Chinese Community • Chicago
Taiwanese Community in Chicago
5,000+ estimated metro population • 84% hold bachelor’s degrees • TECO serves 7 Midwest states • Presbyterian Church est. 1964 • Double Ten Parade • 99 Ranch opening 2026
Chicago is the institutional capital of Taiwanese America in the Midwest. An estimated 5,000+ Taiwanese Americans live across the metro, concentrated in suburbs like Schaumburg, Naperville, and Des Plaines rather than in Chinatown. The Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Chicago (est. 1964) is one of the oldest Taiwanese congregations in the country. TECO Chicago — one of only 12 Taiwanese de facto consulates in the U.S. — serves seven Midwest states from its Wacker Drive office. Minyoli in Andersonville (opened May 2024) brought juancun cuisine to critical acclaim, and 99 Ranch Market is opening its first Illinois location in Naperville in 2026. The Double Ten Parade in Chinatown is one of only two large parades of its kind in America.
Last updated: March 2026 • Full Chinese Community guide for Chicago →
Why Taiwanese Families Choose Chicago
Taiwanese immigration to Chicago follows a corporate-academic pipeline. Beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, Motorola in Schaumburg, Lucent/Bell Labs and Tellabs in Naperville, and Amoco/BP recruited heavily from Taiwanese engineering programs. The University of Chicago, Northwestern, the University of Illinois system, Argonne National Lab, and Fermilab drew Taiwanese PhDs into research and academic positions. Medical institutions brought Taiwanese-trained physicians and researchers. The result is a community where 84% hold bachelor’s degrees or higher — among the highest educational attainment rates of any ethnic group in the region.
What keeps Taiwanese families in Chicago is a combination of institutional completeness and Midwest affordability. TECO Chicago handles all consular needs for seven states. The TECO Culture Center in Westmont has operated since 1989 as a community center with programming from cooking classes to tax preparation. Naperville Chinese School is an official TCML partner (designated February 2022) teaching traditional characters and zhuyin. Professional networks span every career stage: Monte Jade Mid-America for tech professionals, TACCGC for business owners, TAP-Chicago for young professionals. Chicago offers everything a Taiwanese family needs — at roughly half the housing cost of the Bay Area or New York.
Where Taiwanese Families Live in Chicago
The defining fact about Chicago’s Taiwanese community is that it is suburban, not urban. Unlike the historically Cantonese Chinatown on Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue, Taiwanese immigrants settled directly in the suburbs — bypassing the traditional ethnic enclave entirely. There is no single “Taiwanese neighborhood” like Flushing in New York or the San Gabriel Valley in LA. Instead, Taiwanese families are distributed across several suburban communities, connected by institutions rather than geography.
Northwest Suburbs — The Original Corporate Corridor
Schaumburg, Des Plaines, Arlington Heights, Hoffman Estates, Buffalo Grove, and Glendale Heights form the original Taiwanese settlement corridor. The anchor was Motorola in Schaumburg, which recruited Taiwanese engineers in the 1970s and ’80s. Hoffman Estates is 24.2% Asian (ACS 2022) American. Glendale Heights has the highest Taiwanese population percentage of any Illinois city at 0.75%. The Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Chicago in Des Plaines (est. 1964) is the oldest Taiwanese institutional anchor in the suburbs. Tugo Tea House in Arlington Heights serves Taiwanese food using tea from family fields in Taiwan. This corridor was the first Taiwanese foothold in Chicago and remains well-established.
Naperville & Western Suburbs — The Growth Hub
Naperville has become the fastest-growing Asian American suburb in the Chicago metro, adding 8,200+ Asian residents in one decade. Tech employers — Lucent/Nokia, Motorola, Tellabs, Amoco/BP — drew the initial wave of Taiwanese engineers. Today Naperville anchors the western Taiwanese community with H Mart (the primary Asian supermarket), Naperville Chinese School (official TCML partner since Feb 2022), Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple on Route 53, and the upcoming 99 Ranch Market (40,000 sq ft, opening summer 2026 at Riverbrook Shopping Center). Naperville School Districts 203 and 204 are highly rated, which drives family settlement. Lombard, next door, is home to the Taiwanese Community Church (est. 1983).
