magazines, this area is dedicated to highlighting the life of many cultures and especially that of the Korean people.
Albany Park
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Rogers Park, Chicago, IL
Far in the north of Chicago, lies a little neighborhood known for its diversity of ethnicity, race, and economic status of its community members. It is said that Rogers Park has is a neighborhood with percentages of white, Black, and Hispanic populations of somewhat equal value.
Defined by Devon Avenue, the main street in Rogers Park, this area is known as the premier South Asian center in Chicago. Indian, Pakistani, Russian, Middle Eastern, restaurants, banks, grocery stores, beauty salons, travel agencies, are among the businesses dedicated to the diversity of the neighborhood. Businesses line the streets of Devon Avenue between California and Ridge Avenues. This area is also home to many Indian and Pakistani import stores with access to many of the latest Bollywood films. Rogers Park ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Uptown, Chicago, IL
Uptown is one of Chicago's most ethnically diverse neighborhoods. And be sure to check out Little Saigon on Argyle Street, the center of Vietnamese culture in Uptown. For a bit of history, be sure to visit both the Vietnam War Museum and also Graceland Cemetery, which is the final resting place of many famous persons.
The borders of Uptown are Foster to the north, Montrose and Irving Park to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, and Ravenswood and Clark to the west. The Vietnamese culture is known here by all the restaurants dedicated to Vietnamese cuisine. With Pho 888 and New Saigon, there are many restaurants that will satisfy all palettes. Uptown ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Armour Square, Chicago, IL
This South Side community is the home of the popularly known Chicago Chinatown. Located between Cermak and Wentworth Avenues, Chinatown has many restaurants and businesses dedicated to the culture and lifestyle of China and Chinese Americans. In the 1980s, 32-acres north of Archer were purchased by a group of Chinatown business leaders. It is in this space that a two-story mall, Chinatown Square was built. This large space brought a collection of restaurants, beauty salons and law offices into the area.
Local landmarks distinguish this cultural neighborhood including the Chinatown Mural, a mural showing the history of Chinese immigrants in the United States; Chinatown Square itself has sculptures of animals in the Chinese zodiac all around the area; the Chinatown Gate, is the first structure to welcome guests to the community; the Pui Tak Center; and the Chinese-American Museum of Chicago, exhibiting historical pictures and objects of Chicago Chinatown. Armour Square
For more information on any of these neighborhoods, please follow the links below each section. Go and explore Chicago’s many diverse neighborhoods!!
