Concertgoers love an encore. Daisiesset a standard in January with its croissant collaboration with Wieners Circle, as the Logan Square pasta power created a croissant filled with the familiar toppings of a Chicago hot dog. Partner and pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky has since teamed with the Chicago Blackhawks on a limited-time offering.
Daisies found an unlikely collaborator with Wilco, the Chicago-based alt-country band passionate about supporting small businesses. Starting on Friday, September 20 Daisies will sell a limited edition croissant that celebrates the band’s 30th anniversary and all things pickles. Tweedy and Omilinsky take Wilco fans on a nostalgic journey on social media using song references while Tweedy provides his rationale.
“Every song I’ve ever written is about pickles,” Tweedy deadpans in an Instagram video posted on Wednesday, September 18 announcing the croissant.
While the Daisies/Wieners Circle croissant included a pickle, nothing matches the pickled prowess of Daisies’ newest creation, called Dill-Co. The croissant will be available for a limited time and launch in conjunction with Tweedy’s upcoming appearance on Saturday, September 21 at Navy Pier, part of Chicago Live!, a free festival featuring more than 100 performances. Sales from the croissant will benefit the former Lakeview Pantry, now known as Nourishing Hope.
Daisies has long celebrated pickling and fermenting techniques in its food and drink, so pickles weren’t an odd request for Omilinsky. While the world of pickles is vast, Tweedy and his camp wanted pickled cucumbers. Knowing that Omilinsky needed something to hold the pastry together, and turned to Jewish delis for inspiration, opting for a dill cream cheese. She adds chopped pickles, giardiniera, dill, and dehydrated pickle powder.
This isn’t Wilco’s first food collaboration. They also partnered with Foxtrot in 2022 as the chain produced a snack mix with the band’s branding.
Omilinsky has spent the last few weeks at Green City Market in Lincoln Park, selling pastries on Wednesdays and Fridays. While they won’t sell the Dill-Co pastry at the farmers market, she says it wasn’t hard convincing Tweedy to collaborate: “People are pretty cool, and I think that’s a good thing to remember in this day and age,” she says. “All you have to do is ask.”
She adds she was taken aback filming the video at the Loft, the legendary practice space turned studio. Omilinsky says Tweedy had stories for every trinket inside.
Daisies co-owner Scott Goldstein and his brother-in-law, Dave Yakir, were again in charge of putting the video together, as their company Streeterville Productions specializes in such content. Goldstein says coming up with the pickle jokes was a challenge, but once he fixated on Wilco’s song, She’s a Jar, the floodgates opened. Goldstein was also very complimentary of Tweedy’s acting talents.
“It’s a crime we can’t play guitar and sing as well as he can tell jokes,” Goldstein says.
Dill-Co at Daisies, starting on Friday, September 20.
Jason Chan wants to fill a void in Old Town, one that’s existed for nine years after Bistrot Margot closed along Wells Street. Chan, one of the most beloved figures in Chicago’s restaurant scene, is known for his love of martial arts almost as much as his affability. He’s now opening a 32-seat French restaurant in October at a space a few blocks from Bistrot Margot.
Old Town may have a French bakery in La Fournette, but Margot’s closure left the neighborhood without a French restaurant — the closest a mile north in Lincoln Park at Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises’ Mon Ami Gabi. Chan will rectify that when he opens Gavroche late in September at 1529 N. Wells Street. Chan’s travels over the last two years have sent him to Japan, Italy, and Spain, but he says his time in Paris left the biggest impression. While in France, Chan says he witnessed a culinary revolution that spun away from the bistros Chicagoans associate with French food.
“Of all the places, what I really loved the most were just tiny mom-and-pop, the 20- or 30-seat restaurants that had maybe five employees,” Chan says.
Gavroche — also a character from Les Misérables — will offer a “contemporary, modern version of French food” without “the heavy creams and butters and seven mother sauces,” says Chan. The menu will have about 18 items with seven daily specials. About four of the specials will be classic dishes, what most envision when they crave French food, Chan says. Chan says he made a spreadsheet of Chicago’s 17 French restaurants and found most of them had the same menus. One way of distinguishing a menu is embracing how African influences have impacted French cuisine. All in all, Chan wants his new restaurant to disrupt with innovation: “Bistro is not rocket science,” he says.
The menu at Gavroche will include dishes like charred French radishes with salted butter, fennel pollen, and a warm demi-baguette; a “niçoise” hamachi sashimi with egg yolk confit, seasonal vegetables, petit lettuce, pickled pearl onion, and white anchovy vinaigrette; and turbot au four beurre blanc with Polanco caviar and smoked crème fraîche beurre blanc.
There will be a four-seat counter. There are no plans for a tasting menu, but if Chan sees one of his chef friends or someone he knows who would appreciate something a little extra, he’ll seat them at the counter and curate a menu omakase style: “It would kind of be like a secret deal that’s not a secret,” Chan says.
Chan took a corporate job during the pandemic, and found love — he’s engaged. His fiance, Heather Blaise, is also a designer and is working on the restaurant, the former Old Town spinoff of Fish Bar. Chan’s resume includes serving as the general manager of Kitana, giving the chain someone with deep Chicago roots. He also opened Juno, the sushi restaurant in Lincoln Park. He’s worked for several restaurant groups, including DMK, and opened Butter in 2005 in West Loop. He comes from a legacy of restaurants as his parents ran several restaurants around Chicago, including a Jewish deli in Lakeview, an Irish pub in Andersonville, and a coffee shop in the Loop. Chan independently developed a love for French cuisine, working in the mid-’80s at L’Escargot in the Allerton Hotel off the Mag Mile. His parents pushed him away from working in the kitchen, wanting him to enter the professional ranks as a doctor or attorney. They gave Chan the least desirable jobs hoping he would be repulsed when he was a youngster. It backfired.
“Buddy, when you’re when you’re in a 3,500-square-foot Irish pub by yourself, and it’s Saturday morning and you’re pissed because all your friends are in pajamas, eating cereal, and watching cartoons, and you’re cleaning a fucking restaurant bar,” Chan recalls. “After three months of crying and hating it every time I did it, I would pretend I was a chef when I was in the kitchen, I would pretend I was the manager when I was sweeping the floor.”
While Chan serves as the inspiration for the restaurant, he’ll delegate cooking responsibilities to Mitchell Acuña. Chan was impressed by Acuña’s willingness to learn, and the chef worked at Boka, North Pond, and Sixteen. Chan spoke with Sixteen chef Nick Dostal who gave Acuña his endorsement as the two worked together at the Trump Tower restaurant when it was worthy of a Michelin star. Also joining the team is pastry chef Christine McCabe. McCabe worked at Charlie Trotter’s and worked with Chan prior, most recently at their Time Out Market Chicago stall, Sugar Cube. Chan says the pandemic led to the sweet shop’s demise just when the sweets shop began to find traction in 2020. McCabe will bake the breads and eventually be in charge of upcoming brunch and lunch menus.
Reservations will only be accepted for groups of six or more — Chan wants to encourage walk-ins. He also wants to offer late-night dining. They have a 2 a.m. liquor license and intend to make use of it. He’s also sowing the seeds for more projects. He loves the history of Prohibition and says he has an idea for a speakeasy bar, one that eschews gimmicks for a genuine slice of history. He also has an idea for a fast-casual restaurant.
Gavroche, 1529 N. Wells Street, planned for late-September opening.
It’s September and students are back to school and the colors have started to change. As the seasons turn, five notable restaurants have launched new weekend brunch services. Here’s a rundown on what to expect.
Daisies
The popular Logan Square restaurant was a brunch paradise at its original location. But chef Joe Frillman’s crew have been reluctant to bring brunch back at their larger space, preferring to focus on dinner, the daytime pastry and coffee program, and weekday lunch. But, with the blessing of GM and pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky, they’ve launched Sunday brunch, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with reservations via OpenTable. The menu includes whole-wheat pancakes, Frillman’s signature Overpriced Tomato (get it while tomato season lasts), a brunchy pasta with runny egg — carbonara cavatelli — and salmon gravlax. Omilinsky’s pastries are also available.
Goose Island Salt Shed Pub
Brunch is now served on Saturday and Sunday at Goose Island’s Salt Shed Pub.Goose Island Beer
After relocating from their home of more than three decades in Lincoln Park, Goose Island Beer has set up shop next to the Salt Shed music venue with a pub neighboring the Chicago River — there’s even patio seating. Brunch is served at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and reservations are available via Resy at 1221 W. Blackhawk Street. The menu includes French toast with a Bourbon County Stout caramel sauce, a green eggs and ham croissant sandwich, cornmeal biscuits & gravy, and more.
