L-Stop Musts: Nowruz Edition

Nowruz is a 13-day celebration of the beginning of spring. While the holiday originated among Persian Zoroastrians more than 3,000 years ago, it’s now observed by more than 300 million people across Central and West Asia, according to National Geographic. 

Students can honor this year’s spring equinox March 20 and the holiday’s Persian roots by visiting markets and museums along Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line.

Loyola: Devon Market (1440 W. Devon Ave.)

Almost all items in the Nowruz haft-sin table can be found at Devon Market. In Iran, families arrange the haft-sin table with seven items all beginning with the Persian letter sin — sprouted grains, sweet pudding, garlic, apples, sumac, vinegar and a date-like fruit called senjed.

Devon Market imports much of its produce and processed foods from the Middle East, the Balkans and Eastern Europe. Vending bread so fresh it’s still warm to the touch, cheap produce and dozens of discounts, Devon is a neighborhood essential.

Devon Market is open every day from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Argyle: Middle East Bakery & Grocery (1512 W. Foster Ave.)

Towering shelves of spices, sweets and pantry staples dominate Middle East Bakery & Grocery. Palestinian-born Hisham Khalifeh established the shop in 1981 and sources his goods from Iran, Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean.

As the name suggests, Middle East Bakery & Grocery specializes in baked goods, including pita and savory stuffed pies called fatyr. Its spice blends and deli products, like olives, hummus and feta cheese, are made in-house and priced by the weight.

Separate from the marketplace, the kitchen serves falafel, kabobs and fresh salads. The casual, cozy seating tends to fill up fast, but the beginning of spring means it’ll soon be warm enough to sit outside and admire the blossoming trees that blanket Andersonville.

Middle East Bakery & Grocery is open Monday to Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Monroe: The Art Institute of Chicago (111 S. Michigan Ave.)

The Art Institute of Chicago holds a small, but fascinating collection of textiles and objects from present-day Iran and Uzbekistan. Displayed in Gallery 143 in the Arts of Asia exhibit, intricately designed bowls, pots and tiles range from the 10th to 17th centuries across various khanates and dynasties.

On the Institute’s first floor, the Arts of the Greek, Roman and Byzantine Worlds exhibit also contains ceramics and textiles from ancient Syria, Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean, where Nowruz is also celebrated.

Unfortunately, not all works from Iran are available for public viewing, but the Art Institute’s website has a larger collection of carpets, coins, ceramics, statues and manuscripts.

The Art Institute is free for students with a Loyola ID. It’s open Wednesday to Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Garfield: Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures Museum (1155 E. 58th St.)

It’s a bit of a trek from The Water Tower Campus, but for those willing to ride the train and 55 bus for just under an hour, The Robert and Deborah Aliber Persian Gallery has a wealth of objects and artifacts from ancient Iran.

Housed in the Institute for the Study of Ancient Cultures at the University of Chicago, the gallery includes sculptures, jewelry and ceramics mostly sourced from a 1930s excavation of the historical sites of Persepolis, Tall-e Bakun and Istakhr.

ISAC previously owned more than 1,800 Persian artifacts, but after a Supreme Court case, it returned them to Iran in 2019, The Associated Press reported. The Persian Gallery still maintains more than 400 objects from prehistoric times to the Islamic period.

ISAC is open Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 pm. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.