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photo credit: Derrick Koch
La Esperanza
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This might be the best spot in Pilsen for mole. In fact, La Esperanza won the 2021 People’s Choice Award at Mole de Mayo, a summer event that gives local Pilsen cooks and restaurants a chance to highlight their best recipes, with two winners crowned at the end of the fest. The owner, Rosita Camarena, takes influence from her mother’s cooking and uses chiles imported directly from Mexico in everything from their chilaquiles de mole for breakfast to her classic lunchtime chicken mole. Their extensive menu also caters to vegans with a section devoted to plant-based chorizo, enchiladas, and quesadillas. Note: They’re also BYOB.