Hawksmoor
In River North, Hawksmoor has been open since late June inside the former Michael Jordan’s at 500 N. LaSalle Drive. The English steakhouse also has a location in New York. On Sunday, September 29, they’ll introduce their Chicago location to the British tradition of the Sunday roast, a meal typically eaten after attending church. Steak is usually the centerpiece of a roast, and at Hawksmoor, they’ll feature dry-aged roast beef rump with potatoes roasted in beef fat with bone marrow gravy. There’s also Yorkshire pudding (Sunday Roasts originated in the 15th century in the English city), Brussels sprouts, and carrots. Hawksmoor also serves bone marrow stuffing and cauliflower cheese. Reservations are available via OpenTable.
Minyoli
Minyoli’s dan bing.Minyoli
In Andersonville, Minyoli, 5420 N. Clark Street, has been serving Taiwanese noodles since May. Chef Rich Wang’s restaurant now offers Sunday brunch from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The brunch menu — which is also available for carryout — includes Taiwanese breakfast rice rolls called fan tuan. They’re served with youtiao, a type of savory doughnut. There’s also a Taiwanese egg crepe, dan bing with scallion as well as sweet soy and hai shan (soy paste). Finally, don’t forget the flatbread sandwich. Shaobing comes customizable with options including Taiwanese fried chicken, sliced beef shank, and pork floss. Reservations are available online.
Skylark
One of the best dives in Chicago has been offering Sunday brunch since September with a rotating crew of talented chefs, and that’s drawn attention from North Siders who aren’t always open to visiting neighborhoods south of Roosevelt. At Skylar, 2149 S. Halsted, brunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Sunday, September 22, they’ll feature Morgan Street Snacks, the operation that took up residency next to Kimski/Maria’s Community Liquors in fall 2022. The Reader published a nice profile of Morgan Street’s leader, Ryan Cofrancesco, last week. On Sunday, September 29 the Skylark will serve something many Chicagoans have tasted: Thai brunch. Puan Bahn Thai Brunch will be served by chef Fred Noinaj, most recently of Lost Lake. Be on the lookout on Skylark’s social media channels for future brunch pop-ups.
The sun is setting earlier and Chicago is prepping for football and fire pit season as fall approaches. Before we wave goodbye to summer festivals, let’s check out Eater Chicago’s 11 most anticipated restaurant openings for the fall.
But to do that, let’s look at the summer openings. From last season’s list, three restaurants were delayed to the fall. That’s not a bad conversation rate when there are a variety of reasons that can impact an opening date. For the fall, there are a pair of Beard winners with upcoming projects, a former Chicago Bear is about to open his second sports bar, a Top Chef winner is debuting a Fulton Market Roman spot for premier people-watching and a new tavern-style pizza spot in West Town.
A rendering of Cantina Rosa.Cantina Rosa
Address: 5230 S. Harper Avenue, Hyde Park
Key Players: Erick Williams, Jesus Garcia, Paul McGee
The fourth establishment from James Beard Award winner Erick Williams is a cocktail bar around the corner from Virtue in Hyde Park. Virtue GM Jesus Garcia is leading the project with a small bar bites menu inspired by Garcia’s native Mexico. As Williams and Garcia’s expertise is in restaurants, they’ve brought on noted barman Paul McGee to help with drinks and the flow of the space. They’re hopeful for a fall open.
Address: 2109 W. Chicago Avenue, West Town
Key Players: Land & Sea Dept., Beverage Director Megan Farnham, Land & Sea Culinary Director Dan Snowden
This West Town pizzeria’s progress provides a case study of how Chicago’s tavern-style pizza has soared into America’s mainstream. Land & Sea Dept. has converted its Chicago Avenue location of Parson’s Chicken & Fish into a pizzeria utilizing the patio of the existing space. This pizzeria didn’t debut in Chicago; the first location opened in 2022 in Nashville and has earned some national attention. Look for natural wines, micro beers, salads, and more. They’re targeting a fall opening.
Ema Glenview
Ema is expanding to the suburbs.Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
The North Shore is getting the second location of chef CJ Jacobson’s Ema, and it’s primed to give the suburbs a fun lunch and dinner option. Jacobson, a California native, has educated himself on cuisine from Israel, Iran, and other Middle Eastern countries. He feels those cuisines haven’t been as Americanized as food from China or Italy, and he feels Ema brings that type of perspective while leaning into Lettuce’s mantra of ensuring every customer is happy. For example: a kebob is made of brisket and is served with a hoisin barbecue sauce. Expect more salad options and a cute space with a skylight. The opening date is Tuesday, September 10.
Rosebud is going Mexican in Downtown Chicago.Rosebud
Tavern on Green was a popular spot for downtown happy hours, but shortly after the pandemic Rosebud on Randolph took over the space, but its life was cut short. Now, Rosebud chef Mauricio Gomez, who started at the company in 1991, will helm a Mexican restaurant inside the space at the corner of Randolph and Michigan. Look for a fall opening.
Gavroche’s facade on Wells Street.Gavroche
Address: 1529 N. Wells Street, Old Town
Key Players: Jason Chan, chef Mitchell Acuna
Wondering where industry vet Jason Chan has been? Chan, whose resume includes Juno, Kitana, Butter, and Urban Union, has been busy with what he’s calling a boutique restaurant, a 32-seater in Old Town, taking over a space that has seen spots like BomboBar and Wild Taco fizzle. Gavroche is a French restaurant that will serve both classic and modern fare. Chan and chef Mitchell Acuna — he worked at Boka, and North Pond — will offer an 18-item menu and Chan is particularly excited about serving sturgeon roe rarely found at restaurants from Polanco Caviar. They’re looking at an October opening and Chan jokes this would be a place where James Bond would take his wife for dinner.
Address: 51 W. Hubbard Street, River North
Key Players: Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, beverage director and partner Kevin Beary, chef and partner Bob Broskey
As River North recovers from the closure of Hub 51, Lettuce Entertain You is ready to introduce Chicagoans to a new bar — formerly called the Dip Inn. Inspired by an Italian restaurant, Gus’ Good Food, which stood at the same address from 1906 to 1966, the new spot, Gus’ Sip and Dip will feature a cocktail list of about 30 drinks from Kevin Beary (Three Dots and a Dash). Chef Bob Broskey’s menu will feature bar classics including dipped and traditional sandwiches. Late fall is the hope, but don’t be surprised at an early winter opening.
Joe FlammBarry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Address: 1045 W. Fulton Market, Fulton Market
Key Players: Joe Flamm, Day Off Group
Chicago native Joe Flamm has zeroed in on Roman cuisine to star at his Fulton Market restaurant. It’s called il Carciofo and customers can look forward to Roman-style pizzas, noodles from a pasta lab, and decadent gelato and sorbet. Look for a fall opening
Chef Amar MansuriaIndgo
Address: 2101 S. Morgan Street, Pilsen
Key Players: Amar Mansuria, DJ Charlie Glitch
Construction is underway in Pilsen on this restaurant which will include several facets of Mexican and Indian cuisine. Amar Mansuria ran Cafe Indigo along 18th Street, and now he’s looking to expand with a bar, all-day cafe, and more. Mansuria wants to debut the space in phases starting this fall.
LOULOU
Jason Hammel wearing his James Beard medallion.Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Key players: Jason Hammel, Amalea Tshilds, Siren Betty Design
Address: 3057 W. Logan Boulevard, Logan Square
At the end of August, Lula Cafe celebrated its 25th birthday with an avalanche of special dinners. Beyond the anniversary, the Logan Square icon has had an eventful summer as the restaurant won a James Beard Award in June. The fall will give Jason Hammel and company more time to apply the finishing touches at Loulou, located just a few blocks from Lula. Loulou isn’t a traditional restaurant. Hammel sees it more as a collaborative studio that will welcome artists, writers, and chefs, to host unique events that go beyond the boundaries of a typical eatery. In many ways, Loulou will channel the energy that Lula displayed when it opened in September 1999 harnessing a DIY spirit in a neighborhood that wasn’t known for its restaurants. Times have changed.
