The Chicago area is home to the largest Palestinian diaspora community in the U.S., and Bridgeview is the designated “Little Palestine” here. You can find many Palestinians — including those whose families fled Israeli oppression and ended up in countries like Jordan or Lebanon — in the suburb, plus many other Arab communities, like Syrian, Lebanese, and Yemeni enclaves. In fact, some Bridgeview locals have started calling the neighborhood “Little Yemen” too, and you can see Yemeni immigration to the village from big cities like New York increasing as menus start to offer traditional Yemeni meals for their expanding clientele.
Little Palestine is one of the Chicago area’s most culturally vibrant neighborhoods, with Yemeni coffee shops, Palestinian grilled meats and handmade sweets, halal fried chicken, and Afghani stews being served up on the same streets where clothing vendors like She Chocolate sell handmade and ready-made thobes with tatreez embroidery (Palestinian traditional dress); bakeries, like Al-Watan, serve piles of pita bread; and grocers, like Al-Rasheed Bakery and Grocery, offer preserved grape leaves for stuffing in the winter and fresh molokhia leaves in the summer.
Whatever part of Arab culture you’re looking to experience, Little Palestine has it all.
Note: Every place on this map obtains its meat and gelatin from halal sources.
Read More
Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.
If you buy something or book a reservation from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.