Julie Parra Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Julie Parra was the loving wife to Joseph Parra, loving mother to Ivette, Mauricio, and Fabián. Grandmother to Mia, Brandon, Mauricio, Julia, and Camila. Julie Parra established CAFÉ EL TAPATIO in 1974 at the young age of 26 together with her husband, Jose Parra, with zero experience in the hospitality industry, but like many immigrants of her time, she had a hunger to get ahead in life. The only advantage she had entering said industry was the fact that her rich cultural background of being Mexican is full of warmth and gastronomic depth. Throughout her years of operating on a day to day basis, she always was experimenting and exploring new ways in presenting her gastronomic roots from Guadalajara, Jalisco Mexico. She was an innovator when it came to bringing vegetarian dishes to the Mexican food scene in Chicago, like the Enchiladas de Mole con Platano (plantain), or the Sincronizada de Papa. Entrees that were and still are outside of the typical box of Chiles Rellenos or Vegetarian Burritos, and by no means belittling said dishes. Julie was constantly decorating her restaurant by either painting different colors or bringing back artisanal décor from the small town of Tonala on the outskirts of her home city of Guadalajara. She was the first to introduce artisan glass blown margarita glasses in 1989 when Café El Tapatio first received her liquor license. To say she was a visionary is an understatement in our humble eyes. Fast forward a few years later in 1992 she established Bebe Elegante that still stands today just ½ a block away from Café El Tapatio on Ashland Avenue. She gave and forever will be the epitome of what a LATINA OWNED business stands for. She will be deeply missed.

Julie Parra

April 17, 1948 - May 24, 2022