Soul & Smoke Evanston
Soul & Smoke’s ribs.Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Address: 1601 Payne Street, Evanston
Key Players: D’Andre Carter, Heather Bublick
Soul & Smoke, owned by the husband-and-wife duo of D’Andre Carter and Heather Bublick, continues the journey toward upgrading the original location into a full-service restaurant. Soul & Smoke sells some of the city’s best barbecue brisket and ribs, and also has locations off the Chicago River in Avondale and West Loop at the Accenture Tower (they also serve fans on the 300 level at Soldier Field). The three locations somewhat limit Carter and Bublick, who have fine dining backgrounds. The improvements to the Evanston location will allow for an expanded menu, allowing specials a regular place on the menu, and cocktails. The opening has been pushed back, but the couple is hopeful for fall.
Former Bear Israel Idonije speaks a Soldier Field food preview.Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Address: 1736 S. Michigan Avenue, South Loop
Key Players: Israel Idonije, chef Stephen Gillanders
Former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije has keyed on opening businesses in the South Loop. He’s already opened Signature, a sports bar with food from S.K.Y. chef Stephen Gillanders. The two are working on a second project, taking over the former Kroll’s South Loop. Named after A.E. Staley, the founder of the Bears, Staley’s will serve wings, chips and dips, sandwiches, and pizza. It will be open during Chicago Bear gamedays through September, starting on Sunday, September 8. The space won’t fully launch until October.
Lately, there’s been a rising tide of anger from so-called Chicago pizza purists who object to the term “tavern-style pizza.” The objections have coincided with the increased national popularity of the thin-crust pizza which is cut into squares and triangles. Even Pizza Hut has a Bizarro version.
Through these civic shenanigans, a 74-year-old Rogers Park pizzeria is trying to adapt to the times. Candlelite, founded in 1950, has established itself as one of the city’s most beloved spots for thin-crust pies. Instantly recognizable along Western Avenue for its neon sign, it’s become a pillar of the Loyola University community and is Sister Jean-approved. They’ve been selling frozen pizzas via Gold Belly and briefly opened a stall inside the Time Out Chicago Market food hall.
After looking at a few spots, the esteemed pizzeria is ready to open a second location this month, treading on rival DePaul University’s turf in Lincoln Park. Candlelite is partnering with the iO Theater, 1501 N. Kingsbury Street, taking over the comedy club’s food and drink service. Candlelite owner Pat Fowler says the theater’s co-owner, Larry Weiner, is a loyal customer in Rogers Park and floated the idea.
“It’s like having two businesses in one building — two iconic Chicago businesses,” Fowler says.
The bar will seat about 80 and be friendly to sports fans with games shown on TVs. A separate dining room — which will feel more like the original Candlelite — will seat an additional 100. They’ll also serve on two patios with 50- and 100-seat capacities. They’ve already redone the kitchens, bringing in conveyor-style pizza ovens, similar to the ones they have on Western.
Pizzas will be available during shows with servers bringing them to tables. The tables are smaller than traditional dining room tables, so Fowler and staff had to find the appropriate pizza stands to hold full-size pies while allowing room for drinks.
“What’s cool for us, from that standpoint, is iO is a destination, right?” Fowler says. “You know, people want to go to a show, and they’re willing to come from far away or nearby. So we’re able to draw from that.”
Candlelite has changed hands several times over seven decades, and Fowler — a former pizza delivery man who started in 2008 — purchased the business in 2012.
The original restaurant’s full menu — with burgers, sandwiches, and options for kids — will be available, and Fowler says they’re working on their beverage selections, hoping to potentially work with Off Color Brewing whose taproom is across the street. They’ll have some fun cocktails as Fowler reminds us that Candlelite’s famous neon sign features a martini. Speaking of the sign, crews in October will install a replica of the original outside the new restaurant. They’ve turned the sign into a logo, using it for their line of frozen pizzas.
In Rogers Park, Candelite has become a community icon and part of the Loyola Rambler community. Fowler wants to enjoy a tight relationship with the Lincoln Park area, even if that means cavorting with Loyola’s rivals at DePaul.
“I’ll either need Sister Jean’s permission or I’ll have to ask for forgiveness,” Fowler says with a laugh. “But we love supporting local so DePaul will definitely be something we want to incorporate openly with Sister Jean’s permission.”
Candlelite Lincoln Park, 1501 N. Kingsbury, planned for a mid-September opening.
Atelier, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Lincoln Square, has been closed since August 24 as staff contends with a broken air conditioner and wall and ceiling damage caused by heavy rain late last month. As founder Tim Lacey and chef Christian Hunter wait for a new unit to arrive, the small business needs a way to continue in the short term. That’s why they’re offering a special five-course takeout menu from Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8.
Lacey admits that his staff is having flashbacks to the start of the pandemic when fine dining restaurants across the country did the unthinkable in offering carryout meals as government officials kept dining rooms closed to curb the spread of COVID. Many fine chefs never thought they would be in the position of creating takeout meals. Chicago’s restaurants leaned into comfort foods which travel well in bags and to-go containers. Even Ever chef Curtis Duffy began selling burgers in December 2020. Atelier, which replaced another Michelin-starred restaurant, Elizabeth, had been blazing its own path and was named a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant.
The takeout menu — no substitutions — consists of a pita and mezze course (baba ghanoush, pickled summer squash, fermented garlic scape tapenade, rhubarb chutney); grilled Korean pork sausage Bibb lettuce wraps (sea beans, kohlrabi/kimchi slaw); root vegetable fasolada (diced parsnips, celery root, sunchokes, rutabagas); lasagna in lamb neck ragu with ricotta and sourdough garlic knots. and a nectarine and pear galette with caramelized whey, allspice-cinnamon gelee, and spruce chantilly cream.
Hunter and Lacey are hopeful the air conditioning can be fixed by Tuesday, September 10, and that they’ll be back open on Wednesday, September 11. Check their Instagram for updates.
Atelier’s five-course takeout menu is available Friday, September 6 through Sunday, September 8 with pickup between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Order via Tock.
Four and half months after suddenly closing stores in Chicago, Texas, and Washington, D.C., Foxtrot will attempt a comeback by opening its first store this week. Outfox Hospitality, the company that ran those 33 stores filed for bankruptcy in May, leaving a wake of angry vendors, workers scrambling to find new jobs, and accusations of breaking federal labor law. Since then, a new entity has been formed by the chain’s co-founder who says he’ll return the company to its roots by showcasing cool snacks made by local artisans and avoid the pitfalls that lead to the chain’s failure.
The first store is scheduled to open on Thursday, September 5 at 23 W. Maple Street in Gold Coast, according to a news release. An Old Town location at the corner of North Avenue and Wells Street will follow, though an opening date hasn’t been announced. A few vendors Eater spoke with last week said one of the reasons they joined the comeback effort is Foxtrot isn’t rushing to reopen all the stores they closed. Mike LaVitola, who founded Foxtrot in 2013, and is now chairman of the newly named Foxtrot Cafe & Market. He was part of an effort that bought Foxtrot’s assets in an auction for $2.5 million. LaVitola told Eater he wanted to focus on “getting it right” at individual locations rather than opening multiple stores at once. The initial plan announced was to open about 15 stores scattered in Chicago and Texas, with the majority in Chicago. There are two new details from the company’s latest release: They’re not specifying the number of stores anymore (last week, LaVitola said they were negotiating leases in unannounced locations including Wicker Park and Willis Tower.) The other details might be bitter for those in Austin, Texas, as it appears Foxtrot is focusing on reopening in Dallas, at least in the interim. Austin was home to four locations.
The closures caused a nationwide commotion in April, with a combination of anger (a class-action lawsuit alleging Outfox violated federal law by failing to provide proper notice for a mass layoff is pending; October 1 is the next court date), sadness (customers who lived nearby grew attached, one famously bemoaned moving to their residence to be near a Foxtrot), and resentment (some South Siders who had never been to a Foxtrot wondered why folks were being so dramatic). Foxtrot had found a niche in North Side Chicago neighborhoods as a corner store with trendy snacks, a coffee bar, and a cafe space to get work done or to sip wine or beer. It was a kind of third place for former office workers who had transitioned into a hybrid work-from-home schedule during the pandemic. Foxtrot saw an opportunity to scale, and after merging with local Chicago grocer Dom’s Kitchen & Market — which also had its own ambitious expansion plans — in 2022, Foxtrot announced intentions to open as many as 100 locations by 2024. By that point, LaVitola was no longer chief executive officer. He says he was pushed out to an advisory role. Foxtrot began opening in neighborhoods with pricey real estate like Fulton Market and at Wrigley Field. They were spending in the hope of getting noticed.
