Juan and Jonathan Zaragoza in their restaurant (Ron Kaplan)

Once in a while, you run across a little gem of a family restaurant that treats its patrons like family. Birrieria Zaragoza is that kind of restaurant, and the first time I visited, I had a hard time believing that they hadn’t confused me for a regular. On my second visit, I was one.

As you walk in the door, you are greeted by the smiling face of proprietor Juan Zaragoza, who is wielding an oversized cleaver that in any other context might inspire fear. Under his knife is perfectly charred free-range Indiana goat, ready for tacos.

In less than five years, the Zaragozas’ chopping block has been worn down into a bowl: it stands as a monument to how seriously they take their signature dish. Their birría—a Mexican goat stew—follows an unusual recipe that Juan learned as an apprentice during trips back to Jalisco, his home state and the origin of the dish. The meat is salted and steamed, then seasoned with chiles and roasted at high heat. Rather than stewing the product, as is common, the Zaragozas ladle a homemade tomato-based broth over the meat as it is served.

The result is beautiful. Their birría is at once juicy and crispy without being tough, perfectly spiced without being too hot, and richly meaty without being overly gamey. Even better, it lacks the greasiness that can characterize stewed birría.

The restaurant’s small size, its open kitchen, and its short menu all conspire to produce a meticulously fresh dish. The goat is chopped to order, allowing you to request a cut, or to specify whether or not you’d like the tastier (but messier) joints. The homemade tortillas are deliciously thick and smooth, and the recipe for the mild, smoky hot sauce is a closely guarded family secret.

Juan’s son Jonathan was our server both times we visited. Though not the primary chef, he is well versed in Mexican cuisine, and is preparing to teach culinary school classes. He offered a compelling history of the restaurant and of the dish and showed us around their unfinished new location next door. The new space will allow them to offer tables to more than a few parties at a time, while still, he assured us, preserving the prominence of the kitchen counter where the dish is finished.

The menu is simple. The birría can be ordered in single tacos, and in plates of two sizes ($6 or $8.50). It comes with the standard toppings: cilantro, limes, dried chiles, onions, and homemade hot sauce, as well as an unlimited supply of tortillas to soak it all up.

Don’t bring vegetarians, though. While the restaurant offers a few small sides like quesadillas, they are appropriate only as simple sides to accompany the goat stew, and couldn’t easily constitute a meal.

Birrieria Zaragoza is in a relatively quiet and run-down stretch of traffic-heavy Pulaski Road. It is in Archer Heights, making it a long drive and a longer ride on the 47 bus for Hyde Parkers, but it’s worth it. Among those to whom I have spoken to about it, it has been a unanimous pick for best Chicago birriería, and is hard to beat for the price. The restaurant is busy, as it has achieved something of a cult following from friends and through a series of good reviews.
Birrieria Zaragoza, 4852 S. Pulaski Rd. BYOB. Monday, Wednesday–Friday, 10am–7pm; Saturday–Sunday, 8am–4pm. (773)978-4881

best mexican brunch
La Haciendita
With as brisk a business on Saturday mornings as any trendy North Side brunch spot, minus the long wait and high prices, La Haciendita is a favorite of Gage Park locals. Pretend you’re one of them and seat yourself; order in Spanish if you can. The menu is a litany of well-executed Mexican standards, with standouts like spicy gorditas, al pastor and carnitas tacos, and several preparations of huevos (accompanied by the usual rice and beans, plus potatoes). Thirsty? Order an horchata or other agua and you’ll get 64 ounces for less than $3. 5151 S. Kedzie Ave. Monday-Saturday, 10am-midnight. (773)434-3864 (Robin Peterson)

best exotic ice cream
Paletería Flamingo
Ever wanted to try tuna-flavored ice cream? Probably not—but maybe you’ll want to try cactus pear-flavored, which is what this ice with the startling label means in Spanish. If that doesn’t interest you either, one of the several dozen other flavors of house-made ice, ice cream, and yogurt probably will—tamarind, horchata, flan, Parmesan, chile, and fruits from the familiar (lime, cherry) to the foreign (guanábana). Can’t decide? Try a sample, which the servers are quick to offer, or order a scoop each of two different flavors for about $2. Portions are relatively small, but the flavors are intense. Paletería Flamingo also serves ice cream shop staples like sundaes and shakes, plus Mexican favorites like paletas—all of them made with fresh fruit. Cash only. 2635 W. 51st St. 2pm-10pm, daily but subject to weather. Closed during winter. (773)434-3917 (Robin Peterson)