Westmont — The Institutional Hub
While no single suburb is “the Taiwanese suburb,” Westmont comes closest to functioning as a community center. Three Taiwanese institutions sit within blocks of each other on Pasquinelli Drive and 63rd Street: the TECO Culture Center (government-run community center since 1989), Di Ho Supermarket (24,000 sq ft Asian grocery since 1984), and the International Mall food court (weekend Taiwanese breakfast — soy milk, fried crullers, egg crepes, just like a 豆漿店 in Taipei). A single trip to Westmont can connect you to government cultural services, grocery shopping, and a meal — the closest analog to the convenience of daily life in Taiwan.
Chinatown — Commercially Relevant, Not Residentially
Chicago’s Chinatown on Cermak Road and Wentworth Avenue is historically Cantonese — not Taiwanese. Taiwanese restaurants have established a commercial presence here (Hello Jasmine, Taipei Cafe, Mabu Generation), and the annual Double Ten Parade marches through Chinatown, but this is not where Taiwanese families live. It’s a great place to eat and visit, but your neighbors will be in Schaumburg, Naperville, or Des Plaines.
Taiwanese Organizations
Chicago’s Taiwanese organizational landscape is remarkably complete for a community of this size. Because TECO Chicago serves all seven Midwest states, Chicago functions as the institutional capital for Taiwanese Americans from Michigan to Minnesota — with organizations covering every life stage from college students to retired executives.
TECO Chicago — Taipei Economic and Cultural Office
Address: 55 West Wacker Drive, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60601 • Phone: (312) 616-0100 (passport ext. 301, documentation ext. 302, visa ext. 303) • roc-taiwan.org/uschi_en
Jurisdiction: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa
Taiwan’s de facto consulate for the entire Midwest — one of only 12 TECO offices in the United States. Handles passport renewals, document authentication, visa services, and consular assistance. Every Taiwanese national in the seven-state region will need TECO at some point. The office is in the Loop, easily accessible by CTA.
Taiwanese Association of America — Chicago (TAA)
The foundational community organization for first-generation Taiwanese immigrants. Annual events include Lunar New Year celebration, 228 Memorial Day commemoration, summer outing, and Mid-Autumn Festival music appreciation. Part of the national TAA-USA network. If you’re arriving from Taiwan and want to meet fellow Taiwanese of all ages, TAA Chicago is the first place to connect.
TAP-Chicago — Taiwanese American Professionals
Founded 2008 • tapchicago.org • Part of TACL national network
The primary social and professional organization for young Taiwanese Americans (20s and 30s) in Chicago. Events include monthly happy hours, yacht cruises, free mock interview sessions (accounting, CS, law, marketing), Chicago’s largest day of service (gardening and painting for CPS schools), urban farming events, Taiwanese breakfast mornings, kickball tournaments, and annual participation in the Double Ten Parade. English-friendly events make TAP accessible to 1.5 and 2nd generation Taiwanese Americans. For a 25–35-year-old arriving in Chicago, this is the fastest way to build a social network.
Taiwanese American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago (TACCGC)
Founded 1988 • taccgc.org • 501(c)(3)
The primary business networking organization for Taiwanese entrepreneurs and professionals in the Midwest. Membership spans importers, exporters, lawyers, doctors, and insurance professionals. Hosts an annual New Year Gala. The Taiwanese Junior Chamber of Commerce Chicago (TJCCC), founded 2006, serves younger professionals as a subgroup. For anyone starting a business or looking for Taiwanese business connections in the Midwest, TACCGC is the key resource.
Monte Jade Science & Technology Association — Mid-America
Founded April 6, 1991 in Chicago • Part of the 14+ chapter global Monte Jade network
The premier networking organization for Taiwanese tech professionals. Promotes cooperation and investment flow between Taiwan and the U.S. Connects Chicago-based professionals with the global Monte Jade network, which has deep ties to Taiwan’s tech industry (TSMC, MediaTek). For a Taiwanese engineer, researcher, or tech entrepreneur arriving in Chicago, Monte Jade provides connections to both the local professional community and to business opportunities in Taiwan.