That detail is important as vendors have been gunshy about joining Foxtrot 2.0 and worried the chain would repeat mistakes. LaVitola told them he wasn’t involved in a leadership role at Outfox. Some have accepted LaVitola’s reassurances, saying they need Foxtrot’s customer base. Others have picked other retail routes.
But, as LaVitola points out, Foxtrot is about more than gourmet gummies or hot dog-flavored potato chips. The coffee bar was “the biggest revenue driver” — it was so much that nearby coffee shops were losing business to Foxtrot. The previous interaction of Foxtrot made a big deal of partnering with Philadelphia’s La Colombe. That relationship will continue, but the new Foxtrot will also stock items from local roasters Metric and Kyoto Black. They’re also adding new food items to complement its morning breakfast tacos, which will remain. Look for new panini sandwiches, salads, lunch bowls, and cookies.
Expect to see growing pains. As of last week, LaVitola wasn’t sure if customers would need to create new profiles on the store’s app, which was vital to the chain’s business. Before it was a brick-and-mortar, Foxtrot used its app for liquor and beer delivery. Still, LaVitola says he’s committed to “delivering an awesome experience in the stores.” One way is making sure customers better connect with the stories behind the people who make their products. He feels the previous iteration of Foxtrot relied too much on its website to do that.
“There’s just going to be a lot more of that content — for lack of a better word — and storytelling happening in the store versus online,” LaVitola says. “Online is still really important, and it’s still there, but I think that gap is going to be bridged.”
In the urban-suburban trajectory, restaurants typically start in the city before making their way to smaller towns around it. Opening in early September, Petit Pomeroy reverse engineers that story as the smaller sibling to Winnetka’s Pomeroy, which opened in September 2021 on the North Shore.
“Pomeroy is the highest-grossing restaurant we have in Ballyhoo,” says Ryan O’Donnell, Ballyhoo founder and CEO. “The suburbs have been very good to us.”
Above Ballyhoo’s Gemini Grill, which opened earlier this year at upscale residences One Chicago in River North, Petit Pomeroy is one of four restaurants Ballyhoo Hospitality (Coda di Volpe, Old Pueblo Cantina, DeNucci’s, and Gemini among others) will be opening in the next seven months. The other three will be in suburban Highland Park and Glenview.
“When we were doing Gemini Grill, we retrofitted the second floor to be a restaurant, but we didn’t know what exactly,” O’Donnell says. “We wanted to see what was happening in the local dining scene and the landscape and figure out what would be best suited there.”
Classic French fare like roasted chicken are on the menu.Ballyhoo Hospitality
“Sometimes people can be intimidated by French food as they think it’s fine dining or heavy with lots of sauces,” O’Donnell says. “But bistro food is comfort food at its heart and core.”
While Pomeroy leans more into brasserie territory, Petit Pomeroy will be more of a classic French bistro. Petit Pomeroy is smaller in size (90 seats versus 280) and O’Donnell says the second-floor kitchen is about a quarter the size of Winnetka’s.
“We couldn’t do the big, expansive menu,” says O’Donnell. “We had to pare it down, which allowed us to focus on the greatest hits. It’s not a complete rinse and repeat, but we’re not going to change a lot of the stuff we do really well.”
The warm tomato tart with dried heirloom tomatoes, fromage blanc, and herbes de Provence inside a puff pastry shell made the move. “It might not be the most classic French thing in the world, but it’s been a big mover in Winnetka,” says O’Donnell.
Winnetka’s popular plats du jour are making the journey too, including top-seller short rib Bourguignon with pommes purée. “Last night we sold 48 in Winnetka,” says O’Donnell. Look for other French bistro classics, such as bouillabaisse and escargots.
Profiteroles Glacées with vanilla bean gelato and warm chocolate.Ballyhoo Hospitality
Beverages will follow a similar Gallic route with an emphasis on French wines, including sparking and Champagne, with cocktails such as the French 75, Le Spritz, and Le Pamplemousse.
For the interior, red leather banquettes and booths are paired with bistro-style chairs. Touches include brass railings, vintage posters, and wood paneling. A bar will seat eight. From its second-floor perch, views of Holy Name Cathedral across the street will be front and center.
“The drama of the room’s setting will surprise people,” says O’Donnell. “People don’t know what’s up on that second floor so I think that will be the big wow factor.”
Petit Pomeroy, 748 N. State Street, scheduled for a mid-September opening.
When Foxtrot relaunches in September and reopens its Gold Coast store, the chain of shoppy shops will stock items from many local brands familiar to fans.
Foxtrot co-founder Mike LaVitola is back leading the newly formed company, separate from Outfox Hospitality, the entity that filed for bankruptcy in May. . It’s supported by New York-based private holding company Further Point Enterprises. The new Foxtrot has gathered 45 former vendors to be part of the relaunch. The list is packed with Chicago brands like Metric Coffee, Marz Community Brewing, All Together Now, Big Fat Cookie, Do-Rite Donuts, Tempesta Market, and Freeman House Chai.
But not all brands will return. Some refused, frustrated by the sudden closures, saying they’re focusing on other retail opportunities. Others, for example, Tortello, the Wicker Park pasta restaurant, weren’t asked to return. Foxtrot does have an agreement with Gemma Foods, a West Town pasta maker. While LaVitola praised the product, he says the new version of Foxtrot will be more curated.
“While it sounds good that you have all this choice, you actually kind of lose your point of view,” LaVitola says. “And it just becomes, you know, it becomes too hard to manage.”
LaVitola adds he’s seen a lot of brands he’s wanted to add over the last year or two: “Now I get the chance to do that, which is just exciting.”
While the initial plan was to open eight Foxtrots in Chicago, with Old Town following Gold Coast, more locations are on their way including “a couple in Texas.” In June, LaVitola floated the comeback would include around 15 stores total. There are no plans to reopen in D.C. LaVitola, who founded Foxtrot in 2013, teased the unannounced reopenings of locations on Wicker Park’s Six Corners and inside the Willis Tower: “We’re looking to open new stores once we feel like we’ve got our operations, just totally, totally nailed down in the stores that we have,” LaVitola says. He adds there will also be changes to the coffee and hot food options with details upcoming.
Many brands have benefited from selling items at Foxtrot, which gives them a chance to grow their customer base and draw attention from bigger national retailers. However, much of that goodwill evaporated on April 23 when the chain, the 33 locations scattered in Chicago, Texas, and Washington, D.C., closed without warning. For the past four months, vendors have been licking their wounds trying to figure out how to make up for lost sales and inventory. After LaVitola regained control of Foxtrot, part of a group that made a $2.2 million winning auction bid in May, Foxtrot 2.0 began making its pitches to vendors, attempting to convince them they had learned from past mistakes, that the new venture would return Foxtrot to its roots in aiding small businesses by showcasing their trendy snacks to diners who frequent chic restaurants with disposable income to spend on items made by well-known chefs.
LaVitola says it’s been a whirlwind few months as he “gets the band back together” in talking with the old company’s former workers, landlords, and vendors, using them to knit the new entity. His role changed at the original Foxtrot in April 2023 after the company named Liz Williams as chief executive officer. Lavitola says he was no longer in control of the company, even though listed as a non-executive chairman: “Probably advisor is the best title,” he says.
In November 2023, Foxtrot would later morph into Outfox Hospitality after merging with Dom’s Kitchen & Market, a two-location grocery chain that also had designs on expansion.
Vendors who spoke with Eater shared trust issues and worried that Foxtrot needed accountability for putting hundreds of workers out of jobs without warning. Many weren’t paid for their food delivered, which remained at stores, visible through windows. Some received court notices as Foxtrot’s original company filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. They were free to fill out paperwork to pursue payments, but vendors had little hope that they would recover any money.
LaVitola and company were involved in several email exchanges and meetings to convince vendors to return. Justin Doggett of cold brew coffee maker Kyoto Black is part of the relaunch and was assured that the mistakes of the old Foxtrot wouldn’t be repeated as LaVitola wasn’t involved in that version of the company. He saw it as a positive when he saw former Foxtrot workers were back with the company. After Foxtrot closed, Kyoto Black was left scrambling looking for ways to sell its coffee to make up for lost sales.