best thrift store
Village Discount Outlet
With its laissez-faire attitude toward organization, the Brighton Park Village Discount Outlet emphasizes the treasure-hunt aspect of thrift store shopping. Be prepared to dodge piles of discarded clothing and small children in the cramped aisles, and don’t count on privacy when trying on clothes—the closest thing to a fitting room here is the few mirrors scattered throughout the store, which serve well enough for judging whether that “Mahoney Family Reunion” T-shirt is tight enough. If you manage to navigate the store’s controlled chaos, you can leave with several outfits for less than $10. The housewares are also a potential site for steals among the clutter. Visit this weekend, September 26 and 27, for a fall clearance sale where everything in the store is half price. 2514 W. 47th St. Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm; Saturday, 9am-8pm; Sunday, 10am-6pm. (708)388-4772. vdoil.com/05.php (Robin Peterson)

best street food
La Veintiseis
The commercial heart of Little Village, La Veintiseis refers to the stretch of 26th Street between Kostner and Western Avenues. It’s a booming area—next to Michigan Avenue, it generates the highest sales tax revenue in the city of Chicago. Head west under the “Bienvenidos”-proclaiming pink arch at Albany Avenue, and the colorful storefronts and abundant street vendors evoke a city south of the border—not so far from the truth, as the neighborhood is home to the highest concentration of Mexicans in the Midwest. Vendors share the sidewalks outside businesses, as is the tradition in Mexico, selling street food like tamales, chicharrones (pork rinds), paletas, and—sometimes, if you’re lucky—$1 tacos. Vendors sell from 5am-10pm daily. (Robin Peterson)

best caribbean
Garifuna Flava
The menu at Garifuna Flava reflects the cooking of the Garifuna people in Belize and elsewhere in Central America, a fusion derived from African, Latin American, and indigenous cuisines. Fish, rice, corn, and bananas play prominent roles, and offerings range from familiar Latin standards with a Caribbean twist (guacamole served with plantain chips) to homey, comforting dishes offered few places else (cow foot soup, cassava cake.) The panades, finger-long corn patties filled with a mixture of fish and refried beans, are a standout, each crisp patty bursting with fresh corn flavor. The restaurant turns one year old in May, and they hope to bring in more live bands and Belizean entertainment in the well-appointed banquet hall next door. Lively Caribbean music, yellow-checked tablecloths, and sepia photographs of Belizean villages make the fluorescent-lit storefront a pleasant enough place to take advantage of their Wi-Fi and full bar, but the engaging staff, and endless amounts of fresh, hot plates coming from the kitchen make it extraordinary. 2516-18 W. 63rd St. Tuesday-Thursday, 11am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 11am-2am; Sunday, 11am-8pm. (773)776-7440 (Helenmary Sheridan)

best mango sorbet
Los Mangos Express
Plastic mango trees and optical illusion art fill the bright orange space of the promising Archer Heights taquería Los Mangos Express. The restaurant proudly serves specialties from the Mexican state of Guerrero like picaditas—red or green salsa, smoky meat, queso fresco, and a dollop of sour cream constructed on a fried masa base, a bit like sopes. These masa cakes are much thinner, however, which gives them a superb texture, exactly halfway between chewy and crunchy. The standard taquería fare, prepared on a griddle nearly as wide as the restaurant, is outstanding as well. Good luck finding anything on the menu more than $5—Los Mangos is ridiculously cheap. Leaving room for dessert is mandatory, otherwise you’d miss out on the nieve de mango, the chili-spiked mango sorbet. Gooey and just a bit piquant, it seemed to consist of more mango than ice. The nieve de mango could really be their ticket to city-wide recognition. Word seems to be spreading—a couple seated nearby skipped dinner and made straight for the sorbet. 4888 S. Archer Ave. Monday, Thursday, Sunday, 8am-10pm; Tuesday-Wednesday, 8am-9pm; Friday-Saturday, 8am-12am. (773)247-6070 (Ellis Calvin)