Local Flavor: Restaurants That Shaped Chicago’s Neighborhoods

The neighborhoods that make up Chicago’s rich cultural landscape are often defined by the restaurants anchoring them. Food writer Jean Iversen delved into this idea more deeply, capturing the histories of eight Chicago restaurants (Won Kow, Tufano’s Vernon Park Tap, Nuevo Leon, The Parthenon, Borinquen, Red Apple Buffet, Hema’s Kitchen, and Noon O Kabab) and the neighborhoods they helped shape (Chinatown, Little Italy, Pilsen, Greektown, Humboldt Park, Avondale, Little India, and Albany Park). Tracing the story of how these restaurants became neighborhood institutions.

Iversen will offer highlights and anecdotes from her experiences researching her book, which includes firsthand accounts with local restaurateurs, their families, long-time customers and staff. Local Flavor: Restaurants That Shaped Chicago’s Neighborhoods (Northwestern University Press, 2018) weaves together ethnography, family, and food history into a story that will enthrall both food and Chicago history lovers. Books will be available for purchase.

Jean Iversen has written about Chicagoland restaurants for 15 years. She published three editions of BYOB Chicago, a popular guide for the bring-your-own-bottle dining community, earning her the title of “BYOB Queen.” A veteran of the book publishing industry, Iversen has edited about 200 books for consumers and the professional services industry.

This program is hosted by the Chicago Foodways Roundtable. To reserve, please e-mail: culinaryhistorians@gmail.com.

www.CulinaryHistorians.org