Doggett acknowledges there’s a narrative of LaVitola capitalizing on a devalued company, snatching it up, and restarting it without accountability. He says that’s not true.
“The guy who founded it was not involved when this happened,” Doggett says. “…He saw an opportunity to kind of take this company that he started and buy it back and kind of like, uh, revitalize the image and the mission of it.”
Foxtrot has begun offering cash on delivery to more vendors. That’s not a change for wine and beer makers but for other vendors — especially ones who make their items fresh, items that aren’t shelf stable — payment up front provides peace of mind. LaVitola mentions improving vendor communication about the number and frequency of deliveries and marketing support. Vendors also mentioned they don’t have long-term agreements in place. They can leave if the situation goes sideways.
One vendor that wasn’t listed on the Foxtrot’s news release was Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the dessert company founded by former Publican pastry chef Dana Salls Cree. LaVitola says the provided list was preliminary. Customers will still be able to buy Pretty Cool bars at Foxtrot. Salls Cree confirms Foxtrot has ordered an assortment of her ice cream shop’s classic flavors. Pretty Cool wants to take advantage of Foxtrot customers who use the chain to connect with local products, Salls Cree says. However, there won’t be any special flavor collaborations in the near future. As Foxtrot remained in limbo, Salls Cree began partnering with other parties; Foxtrot lost its place on the collaboration schedule. Given the abrupt shutdown of the original venture and given how the company left so many high and dry, Salls Cree took her time weighing the pros and cons of returning to Foxtrot.
“It’s such a sliver of our business,” she says. “But the question that keeps coming in — ’why is this taking up so much emotional bandwidth?’”
James Beard Award winner Mindy Segal says she hasn’t been doing business with Foxtrot since Mindy’s Bakery opened in Bucktown. Foxtrot has sold Mindy’s branded hot chocolate mixes and other items. Segal says they have plenty of other business but would consider working with Foxtrot in the future.
Meanwhile, Marz Community Brewing will once again sell beer and other beverages at Foxtrot. As the craft beer market has imploded, it’s important for Marz to be available in as many stores as possible, says Ed Marszewski. He’s hopeful the new ownership can clean up the “garbage fire” left by the previous regime.
“They are going back to doing right to small guys, indies, etc. a platform,” Marszewski says. “We need places like this. Pre-merger, they really helped small manufacturers get traction. I think they want to do right again. Plus, they didn’t screw us over — our invoices were always paid.”
Chicagoans have hit the culinary jackpot with a dazzling array of regional Mexican dishes available at their fingertips including strong local representation from states like Guerrero, Jalisco, and Michoacán. Dive deeper, and you’ll find more specific offerings, hailing from narrow regions and even small towns.
Uptown’s Kie-Gol-Lanee has ignited interest in Oaxacan cuisine as siblings María and Reynel Mendoza and their spouses, Léonides Ramos and Sandra Sotz, have dished out flavors from Santa María Quiegolani since 2016. Meaning “old stone” in the Zapotec dialect, the restaurant’s name is a phonetic nod to the small village in Oaxaca’s southern Sierra where María, Reynel, and Léonides grew up. The menu is inspired by recipes passed down through generations and Michelin has listed it for four years as a Bib Gourmand, which recognizes quality and value.
More and more Oaxacan restaurants are opening in Chicago.
Tlacoyo with nopoles.
Tamales oaxaquenos.
Carne asada tlayuda.
Later this month, the family will open its second location in Logan Square at the former Mezcala Agave Bar and Kitchen at 2901 W. Diversey. The new location will continue to sell its celebrated Oaxacan-style tamales steamed in banana leaves, and garnachas (a corn patty resembling a sope topped with pork, radish, cilantro, cheese, and cabbage). María Mendoza began making the Oaxacan delicacy at home after an injury kept her from going to work. A friend sent a sample to chef Enrique Cortéz, who was impressed by her culinary skills and began serving the tamales at his restaurant. Soon after, Cortéz moved on and decided to sell his eatery to the family, helping them through the transition from restaurant workers to restaurant owners.
The Logan Square restaurant will offer the beloved plates that delight patrons at its Uptown location, featuring weekly specials and breakfast plates on weekends. The dinner menu features well-known regional staples including a fall-off-the-bone lamb shank, and the traditional tlayudas — a giant corn tostada-like base decked out with options that include thinly sliced, salt-cured cecina, steak, chorizo, or zucchini and mushrooms. Additionally, the menu offers interesting dishes that showcase ingredients from the Oaxacan Sierra, such as quail, rabbit, and grasshoppers.
Ahead of the opening, the team is working on new cocktails such as a tres leches martini, an old-fashioned Oaxacan style, and a drink featuring the fermented, sweet, and slightly tart, cider-like tepache with grasshoppers. Wishing to support their community back home, Kie-Go-Lanee has two mezcal brands on its beverage menu, Huésped and Clan 55. Both are produced in Santa María Quiegolani and aim to offer youth in their hometown an opportunity to flourish and a reason to stay.
When it comes to desserts, until very recently, Kie-Go-Lanee was one of the few, if not the only spot in the city that regularly offered Nicuatole, a corn-based dessert similar to gelatin but with a silkier texture and, depending on the fruit added, sometimes a bit of a gritty texture.
The new location will continue to capture the warmth of an Oaxacan home, says Fernanda Guardado, the restaurant’s designer and head of marketing. A mural depicting alebrijes, sculptures of creatures — amalgamations of different animals that burst with vibrant colors and cultural motifs — will also be found at the second location, showcasing the restaurant’s blue and bright pink. “They remind me of home,” says María Mendoza.
Check out the food photos below and stay tuned for updates on an opening date.
It’s not like celebrated international chef Richard Sandoval planned to open two Chicago restaurants back-to-back. But when the opportunity to launch Toro Chicago inside Streeterville’s Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park came about, he couldn’t refuse.
In May, Sandoval opened Casa Chi in the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile. It replaced Eno Wine Bar with a focus on Nikkei cuisine that interprets Peruvian ingredients through a Japanese lens — a reflection of the Japanese immigrants who moved to the South American country.
Set to open this fall, Toro Chicago will take a pan-Latin approach to its food and beverage, drawing inspiration from Central and South American countries including Colombia, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Venezuela.
“You take off running and you never know what’s going to happen,” says Sandoval of the dual restaurant timelines.
There are some 60 restaurants, including several Toro locations, under the Richard Sandoval Hospitality umbrella around the world. While there is plenty of overlap between the menus there are differences too.
“With this brand, we always leave about 30 percent of the menu to localize it,” says Sandoval, adding that everybody looks at Latin American cuisine differently depending on their location. “For example, Mexican food in New York is different than Mexican food in LA It’s understanding these things and creating menu items that reflect that.” At Toro Chicago, that will involve a strong meat component, he says.
Toro Chicago will draw on the cuisines of countries like Colombia, Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela. KTGY/Toro Chicago
Signature Toro dishes that will be on the Chicago menu include Nikkei-inspired angry scorpion Toro roll (crab, cucumber, avocado, and spicy tuna topped with eel sauce), corn- and ají amarillo-filled empanadas garnished with a chimichurri sauce, and lomo saltado, a Peruvian-style dish of beef tenderloin served on a bed of creamy rice topped with crispy potato and spicy rocoto pepper aioli.
Cocktails at Toro Chicago will follow a similar Latin approach. “It’s a lot of playing with South and Central American ingredients,” says Sandoval. “Our mixologists are very creative, so you can expect a cocktail program that is very engaging and visual.” Toro’s Mercado Margarita includes jalapeño-infused El Jimador Blanco tequila topped with a pink hibiscus rosemary foam that slowly melts into the yellow passion fruit in the cocktail.
Like other Toro locations, the Chicago restaurant’s interior design will be colorful with a mix of bold Latin American textiles. The space will seat about 260 guests with two private rooms for 14 and 50.
“I really enjoyed being in Chicago, so when I got the opportunity to come back, I jumped at it,” he says. “I like big cities, but Chicago, to me, is a little calmer. Plus, I think there’s a great food scene here that over the last 15 years or so has really come around.”
Two key North Side Foxtrot locations will not be part of the comeback plan led by the chain’s founder. CoStar reports that Hotel Chocolat, a company founded in the U.K. — and recently purchased by Mars — has leased the spaces at 900 W. Armitage Avenue in Lincoln Park and 3334 N. Southport Avenue in Lakeview.