FAPA Illinois & ITASA Midwest
FAPA (Formosan Association for Public Affairs) represents the political advocacy dimension — informing U.S. policymakers about Taiwan’s democracy and sovereignty, with 44 chapters and 2,700+ members nationally. ITASA (Intercollegiate Taiwanese American Students Association), headquartered in Illinois, holds a 3-day Midwest conference with 150–450 student attendees from UChicago, Northwestern, UIUC, Purdue, and other schools. For college students and political advocates, these are the entry points.
Taiwanese Churches & Temples
Chicago’s Taiwanese religious landscape mirrors Taiwan itself, where Christianity (especially Presbyterianism) and Buddhism are the two dominant traditions. Two Taiwanese Protestant churches serve the community in Taiwanese (Hokkien), and several Buddhist organizations with direct Taiwanese roots provide spiritual continuity for new immigrants.
Taiwan Presbyterian Church of Greater Chicago
Founded 1964 • 530 E Oakton St, Des Plaines, IL 60018 • (847) 824-8184 • chicagotpc.org
Denomination: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) • Languages: Taiwanese (Hokkien/Taiyu), Mandarin, English
One of the oldest Taiwanese congregations in the Midwest. The Presbyterian Church has deep roots in Taiwan — the PCT was founded in 1865 and played a major role in Taiwan’s democratization movement. For many first-generation Taiwanese immigrants, this church is the primary community anchor: a place for worship, fellowship, mutual aid, and preserving Taiwanese language. Services in Taiwanese (台語) make this spiritually and linguistically meaningful in a way that English-language or Mandarin-language churches cannot replicate.
Taiwanese Community Church in Greater Chicago
Founded 1983 • 1420 S Meyers Rd, Lombard, IL 60148 • (630) 915-4349 • tccgc.org
Denomination: Reformed Church in America (RCA) • Languages: Taiwanese (Taiyu), Mandarin
Originally founded as Taiwan Reformed Church in the Greater Chicago Area. Services conducted primarily in Taiwanese. Located in Lombard, a western suburb — reflecting the suburban settlement pattern. The church describes its members as “born-again Christians and friends pursuing truth, using their mother tongue to worship God.”
Fo Guang Shan Chicago Buddhist Temple
Founded 1999 • 9S043 Route 53, Naperville, IL 60565 • (630) 910-1243 • ibpschicago.org
Tradition: Humanistic Buddhism (Fo Guang Shan, founded in Taiwan by Venerable Master Hsing Yun, 1967)
One of Taiwan’s four major Buddhist organizations. The Naperville temple offers dharma talks, meditation sessions, Lunar New Year celebrations, and Vesak (Buddha’s Birthday). For immigrants who practiced at FGS temples in Taiwan, this provides direct continuity of spiritual life. The affiliated Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) Chicago Chapter provides lay Buddhist community.
Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple
Opened 1994 • 1035 W 31st St, Chicago, IL 60608 • (773) 927-8807 • tbschicago.org
Tradition: True Buddha School (Tantric/Vajrayana, founded by Grand Master Sheng-Yen Lu) • Members: 2,000+ from across Illinois, ~4,000 additional visitors annually
Occupies a historic 1894 building designed by Daniel Burnham and John Wellborn Root in Bridgeport, near Chinatown. Conducts 20+ Buddhist dharma ceremonies and 50+ meditation/cultivation sessions per year. The True Buddha School has deep Taiwanese roots and a large following in Taiwan and East Asia.
Tzu Chi Academy Chicago
tzuchi.us/academy/chicago
Tradition: Tzu Chi Foundation (founded 1966 by Dharma Master Cheng Yen in Taiwan)
Weekend Chinese language school (K–12) that combines Mandarin instruction with Tzu Chi’s humanistic values of compassion, respect, and gratitude. Also runs volunteer programs for disaster relief, community service, and environmental initiatives. For Buddhist or spiritually-oriented Taiwanese families who want language education integrated with moral instruction rooted in Taiwanese Buddhist tradition.
