Little Village · Since 2011
Mexican breakfast,
seventeen ways.
One for every heat.
“Home of the World’s Best Chilaquiles,” served in a room full of crosses in Little Village since 2011.
Red salsa, mixed with scrambled eggs, topped with sour cream and queso fresco. Served with beans.
The seventeen · heat 1 to 5
- Rancheros1
- Pico de Gallo1
- Entomatados1
- Verdes2
- Al Guajillo2
- Pasilla2
- Enfrijolados2
- Mole con Pollo2
- Birriaquiles2
- Rojos3
- Chile Asado3
- Chile Poblano3
- Suizos3
- Divorciados3
- En Salsa de Chipotle4
- Salsa de Molcajete5
- A la Diabla5
The most unique location in Little Village
The name is not a metaphor.
More than just an award-winning Mexican cafe serving a Guadalajara-inspired, extensive menu, a few blocks from the emblematic terra cotta gateway, the Arch. Enjoy the dining experience from the moment you enter the chalet-style building to the second you admire the ceiling and interiors, filled with Catholic-based religious artifacts.
“A spiritual ambiance and a delightful dining experience.”
Chicago Sun-Times, May 1 2019
Our famous chilaquiles
Every one is sauteed with onion and tomato. After that, you choose.
The printed menu rates each chilaquil from one flame to five, so you can order the one you actually want. Rancheros sits at one. Salsa de Molcajete, charred tomato with toasted chile seco, sits at five. Our top-selling menu item is our award-winning chilaquiles: the perfect option for vegetarians and anyone looking for a hangover cure.
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Rojos
3Made with red salsa, mixed with scrambled eggs, topped with sour cream and queso fresco. Served with beans.
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Verdes
2Made with green salsa, mixed with scrambled eggs, topped with sour cream and queso fresco. Served with beans.
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A la Diabla
5Made with chipotle salsa and spices mixed with scrambled eggs, topped with sour cream and queso fresco. Served with beans.
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Birriaquiles
2Tender beef birria mixed with our crispy tortillas, topped with fresh cilantro and onion. Served with rice, beans, a lime wedge and a side of tomatillo salsa.
The kitchen
Chef Ambrocio Gonzalez
Hailing originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Ambrocio Gonzalez embarked on his culinary journey out of necessity, as his single mother worked during the day, leaving him to cook for himself.
At the tender age of 12, Ambrocio forged his inaugural entrepreneurial path alongside his mother and grandmother. By 14, he found himself employed at the esteemed Cerveceriía Corona de Guadalajara, specifically in the Department of Market Research, a position he regarded as a cherished aspiration due to the myriad of Mexican states it allowed him to explore. Prior to reaching 16, he relocated to the bustling city of Chicago, where he both graduated from Oakton College and acquired fluency in the English language.
“The paramount objective is to ensure that customers depart content, irrespective of the challenges encountered.”
The lasting lesson from the proprietor of his first restaurant
And everything else
Breakfast, brunch, the juice bar and the coffee bar.
There is something for every palate: sweet, healthy, spicy, and more.
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Huevos Rancheros
Two fried eggs on a lightly fried tortilla, topped with a tomato chile salsa.
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Torta Regular
Your choice of meat with refried beans, lettuce, tomatoes, onion, mayo, sour cream and pickled jalapeños.
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Aguas Frescas
Horchata, jamaica, guayaba and pepino con chile, flavored water made with fresh fruit.
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Heavenly Sweets
When pancakes, french toast, and crepes meet at our Mexican kitchen, they create a colorful and flavorful burst of goodness.
The angelic coffee bar
Café de olla, and everything after it.
Our signature coffee, made with cinnamon and a hint of sugar. Mexican syrups and artisanal sweeteners are just some sweet add ons to our hot and cold coffee bar menu, alongside a full juice bar of licuados, smoothies and aguas frescas made with fresh fruit.
North Lawndale, est. 2023
Four rooms, no two alike.
Outdoor seating, a semi-private room, bike parking and a private lot.
Locations
Four rooms, one kitchen’s recipes.
Every location serves 7am to 3pm. Ordering, waitlists and gift cards differ by location, so each one carries its own.
Little Village
Two floors of dining space. Available after 3pm daily for private events.
North Lawndale
Outdoor seating, a semi-private room, bike parking and a private lot.
La Catedral Express
Brighton Park
Counter service only, we have no waiters. Ten-person tables, gender-neutral restrooms.
New Eastside
200-guest capacity, venue rental available. Catering: Orders@lacatedralcafe.com
Media
Written up for the chilaquiles and the crosses.
- ABC 7
Chicago’s La Catedral Cafe serves up chilaquiles alongside Catholic imagery
September 15, 2022
- Chicago Tribune
Little Village’s Mexican identity sustained it during COVID-19
June 4, 2021
- Crain’s Chicago Business
The best breakfast spots in Chicago
July 6, 2022
- Eater Chicago
Where to eat chilaquiles in Chicago
October 19, 2021
- Eater Chicago
Chicago’s essential Mexican restaurants
April 21, 2022
- DNAinfo
La Catedral Cafe named best restaurant by local chamber
January 3, 2012
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