Kids enjoy exploring new and exciting foods when they’re prepared with flavorful and colorful ingredients. Ethnic cuisine helps kids learn about the world and opens up their culinary adventures. The next time you want to take the family out for a variety of foods, check out these four restaurants that serve ethnic food in the Warrenville, Illinois, area.

Invicto

“Tacos” licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Flickr by The DLC

Kids of all ages enjoy eating zesty Mexican food and you can find authentic south-of-the-border flavors when you dine at Invicto with two locations, one in Naperville and one in Vernon Hills. The proprietors of this restaurant strive to bring fresh, tasty food to your table using recipes from various parts of Mexico. You can feel good about dining at Invicto with their One Feeds Two program. For every meal you buy at this Mexican restaurant, the team donates a free meal to a child who lives in poverty.

Beverages include horchata, which is a drink made from rice, or aqua frescas with fruit such as watermelon, pineapple, or Jamaica flowers. The kids will also enjoy the churro shakes with flavors such as caramel, cinnamon, or chocolate. Enjoy a refreshing corn salad and add grilled chicken for a bit of protein. Savor tacos such as ones filled with grilled shrimp, fried avocado, or grilled mushrooms.

Lunch on burritos filled with rice, beans, sour cream, guacamole, and fresh salsa. Share a quesadilla filled with grilled steak, chicken, or vegetables, or have a full plate of Mexican food served with rice and beans. You can find Invicto at 1727 Freedom Drive Suite 101 in Naperville and at 887 N. Milwaukee Ave. Suite 300 in Vernon Hills. Both locations are open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Caribbean Corner

Feel like you’re on a tropical vacation when you eat at Caribbean Corner located at 970 Warren Ave. over at Downers Grove. The chef and owner of Caribbean Corner, Raquel Black, grew up in Dominica where she learned how to cook traditional Caribbean food from her grandmother. After moving to Illinois and graduating from culinary school, Raquel and her husband decided to open up a restaurant where they could share their love of this special food.

Try a classic Cuban sandwich with roasted marinated pork or a vegetarian sandwich made with fried plantain instead of bread. The zoodle bowls are built with a base of rice and then topped with either black or red beans, then vegetables, and your choice of seasoned protein. Caribbean Corner’s kale salad also has black beans, tomatoes, avocado, dates, and couscous dressed with a lemon-cumin vinegarette. Empanadas are baked or fried dough filled with a variety of vegetables, cheeses, and protein.

For your main entree, enjoy braised flank steak with grilled peppers and onions, slow-roasted pork shoulder with vegetables and a citrus sauce, or seared salmon served with refreshing salsa and lemon juice.

Add fun sides to your dish with offerings such as sweet fried yellow plantains, yucca fries, or Puerto Rican-style rice made with sofrito, cilantro, and vegetables. Save room for dessert with tasty treats like bread pudding with raisins and a warm caramel sauce or empanadas filled with sweet guavas and cream cheese. Caribbean Corner is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pho Ha

Head over to Glendale Heights to enjoy authentic Vietnamese cuisine. When you eat at Pho Ha, you can customize your heat and spice level so everyone can enjoy the Vietnamese food comfortably.

Begin your meal with a beverage such as Vietnamese tea or specialty Asian drinks made with soybeans or chrysanthemum flowers. Appetizers include vegetarian spring rolls, fried chicken wings in a spicy tamarind sauce, or crispy crepes filled with shrimp and pork.

Try a noodle soup (Pho) with beef or chicken in a savory broth or a specialty Vietnamese soup filled with fish and seafood. Main dishes include marinated Cornish game hen served over rice noodles, grilled pork chops, or marinated stir-fried beef served over rice. You can find Pho Ha at 1971 Bloomingdale Road in Glendale Heights, and they’re open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Edelweiss Restaurant

Take a journey to Germany when you eat at Edelweiss Restaurant in Norridge. For more than 30 years, customers have delighted in eating traditional German food made from family recipes. In addition to classic German dishes such as sauerbraten and schnitzels, you can also find American dishes such as chicken wings and grilled salmon. For the adults, choose from the extensive offerings of Bavarian-style beers to have with an appetizer like the sausage sampler, Bavarian pretzel, or potato pancakes. Have a cup of soup made with liver dumplings or a crisp salad with candied cranberries and toasted pecans.

Local favorites include German dishes such as bratwurst served with the tangy house-made ketchup, spaetzle with macaroni and a creamy cheese sauce, or a schnitzel sandwich. For your main entree, choose sauerbraten made with marinated sirloin steak and a sweet and sour sauce or stuffed cabbage rolls filled with pork, beef, and rice and smothered in a flavorful tomato sauce. The Jager schnitzel features fried pork medallions served with bacon, onion, mushrooms, and a hint of Cognac. Add sides to your meal with offerings such as sweet red cabbage, tangy sauerkraut, pickled beets, or German cucumber salad.

Edelweiss Restaurant is located at 7650 W. Irving Park Road in Norridge. Their hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and again from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. depending on the day of the week.

We at Crème de la Crème of Warrenville, Illinois, feel that exposing your kids to ethnic foods helps them understand different cultures. Which of these amazing ethnic restaurants is your favorite? Did dining at these cool places inspire your kids to experiment with cooking? Is there a spot that we missed? Please let us know if you know if a hidden gem so we can add the restaurant to our list.