Nellie's Restaurant
A Humboldt Park staple, Nellie’s Restaurant opened in 2006. With a warm and friendly atmosphere, this family-run business attracts customers from all over the city. The restaurant’s namesake, Nellie, is the family’s beloved matriarch and was known to be quite fond of the Humboldt Park neighborhood.
Located along the Paseo Boricua, Nellie’s serves an array of authentic Puerto Rican dishes, some with an American twist. Its most popular dish is arguably the Avena de Coco, or coconut oatmeal (this dish is so popular that you can buy it by the gallon). Nellie's Breakfast Jibarito shines a spotlight on the innovative nature of Chicago Hispanic cuisine. Created by a chef in Humboldt Park in the 1990s, the Jibarito is a distinctly "Chicago" dish that draws upon Puerto Rican tradition. With flattened and fried green plantain in place of bread slices, this sandwich often contains aioli, meat (typically steak), cheese, lettuce, and tomato. The breakfast variation served at Nellie's contains eggs as well. On top of their delicious staples, Nellie’s offers plenty of vegetarian-friendly menu items (including vegetarian jibaritos).
If you visit the restaurant on the weekend, you may get to experience its well-known all-you-can-eat buffet. Open seven days a week, Nellie’s Restaurant is a great place to grab a bite to eat while in the heart of Humboldt Park. Come here to enjoy the authentic cuisine or grab a coffee while you study for your classes.