Wicker Park's Division Street Is Dumplings & Latin Flavor: Two Fan-Favorite Restaurants Make Their Neighborhood Debut

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Wicker Park · April 25, 2026

Wicker Park's appetite for exciting new dining just got a serious upgrade. Two eagerly awaited restaurants — one a Chinatown icon, the other a beloved suburban staple — have recently landed on Division Street, giving neighbors even more reason to explore the corridor.

First, the dumplings. QXY Dumplings — the walk-in-only Chinatown institution known for its northern Chinese boiled, steamed, and pan-fried dumplings — has opened its second full-service location at 2018 W. Division St., the former home of El Bagel Cafe and Picante Taqueria. The team spent over a year renovating the space, and the menu delivers all the Chinatown favorites: cucumber salad, spicy cabbage kimchi, and dumpling fillings ranging from halal lamb to wagyu beef, shrimp, and even sea urchin. A liquor license is in the works, with a special lager brewed in collaboration with Off Color Brewing and dumpling-paired wines planned for summer. As General Manager Jesse Li put it, longtime fans have been clamoring for a second spot — the original is "always packed, always a long wait."

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, Libertad has planted its first Chicago flag at 1835 W. North Ave., in the storied old Las Palmas building. Owner Marcos Rivera — who literally grew up cooking in that kitchen — brings his vibrant Latin-American menu from Skokie, including pan-seared scallops with yuzu-habanero butter, grilled skirt steak with chipotle chèvre, and exclusive Wicker Park dishes like mussels with leeks and serrano in a tomato-coconut broth. It's a full-circle homecoming more than two decades in the making.

From Division Street dumplings to North Avenue Latin feasts, Wicker Park's dining scene is firing on all cylinders this spring. Pull up a chair and dig in — your neighborhood needs you at the table!

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/03/23/qxy-dumplings-opening-much-anticipated-wicker-park-location-soon/
2. https://www.chicagostarmedia.com/restaurants/three-new-restaurants-sizzle-with-openings-across-chicago/article_ab564ba7-93d1-463d-83cb-34133f7581d1.html
3. https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicago/guides/new-chicago-restaurant-openings