Humboldt Park has a vibrant Puerto Rican food scene, and Chucherías Tropical Creations, which opened in October 2022, offers a place to get pastries and drinks that speak to Sachayra Cintron’s upbringing and connections to the island.
A 34-year-old single mother of three who was born and raised in Humboldt Park, Cintron loved baking ever since she was a child. But it wasn’t until she moved to Puerto Rico in 2010 that she honed her baking skills by taking classes and getting a pastry certificate. She sold pastries from her home, but after seven years in Puerto Rico, Hurricane Maria’s devastation forced her to flee with her children. “Where I was living it was a month without water or electricity,” Cintron recalls. “My mother was begging me to come back and I was reluctant at first, but I didn’t know how much longer I was going to be without water and essentials. My sister was able to find a flight and we flew right before the hurricane hit.”
Once back in Chicago, Cintron began working as a fiscal office manager at the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, and started saving money to open a bakery. An incubator program at the Cultural Center taught her how to participate in pop-ups, choose a location for the business, and expedite permits. “The executive director walked me over to this storefront and said it was vacant,” Cintron says. She knew it had the potential to be to Chucherias (the name translates to “sweets”) — “I immediately contacted the landlord,” she says.
The cafe’s vibrant interior is adorned with a mural of green tropical plants by local Puerto Rican artist Luis Muñoz. Here, Cintron serves Puerto Rican treats, like mallorcas (ham and cheese sandwiches with garlic butter and powdered sugar served on sweet bread) and quesitos (puff pastry filled with cream cheese). Cintron’s twist on quesitos features toppings like Nutella and guava. “People in Puerto Rico were putting toppings on so I decided to bring that over,” Cintron says.
Another sweet on offer is the bizcocho mojadito, a dense vanilla sponge cake infused with housemade almond syrup and almond frosting. Cintron perfected her recipe during her time in Puerto Rico and added it to her menu since she did not see many places in Chicago offering it. The chalkboard menu states the bizcocho provides “nostalgia guaranteed” because Puerto Ricans traditionally eat it at celebrations like weddings and anniversaries.
But Chucherías is more than just a bakery: It’s a beacon of community empowerment and cultural pride. Cintron is committed to sourcing ingredients — from gourmet teas to single-origin coffee beans — from Puerto Rico. The tea is from Alou Thé, a woman-owned tea business, while the coffee beans come from Maricao, the hometown of Cintron’s grandfather, who passed away before she could meet him. It’s her way of honoring him by reinvesting back to his roots. “It’s a 100-percent Puerto Rican coffee; the beans are not blended with any other beans,” Cintron says. “I went to the coffee bean farm and the owner gave me a tour and told me his father knew my grandpa. It was a very special moment for me.”
When it comes to gentrification in Chicago, Cintron has seen its effects firsthand and is determined to bolster local businesses. “I used to live on Division and Hoyne; what’s now Wicker Park, once was an area filled with Puerto Ricans, and gentrification changed that,” she explains. “It’s crucial to support local businesses; if we don’t invest in ourselves, we’ll be pushed away.” Cintron remains committed to preserving Humboldt Park’s cultural heritage. With plans to introduce new offerings like horchata de ajonjolí, a Puerto Rican version of the drink made with sesame seeds, she continues to honor her roots while advocating for the resilience of local establishments.
2627 W. Division St., Humboldt Park