Taiwanese Restaurants & Food
Chicago’s Taiwanese food scene has expanded rapidly since 2024. Before that, distinctly Taiwanese restaurants were rare. Now the landscape spans Andersonville to Chinatown to the northwest suburbs — and 99 Ranch Market is about to add a grocery anchor.
Minyoli — Juancun Cuisine, Critically Acclaimed
5004 N Clark St, Andersonville • minyolichicago.com • Opened May 2024
Chef/Owner: Rich Wang — born in Taipei, raised in a juancun (military dependents’ village called 民有里, which gives the restaurant its name), immigrated to Chicago at 16, trained at Michelin-starred Boka and James Beard-winning Fat Rice
Specialty: Juancun cuisine — the first restaurant in Chicago to serve this specific Taiwanese culinary tradition. Housemade beef noodle soup, braised snacks, fried specialties, cocktails
Press: Chicago Tribune review, WTTW, NBC Chicago, Fox 32
The most critically acclaimed Taiwanese restaurant in Chicago. Opened to lines down the block. The juancun concept tells a specifically Taiwanese story — the food of military families who fled mainland China to Taiwan in the late 1940s and created a distinct fusion cuisine in their village communities.
Hello Jasmine — Taiwanese Street Food, Three Locations
Chinatown: 2026 S Clark St • Lincoln Park: 953 W Webster Ave • Lincoln Square: 4705 N Lincoln Ave • hellojasmineus.com
Specialty: Chicken steak (雞排), popcorn chicken (鹹酥雞), braised pork rice (滷肉飯), bubble tea • Ingredients imported from Taiwan, Taiwanese tapioca starch coating, overnight marinade
Awards: Yelp honored as best fried chicken in Illinois (July 2024)
The most accessible Taiwanese food in Chicago. Three locations from Chinatown to the North Side means you’re never far from night market-style popcorn chicken and chicken steak. The expansion beyond Chinatown shows growing mainstream demand for Taiwanese flavors.
Taipei Cafe & Mabu Generation — Chinatown Options
Taipei Cafe: 2609 S Halsted St (Bridgeport) • (312) 374-1986 • taipeicafeus.com • Beef noodle soup, hot pot, popcorn chicken, bubble tea (tea shipped directly from Taiwan). Also has a Belmont Ave location.
Mabu Generation: 2022 S Archer Ave (Chinatown) • (312) 561-6228 • mabuus.com • Popcorn chicken, hot pot, minced pork over rice (肉燥飯), beef noodle soup. Second location in Markham (south suburb).
Solid Chinatown-area options for Taiwanese comfort food at reasonable prices.
Tugo Tea House — The Suburban Option
1285 N Rand Rd, Arlington Heights • tugoboba.com • Tue–Sat 11am–8pm, Sun 11am–7pm
Owners: Gerald and Jessica Barrett — family has tea fields in Taiwan
Specialty: Bubble tea (from family tea fields), beef noodle soup, popcorn chicken, Taiwanese sausage, bento boxes
The primary Taiwanese restaurant in the northwest suburbs. The family connection to Taiwanese tea farms makes the bubble tea particularly authentic — fresh-brewed Assam, Dark Roast Oolong, and Jasmine Green teas from their own fields.
Grocery & Markets
H Mart Naperville (1295 E Ogden Ave) — The primary Asian supermarket for Taiwanese families in the western suburbs. Carries Taiwanese sauces, noodles, frozen dumplings, teas, and snacks.
Di Ho Supermarket (665 Pasquinelli Dr, Westmont) — 24,000 sq ft, open since 1984. Part of the International Mall complex alongside the food court and near TECO Culture Center. Carries traditional Taiwanese products that newer stores may not stock. The weekend Taiwanese breakfast at the food court — soy milk, fried crullers (油條), egg crepes (蛋餅) — is the closest thing to a neighborhood 豆漿店 in Taipei.
