The Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce named a longtime Aurora restaurant as its Small Business of the Year.
The honor went to the owners of La Quinta de Los Reyes Restaurant, 36 E. New York St.
Marcela Cartagena, chief of staff for the Illinois Hispanic Chamber, awarded the honor to La Quinta owners Claudia Urrutia and Jesus Sanchez at Tuesday’s Aurora City Council meeting.
“The IHCC received many nominations for the Small Business of the Year Award, and picking the winner was no easy task,” said Cartagena. “This business was chosen because of its incredible journey to offering the best of Mexico’s traditional cuisine.
“Located in downtown Aurora, they are known for their outstanding dishes and exceptional customer service. They offer an unforgettable culinary journey, rich in flavor and tradition.”
La Quinta de Los Reyes opened in downtown Aurora 20 years ago and has become a staple in the community. During the pandemic, it was the first restaurant to pivot to curbside service to help sustain itself and the downtown Aurora restaurant scene.
Owners Urrutia and Sanchez are not only entrepreneurs but key civic leaders of Aurora’s Latino community.
“This award is not just a testament to our team’s hard work but to our community,” said Urrutia. “We are so proud to call this vibrant community of Aurora our home, and we are proud to make a positive impact.”
Located in downtown Chicago, the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce represents 120,000 Latino businesses.