Mars, which manufactures Twix and M&Ms from its Goose Island campus, paid about $662 million for the premium chocolate maker with 126 locations in the U.K., Japan, Ireland, St. Lucia, and Gibraltar. According to its website, the company began in 1994 and opened its first shop in 2004. They sell drinking chocolates, gift boxes, and more while “challenging the status quo for cacao farming.” A New York location opened in 2018 but has since closed.
The Lincoln Park Foxtrot shared space with Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams. Coincidentally, a Jeni’s remains open a few doors from the Southport location in Lakeview. Foxtrot was an upscale corner store that sold trendy snacks and stocked some items made by those within Chicago’s restaurant community. That includes Pretty Cool Ice Cream, the brand created by Dana Salls Cree, the former pastry chef at the Publican.
Foxtrot founder Mike LaVitola has been busy reestablishing vendor relationships since the chain suddenly closed in April. LaVitola was not in charge of Outfox Hospitality when it ceased operations, and the newly formed venture is separate from Foxtrot’s former parent which also included the two Dom’s Kitchen & Market stores in Old Town and Lincoln Park. LaVitola has attempted to distance himself from Outfox’s failures in convincing former vendors to work with his new company.
The sudden closure extinguished goodwill with vendors who haven’t been paid for their orders. Workers have filed lawsuits alleging the company didn’t properly inform them of the closures while demanding backpay.
Last week, liquor applications began to pop up in city records showing plans to reopen stores in Old Town, Fulton Market, Wicker Park, and Gold Coast. Earlier this summer, LaVitola said he planned on reopening 15 stores in Chicago and Austin, Texas. The majority would be in Chicago. LaVitola founded Foxtrot in 2015 and is chairman of the new entity set to revive the chain. It’s backed by Further Point Enterprises, an investment fund. At a May auction, it paid $2.2 million for Foxtrot’s assets.
It’s been a year since scintillating South Asian restaurant Vajra moved from West Town into the Wicker Park space where to Spring and Trencherman called home. But until last week, the restaurant was take-out only as ownership worked out what it wanted to do inside their new home near Wicker Park’s six corners.
Last weekend Vajra began bar service. They’ll serve cocktails and bar bites like momos and a goat burger. But the big news for fans of Vajra’s delectable dishes like Sichuan Chicken Chili, Goan Shrimp Curry, and malai kofta is that the dining room will finally debut to the public on Thursday, August 1. Reservations are live via Tock.
Restablishing the bar means a reunion with star bartender Juanjo Pulgarin. Vajra specializes in Nepali and Indian cuisine, with the two countries diverging but coming from the same culinary traditions. But until recently, South Asian restaurants in America didn’t focus too much on cocktails. Liquor licenses are expensive, especially for the first wave of immigrant restaurant owners. There are also cultural taboos surrounding alcohol in some South Asian communities.
Juanjo PulgarinAshok Selvam/Eater Chicago
But not everyone carries those old-school traditions, and often time dissolves those binds. Pulgarin, who is Colombian and grew up in Spain, thrilled customers with a high-end program utilizing mixology tricks and ingredients seen at fancy cocktail bars. That earned Pulgarin a 2020 Jean Banchet Award nomination for best bartender. But as management closed Vajra’s dining room and bar during the pandemic, Pulgarin left Vajra and is now the lead bartender at Gold Coast steakhouse Maple & Ash where he’s helping the company relaunch its 8 Bar to open more locations across the country.
Pulgarin’s drinks include a riff on mango lassi, called Xanadu y El Cielo. Lassi, a non-alcoholic drink famous in northern India, is known for its viscous texture. When served traditionally it’s akin to a cheesecake milkshake and it comes in sweet or savory versions. Vajra’s version captures the flavor without the thickness, creating a light drink made with whisky, amaro, nixta, yogurt, coconut milk, mango, and citrus. Pulgarin loves the looks of drinkers expecting the traditional take and seeing their surprise when they see and taste his version. Another drink, Sakura Garden, is made with gin, sake, watermelon, saffron, lychee, and lime. Pulgarin helped create the menu and he’s close with management so he can pursue other projects, like Maple & Ash, while contributing to Vajra.
When Vajra opened in 2019, they were ahead of the South Asian cocktail revolution. This was before Lilac Tiger and Kama opened.
Co-owner Dipesh Kakshapaty says his team was worried that folks would want a full at the bar and that’s why they scaled back. They served a version of the goat burger in the past, as many restaurants pivoted to simpler food during the pandemic because of to-go operations — It’s also cheaper from a labor standpoint. The burger’s return made sense as Vajra builds out its bar menu.
It’s been a journey since 2020 when the restaurant shifted to takeout and delivery-only, pushed by the pandemic, and then challenges at their original location, 1329 W. Chicago Avenue — now home to Jook Sing — prevent them from reopening. Vajra closed in January 2022 but some members of ownership pursued a new restaurant venture but that never gained much traction. It would reopen for takeout and delivery in September 2022 inside the same West Town location. They moved to Wicker Park nine months later.
The previous tenant, Ooh Wee It Is, never opened — despite putting up signs. That stretch of Wicker Park has been tough to crack, but Vajra hopes a hearty cocktail program, an established takeout and delivery business, and some of the best Indian and Nepali food in town can create a sustainable operation.
Vajra, 2039 W. North Avenue, bar open now, dining room opening Thursday, August 1, reservations via Tock.
Last year, Beaumont Bar & Grill ended a 44-year run in Lincoln Park perhaps fortifying that changes have arrived in the area surrounding Halsted and Armitage. Beaumont held a 4 a.m. liquor license, and though that space looked innocent enough when the sun was out with sports on screens and passable bar food, the moon produced a rowdier crowd with bouncers charging covers and the kind of dance floor, full of recent college grads. With patrons waiting in line along Halsted, this scene was one Chicagoans could expect near Rush and Division.
As Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises opened two more restaurants in recent months, now there are whispers that a Small Cheval will soon find a new home near the intersection. Bar owners already faced a boom in families in the neighborhood in the early ‘00s with new community members pushing for earlier last calls and more of a suburban vibe. The neighborhood survived those overtures and evolved, and it’s happening again with new restaurants like John’s Food & Wine opening down the street.
Which brings Lincoln Park to the presence and the demise of Beaumont. It’s been purchased by a familiar name and they hope to unveil a new restaurant early next year at 2020 N. Halsted Street. Paul Abu-Taleb’s team is behind Pilsen Yards, a low-key bar that serves food along 18th Street in Pilsen. They also operate a bar inside the bar — a fancy cocktails lounge called the Alderman.
Abu-Taleb spoke about the cavernous space’s history in Lincoln Park: “The last time this building changed hands was 60 years ago,” he says.
The two-story structure was built in 1890. Structurally, it’s in fine shape, he says, but to revamp and gut the interiors. The team doesn’t have many details to share. They’re not even sure of the name — Abu-Taleb says they’re leaning toward keeping Beaumont. But other than the name, the new project will be different. There will also be private event space and no late-night liquor license.
“This is a casual, full-restaurant concept,” Abu-Taleb says. “For us, it’s a very long-term investment; we’ve always looked for neighborhood locations to do neighborhood concepts in.”
An outdoor patio in the back is also being planned, perhaps with some of the elements, like heated floors, seen at Pilsen Yards. Maybe it’s more of a beer garden. Abu-Taleb wants to inject some fun into his venues and bring a different spirit compared to his family’s pizzerias. Yes, Pizza Capri at Halsted and Willow — next to Boka and Alinea — is from the Abu-Talebs. They also have a Hyde Park location (Paul’s father, Anan Abu-Taleb, was the mayor of suburban Oak Park from 2013 to 2021).
Plenty of details are still being worked out in the coming months, so stay tuned for details.
Beaumont project, 2020 N Halsted Street, scheduled to open in the second quarter of 2025.
The story begins, like so many today, with a social media post. Confusion, as is sometimes the case, soon followed. Still, this story may have a happy ending.
On Friday, July 5, Revival Food Hall announced on Instagram that it would be closing at the end of the month, citing an inability to reach “better business terms from our landlord [CBRE]” as the cause. At the time, it was assumed the food hall and its 14 vendors would be shutting down permanently. As it turns out, the venue will remain open but will be under new management, Atlanta-based STHRN Hospitality, with a new name to come.
When it opened in 2016, Revival was a first of its kind for the city and featured 15 local food vendors. Local also applied to much of the space’s fixtures, metalwork, and furniture, which was crafted by Dock 6 Collective, a group of independent Chicago artisans.
