A Beard Semifinalist Will Open a Halal Fried Chicken and Taco Restaurant in Portage Park

The acclaimed chef behind Ina Mae Tavern in Wicker Park and Frontier in West Town is working on a new restaurant. Brian Jupiter is partnering with his chef de cuisine at Frontier, Azazi Morsi, on a project on the Northwest Side in Portage Park called Migos Fine Foods.

The restaurant will center around delivery and carryout with 12 seats at 5044 W. Montrose, near the Jefferson Park border. Jupiter says it’s convenient; he lives about 10 minutes away in Albany Park while the Algerian-born Morsi lives in Portage Park. The approach is fun, fast, and casual — affordable eats that customers can enjoy more than once a week. The restaurant should open in early April. They’ll also have a small patio.

The menu includes halal fried chicken and tacos. Renata Jupiter is handling the sweets with cakes and cookies from her business, Adry’s Pastries. Brian Jupiter describes the doughnuts as being similar to beignets, but a little longer. They’ll have various toppings. They aren’t serving alcohol, but Frontier mixologist Edgar Garcia is creating some agua frescas.

Brian Jupiter is a New Orleans native who’s been working in restaurants since he was a teen. He was also a semifinalist in 2019 for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Great Lakes.

Morsi and Jupiter plan on expanding their operations to catering in May. The restaurant is separate from Pioneer Tavern Group, Brian Jupiter’s partners at Frontier and Ina Mae (the group also runs Lottie’s Pub in Bucktown). The new restaurant won’t have an impact on Jupiter’s duties at those two other restaurants.

Migos Fine Foods, 5044 W. Montrose, planned for an April 2 opening.