A great little cafe in the heart of Pilsen, just southwest of the Loop, the Jumping Bean is ideal for taking in this vibrant Mexican-American neighborhood. It serves the usual espresso drinks, muffins, and pastries, but it also offers decent salads, cheesecakes, natural vegetable and fruit juices, and -- best of all -- a tantalizing selection of liquados, Mexican drinks made with milk, sugar, ice, and fresh fruit (try the mango). The artistic doings outside, characterized by colorful outdoor murals, spill over into the cafe, which features rotating exhibitions of paintings and hand-painted tables by local artists. The place even schedules live flamenco music and poetry readings in Spanish. Everyone is welcome, from families with little kids to the loft-dwelling artists who've lately infiltrated Pilsen.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Chicago 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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