Taste of Latin America

INAUGURAL Culinary Event!
…Showcasing Chicago Restaurants

Taste of Latin America
Food, Wine & Art Festival
►PLUS culinary & entertainment stages
►Fest's location also an effort to lay groundwork
for Latin American restaurant and entertainment district.

For foodies and non-foodies alike, Latin American cuisine can be both exotic, yet sometimes hard to discover in a city like Chicago which, unknown to many, is home to consulates from 17 Latin American countries!

That's about to change at the inaugural Taste of Latin America food, wine and art festival on Friday-Sunday, August 24-26.

This new culinary happening will be held on 3600 W. Armitage Avenue (at Central Park) in the west Logan Square neighborhood that's fast-becoming a buzzing urban hot spot. (The iconic Rosa's blues lounge and recently-opened Scofflaw are nearby.)

Its location is also part 26th Ward Alderman Roberto Maldonado's vision to create a Latin American restaurant and entertainment destination district on West Armitage.

Visitors to Taste of Latin America will be treated to flavorful delights ranging from the islands of Cuba and Puerto Rico to South America's Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela and, of course, Mexico.
In addition to food, wines and arts & crafts, the fest will feature a "Taste of Latin America Culinary Stage presented by Sysco Chicago" with chef demonstrations on Saturday afternoon as well as a cooking competition for chefs.

The fest will also feature an entertainment stage with music, performances and Latin American dance acts.

►Admission to Taste of Latin America is free. Hours are 5:00-10:00 p.m. on Friday and 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Updates and more at www.chicagoevents.com; 773.868.3010.

As of late July, the list of participating restaurant vendors are:
•90 Miles Cuban Café, 2540 W. Armitage
•Aripo's Venezuelan Arepa House, 118 N. Marion, Oak Park
•Cemitas Puebla (Mexico), 3619 W. North Ave.
•Coco Restaurant (Puerto Rico), 2723 W. Division
•Fiesta Mexican Grill, 2831 W. Armitage
•Las Tablas Colombian Steakhouse, 2942 N. Lincoln Ave.
•Macondo Colombian Coffee & Empanadas, 2965 N. Lincoln Ave.
•Mariscos El Veneno (Mexico), 1024 N. Ashland
•Sabor Latino (Puerto Rico), 3810 W. North Ave.
•Texas de Brazil, 51 E. Ohio
•Zapatista Restaurant (Mexico), 1307 S. Wabash

In addition to wines (and pina coladas) being sold on-site, chefs from River North's Carnivale (Brazilian fusion), 702 W. Fulton Market, and Garifuna Flava Caribbean Restaurant (Belize), 2516 W. 63rd Street, will be among those participating in weekend culinary stage demonstrations.