Maxwell Street market: finally, a map

Tacos Al Pastor/Photo by Rebecca Wheeler

If you’re a Chicagoan and haven’t yet been to Maxwell Street Market all I can say is you must go. Even if great Mexican street food and flea markets are not your thing, this is a site to behold. Block upon block of everything imagineable is for sale-from drill bits to socks, you can find it all. The people watching is fantastic too. At my last market visit I spotted Schwa chef Michael Carlson, toddler in tow.

There are some great finds at the market, but for any food lover the main attraction is the authentic Mexican fare. The smells will seduce you, but the variety and size of the market can leave you wondering where to begin. I can never decide where to start, so I was delighted to see in last week’s Time Out Chicago a comprehensive map with the names of all the food stands and items for sale. My first thought was -why didn’t I think of this? Even if I had, I wouldn’t have the patience to do the investigative work that Colleen Rush accomplishes with this map. It can be tricky to figure out where you are at the huge market and many stands are unmarked. You can easily lose steam half way through-possibly missing out on the best tamales east of Oaxaca. Plus, with the market relocation just last week, even regulars may find themselves turned around and wondering where to find their favorite taco stands at the new Desplaines street location.

I haven’t road-tested this map yet myself, but it looks very thorough. I think I will laminate my copy for my next visit so it survives the inevitable salsa stains. With this map you can plan a visit in a logical way, maybe starting with the suggested birria y consommé (lamb or goat stew in broth served with tortillas, cilantro and onion), hitting some taco stands -al pastor is my favorite- and finishing with churros. Now that the heat of summer is over you can linger on Maxwell without perspiring away with the throngs of market-goers. The market is year round, and fall is an ideal time to spend Sunday eating your way through the market.

*The market recently moved from Canal street to Desplaines.
It is located on Desplaines St. between Roosevelt Rd. and Harrison St., open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sundays, year round.