99 Ranch Market (Riverbrook Shopping Center, Naperville) — Opening summer 2026, 40,000 sq ft, first Illinois location. Founded by Taiwanese immigrant Roger Chen. Will carry Taiwanese brands (I-Mei, Chi-Sheng, Wei Chuan) and ready-made Taiwanese deli items that H Mart and Di Ho do not stock. Expected to become a community gathering point, as 99 Ranch stores function in California’s Taiwanese communities.
Language Schools & Heritage Education
Chicago has a strong network of Traditional Chinese (Taiwan-style) language schools. The choice of school is not just linguistic — it’s a cultural identity statement. Taiwanese heritage schools teach traditional characters (正體字) and the zhuyin/bopomofo (ㄔㄖㄧ) phonetic system, not the simplified characters and pinyin used in mainland China.
Naperville Chinese School (NCS) — Naperville, IL • ncschool.org • 40+ years old. Official TCML partner since February 2022 — curriculum and materials come directly from Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council. Teaches traditional characters and zhuyin. Heritage Chinese classes for kids with Chinese-speaking parents, plus Chinese as a Foreign Language. The top choice for Taiwanese families in the western suburbs.
CCEA Chinese Language School — 8141 Kedvale Ave, Skokie, IL 60076 • (847) 763-1640 • cceachineseschool.org • Founded 1968 — the longest-running Traditional Chinese school in the Chicago area. 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all volunteer staff. Exclusively traditional characters. Serves the North Shore community. The choice for Taiwanese families on the North Side.
Tzu Chi Academy Chicago — tzuchi.us/academy/chicago • Weekend school (K–12) combining Mandarin instruction with Tzu Chi’s humanistic Buddhist values. For families wanting language education integrated with moral education rooted in Taiwanese tradition.
Arts, Culture & Events
TECO Culture Center — The Midwest’s Taiwanese Living Room
55 E 63rd St, Westmont, IL 60559 • (630) 323-2440 • Tue–Sun 10am–6pm
Established: April 15, 1989 • Operated by: Taiwan’s Overseas Community Affairs Council through TECO Chicago
Facilities: Multi-use auditorium, library, computer room, language center, cooking classroom
The physical heart of Taiwanese cultural life in the Midwest. Programming includes festival celebrations, cooking classes, exercise classes, tax preparation lectures, medical and legal seminars. Serves all seven states in TECO’s jurisdiction. For a new immigrant, this is the one-stop resource for community programming in Chinese and Taiwanese — a community center that functions like a 台灣會館.
Double Ten Parade — One of Two in America
When: Weekend closest to October 10 each year • Where: Chinatown (Cermak Rd / Wentworth Ave)
Organized by: CCBA, with participation from TECO, TACCGC, TAP-Chicago, TAA, and other organizations
Chicago is one of only two U.S. cities (along with San Francisco) that hold large Double Ten parades. Features floats, marching bands, student performances, and community organization contingents. The most visible public expression of Taiwanese/ROC identity in the Midwest. TAP-Chicago actively recruits young professionals to march, making it a social event as well as a civic one.
228 Memorial Day Commemoration
When: Around February 28 each year • Organized by: TAA Chicago
February 28 commemorates the 1947 massacre and White Terror period in Taiwan. For many Taiwanese Americans — especially those from independence-leaning families — 228 is a defining moment of collective memory. This event carries deep emotional weight and is distinct from anything in the broader Chinese American community.
Taiwan Pride Film Festival & #PictureMeInTaiwan
The Taiwan Pride Film Festival (inaugural June 2024, CineCity Studios) screened Taiwanese LGBTQ+ films during Pride Month — reflecting Taiwan’s position as the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage (2019). #PictureMeInTaiwan (December 2025, Chicago Union Station) brought hands-on cultural activities, performances, and interactive experiences to a major landmark. Both represent a newer wave of Taiwanese cultural outreach in Chicago.
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2022 5-Year Estimates) • Community organization websites and direct verification • Local school district enrollment data • Zillow and Apartments.com (rent estimates) • Glassdoor and BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (salary data) • Redfin (home price data). Community population estimates reflect available Census language data combined with organization-reported figures. Read our full research methodology →