Located in the lobby of The National, a 1905 Daniel Burnham-designed building, Revival Hall was the brainchild of Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden. The duo and their 16” on Center company are also responsible for Thalia Hall, Empty Bottle, Longman & Eagle, and The Promontory among others. Since then, they’ve grown their hospitality group to include Salt Shed, From Here On (another food hall inside the Old Post Office), and Manhattan’s Olly Olly, the last two are food halls as well.
“It was a labor of love and when we started eight years ago, we had no idea what we were doing,” says Finkelman of Revival Hall’s early days. “We had an understanding of our mission of treating the Loop like a neighborhood like nobody else had done, and also being able to showcase some of the great local culinary talent that we had in Chicago.”
With the changing economic environment, Revival had been in discussions with their landlord to figure out a way to continue and operate for the long term, says Finkelman. “It was communicated to us recently that that was not going to be a possibility and we didn’t have a choice but to move on.”
Enter STHRN, a consulting and management company that formed in 2020 — a partnership with George Banks of real estate consulting firm Revel, Elizabeth Feichter (Atlanta Food and Wine Festival), and Kelly Campbell of culinary consulting business Southern Culinary and Creative (Gather ‘round, Epicurean Atlanta hotel). They’ve been behind a few Atlanta restaurants, and food halls in Atlanta, Cincinnati, and LA.
For Ravi Nagubadi, owner and founder of Art of Dosa, getting a spot in Revival was a dream come true. “When I first came to Revival in 2016, and I was dreaming about setting up a business of my own, I said to myself, this is the place to be,” he says, citing the vibe, the food stalls curated, and the crowds.
Art of Dosa came on board the day after Christmas 2019. While it’s been “a struggle,” he says, the pandemic notwithstanding, in the last few months Nagubadi has seen an improvement in business. So he was surprised when he got a call from Tim Wickes, manager of Revival, giving him the heads up about the transition.
“I don’t even want to venture into the specifics of it,” says Nagubadi, adding that the words “court decision” were in the letter they were given. “It’s one of these things where you’re the kids and your parents made it seem like everything was okay, but all of a sudden they told you they’re getting divorced.”
While Nagubadi has nothing but praise for Revival Hall — “It was the model for all food halls in the country and was a revelation when it came out and still is, so kudos and credit to them,” he says — he’s hopeful for the future. “As a business owner, my number one thing has to be do whatever I have to do to continue the business,” he says. “I’m excited for what that new chapter’s going to bring.”
Matt Sussman of Danke, one of two of the original Revival vendors still there, has also seen an increase in business of late. “I don’t think it’s ever been busier than it is now,” he says, especially during peak times, Tuesday through Thursday during lunch.
Sussman (who also owns two Logan Square restaurants — Table, Donkey & Stick and the new Bar Parisette) also expressed confidence about the future of Revival after meeting in person with representatives from STHRN. “While no one was very forthcoming about what happened — and I don’t know if and when that information would be public — I expect things will continue in a way that is conducive to us operating there as we always have.”
STHRN is no stranger to running food halls. “Collectively, we saw an opportunity to create a business that didn’t exist, which is running bars, restaurants, and cafes in food halls on behalf of building owners,” says Banks, one of the company’s founders.
“We are excited to get involved with an iconic asset that’s been a real stalwart for the Loop community for years now,” says another founder, Campbell, adding that a different name should be the only difference post-July 31 when STHRN takes over. “To the patron who comes in one day, it will look the same the next.”
For their part, the Revival Hall folks have reached out to the building to offer their help in the transition.
“The most important thing is that whoever the new folks are in there, that they really take care of these great businesses and the people who want to stay,” says Finkelman. “While we’re sad to see it go, we hope that whatever happens that they honor what we’ve tried to bring there.”
And this may not be the end for Revival Hall. Says Finkelman, “We have so many projects on the docket right now that who’s to say that Revival can’t find its way to another building or another area.”
Meanwhile, vendors like Danke and Art of Dosa are trying to battle misconceptions. A group of vendors collaborated on a Thursday, July 11 Instagram post hoping to get the word out that their businesses aren’t disappearing. Despite 16” on Center’s announcement that they’re not closing their doors and that they’ll be around when the new operators take over: “Let’s clear this up…WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. Same Space. Same Restaurants. Same Hours. The Space is simply changing management groups.”
QXY, one of Chicago’s most popular restaurants for Chinese dumplings, is opening a location inside Time Out Market. It is one of three additions to the Fulton Market food hall. 2d Restaurant, known for its mochi doughnuts and comic book-style interior design in Lakeview, will soon arrive. So will Libanais, a Lebanese restaurant in suburban Lincolnwood.
The dumplings will arrive first, according to a news release. QXY, which stands for Qing Xiang Yuan, will open on Wednesday, July 17. It replaces Avli, the Greek restaurant that plans to open a standalone location in the area. The menu at QXY includes steamed or fried dumplings stuffed with a choice of kurobuta pork and cabbage; shrimp, kurobuta, and pork leek; wagyu beef and black truffle; or chicken and mushroom. Soup dumplings will also be available, as will sides and salads.
Libanais will follow at the end of the month. Beef and lamb or chicken shawarma with fries; rotisserie beef and lamb with sumac onion wrapped in pita are some of the menu options. It replaces Evette’s.
2d, which also has a location at the vegan XMarket food hall — off DuSable Lake Shore Drive’s Montrose exit in Uptown‚ will bring its doughnuts, Vietnamese coffee, ube milk, and more to Fulton Market. It replaces Firecakes.
Food halls have been volatile in recent years since the pandemic. Revival Food Hall recently announced a “closure” — 16” on Center, the company that opened and operated the space, will soon be replaced by an Atlanta company, STHRN Hospitality. The new operators will seemingly retain most of the current vendors and rename the food hall. Urbanspace, near Daley Plaza, has been renamed Washington Hall as the New York company that founded that venue has left the business.
Time Out Market, which falls under the same umbrella as the publication that covers restaurants in Chicago, opened in 2019. They run food halls all over the world, including in Lisbon, Cape Town, and Montreal. The U.S. cities consist of Boston, New York, and Chicago.
Tequila is the top-selling liquor at Virtue, the Hyde Park restaurant from award winners Erick Williams and Damarr Brown, says General Manager Jesus Garcia. The fact that the agave-based spirit beat out rum and bourbon surprised the team, as Virtue celebrates Black American culture.
The data reiterated the thirst for cocktails in Hyde Park, and Garcia says staff regularly turns away customers who just want to come in and have a drink. Virtue is food-focused, showcasing a gamut of southern culinary traditions. But the demand for tequila reveals an opportunity that Williams and Garcia hope to capitalize on when they open their new bar this fall, just around the corner from Virtue.
The newly named Cantina Rosa will focus on the beverage side, taking Virtue’s approach to Black culture, “leading with kindness and hospitality” and applying that to Mexican culture. Garcia grew up in Rogers Park but was born in Mexico. He arrived in America when he was 3, his family is from Puebla, Mexico. They returned to Mexico after about a decade before once more settling in Chicago. While Garcia lacks memories of Mexico as a young child, he vividly remembers his second stint in Mexico as a teen. The bar won’t focus on a particular region or spirit. Garcia is happy to show that Mexico is about more than agave and he wants to showcase bourbon and Charanda — a rum from Michoacan, Mexico.
Garcia sees a chance to fill a niche in Hyde Park, and while he doesn’t mind expanding customers’ tastes, introducing them to Mexican flavors they haven’t experienced, he doesn’t want to be heavy-handed.
“We are mindful that before it’s a Mexican bar, it’s going to a bar,” Garcia says. “If somebody comes in and orders an Old Fashioned, we’re going to be able to make that.”
This philosophy also tracks with the bar’s name. Williams and Garcia wanted to pick something English speakers could gravitate toward, something personal, yet easy to pronounce. It’s not exactly the “Martha” moment from Batman v Superman, but Garcia’s mother is named Rosa, and Williams’s grandmother is Rose.
They’re still orchestrating the bar bites menu, offering tacos and more. The drink menu is already finalized. They worked with celebrated barman Paul McGee on the beverage list and the bar’s layout. While Williams and Garcia are confident in operating a restaurant — they met while working at Mk The Restaurant — they brought in McGee, seeing how he helped make Lost Lake in Logan Square a successful tropical drink destination.
Garcia began his restaurant career at 15 as a busser at Chef’s Station, a since-shuttered restaurant in Evanston. He held several positions at Mk before delving into wine and serving as the restaurant’s general manager. He remembers meeting Williams and noting that he “came across as very genuine and intense.” The two bonded over strong work ethics and Williams credits Garcia’s leadership at Virtue in making the restaurant successful.
The space, a former laundromat, will be redecorated with local art, pottery, and seating options for big and small groups. Stay tuned for more information about Cantina Rosa as fall approaches.
Cantina Rosa, 5230 S. Harper Avenue, planned for a fall opening.
But the massive renovations (they might as well have burned sage, ridding any sign of LaSalle Power Co.’s existence inside the 16,500-square-foot space) betray any humility. Huw Gott and Will Beckett carry confidence that Chicago, home of steakhouses such as Gibsons and Maple & Ash, will leave their palace of beef enamored; Beckett says Hawksmoor is the steakhouse of choice for fans of Michelin-starred and Beard-winning restaurants, and that matters in Chicago, the home of The Bear and the Beards. Hawksmoor encountered a similar environment when they debuted in New York in 2021. In a piece in February, Eater NY’s Robert Siestema called Hawksmoor “the anti-Peter Luger,” citing the menu’s variety, writing that diners could easily assemble a quality meal by using only starters and sides. Gott expounds on the menu’s variety. They have a vegetarian version of beef Wellington, made with cheese, plus oyster and shitake mushroom duxelles: “We want everyone who comes to be able to eat really well,” Gott says.
Hawksmoor
Hawksmoor
Hawksmoor
The charcoal comes from West Virginia.
Hawksmoor isn’t advertising where their beef is sourced, but it’s dry-aged Gott and Beckett ensure they’re doing the needed work to build relationships with local purveyors; the aforementioned veggie Wellington uses cheese from a Wisconsin dairy farm, for example. The steaks, including a 44-ounce Chateaubriand, are cooked over charcoal. The fries are cooked in tallow. Brunch and lunch service are on their way. Gott even teases that Chicago could experience the English tradition of a Sunday roast eventually.
Downtown restaurant owners are excited about Hawkmoor’s arrival — they’ve pegged Thursday, June 27 as the opening day. Restaurateur Sam Sanchez, known for John Barleycorn and Point & Feather, says it’s time to bring some electricity back downtown, something the pandemic sapped from River North and the Loop. Beckett has been commuting back and forth from England, overseeing the project, and has brought over key personnel from New York and other locations.
Gott and Becket have carved out a niche in the U.K., with some restaurant owners there asking for advice when it comes to international expansion. The friends have known each other since they were six years old and there’s a playful needling between them, reminiscent of a friendlier Statler and Waldorf. It’s apparent when Gott delves into the history of the space as the LaSalle Street Cable Car Powerhouse. He lights up, much to the chagrin of Beckett who bides his time before labeling him as a nerd: “I’ve got transit geek sides of my personality… my dad’s a train man,” Gott admits.
Visitors will see curved ceilings reminiscent of train cars, a green and white color scheme honoring old CTA branding, and light fixtures that bring back vintage times. Beckett calls his partner obsessive, taking days to research what could appear as minutiae to commoners. But those touches help elevate the dynamics of their dining rooms.
But to Hawksmoor’s credit, they backed away from building their restaurant around the history of the city’s stockyards. That’s low-hanging fruit to lean in Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. Hawkmoor is a fully realized concept that’s seen success in England, New York, Dublin, and Edinburgh. Gott talks about the history of Beefsteak Clubs, male-dominated groups that surfaced in the 19th century. The words “Beef and Liberty ‘’ hang above the second-floor bar, a 76-seat dining room that can also be rented out for private events — including “beefsteaks” — a reference to a kind of secret society that would gather, and — you guessed it — nosh on steak. Beef and Liberty was a slogan that dates back to the 1700s. That nod to history doesn’t mean that Hawksmoor is interested in recreating the era. Beckett proudly admits that the customers who fill their seats aren’t just white guys posting steak videos on social media. They’re embracing a come-as-you-are environment and hope the first floor attracts happy hour revelers, though Beckett concedes “happy hour” has a different meaning in England where there are better drink specials. It just means post-work drinks in America, and that’s in part to local lawmakers.
This is the second-floor dining room.Hawksmoor
Note the ceiling with curves to look like a transit car.Hawksmoor
There are other differences. The dessert menu will be called just that (it’s referred to as a pudding menu in England). Hawksmoor is proud of their cocktails and for the Chicago crowd, they’re serving up a negroni-inspired beverage made with Jeppson’s Malört.
Entering the restaurant space that once offered macaroni and cheese allegedly based on a recipe from Jordan’s wife at the time, the Gott found a way to pay homage. The third floor features two private event rooms. One of those, a 22-seat space, is called the Big Mike. Plainly, it’s a reference to a champion-winning cattle cow. But basketball superfans can embrace the name as the reason the city held annual summer parties in Grant Park in the ‘90s.
Chicago has already influenced the chain. Beckett says they’re serving an Italian beef sandwich at locations in the U.K. When asked if it would be authentic, with the proper giardiniera and sliced thin, he smiles.
“The best thing, you see, you won’t know,” Beckett says with a wink.
However, starting next week, Chicagoans won’t need to board a plane to visit Hawksmoor. Then they’ll have tangible proof of whether the British steakhouse is worthy of No. 23 or if it needs a jolt of electricity.
Hawksmoor, 500 N. LaSalle Drive, opening, Thursday, June 27, reservations via OpenTable.
When Viceroy Chicago executive chef Verlord Laguatan moved to the U.S. from the Philippines 16 years ago, he found all Americans knew about Filipino cuisine was adobo chicken and ube.
The success of Kasama, Boonie Foods, and other spots has demonstrated Chicago now possesses a deeper interest in the cuisine. While working in Wicker Park at Indian street food restaurant Wazwan, he supplemented the South Asian menu with Pinoy-inspiredred items.
Laguatan is now seizing a larger opportunity by bringing Southeast Asian flavors to the Viceroy’s rooftop cocktail lounge, formerly known as Devereaux. The space’s new name is Pandan.
Crispy pork belly steamed buns.Viceroy/Neil John Burger Photography
Lobster dumplings, spicy tuna on crispy rice, and steamed buns.Viceroy/Neil John Burger Photography
“There were plenty of chefs who have come from high-end backgrounds and now they’re starting to represent themselves and their culture,” Laguatan says. “We are now bringing the spice, we are bringing the funk and people are accepting of that. For many years people were like ‘Ohh, what is that smell?’ or “Ohh, that’s too strong for me,” but now people are starting to accept all of it and there’s a sense of adventure when you’re finding something new.”
While there are still a few outdoor tables near the pool — which is only open to hotel guests — most of the space has been enclosed to allow it to stay open and provide views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline throughout the winter. The decor focuses on simple elegance, with a main bar lined with leather high-backed chairs and club chairs positioned around candle-lit cocktail tables.
The bar’s namesake shrub is the star of a signature cocktail blended with lemon, lime, and Don Julio Blanco or Seedlip Notas de Agave for a non-alcoholic version. Pandan foam tops a float made with Ron Zacapa rum, amaro, sarsaparilla, and tiki bitters. Other drink highlights include a wood-smoked blend of bourbon and cardamom and the Flight School, a gin and mezcal-based drink colored purple with violet liqueur and served in a bird-shaped glass.
Viceroy/Neil John Burger Photography
Viceroy/Neil John Burger Photography
Laguatan’s food takes inspiration from Southeast Asia, pairing Filipino classics like pork lumpia and bistek tataki with sweet corn tempura and spicy tuna on crispy rice. The lobster dumplings with coconut curry, crispy shallots, and cilantro oil are inspired by the Nihari momo Laguatan made when working with chef Zubair Mohajir at Wazwan. The goal is to show the qualities that unify the region’s food.
“Every island [of the Philippines] definitely has their own way of cooking and you’ll find throughout Southeast Asia some people eat spicy, some people don’t,” Laguatan says. “The biggest thing that will always be consistent is that there will be some funk to it. You’ll get your fish sauce and other ferments in there and all tropical fruits and other warm weather ingredients.”
Flight School (Tanqueray No. Ten, mezcal unión el viejo, crème de violette, cocchi americano, lemon)Viceroy/Neil John Burger Photography
Viceroy/Neil John Burger Photography
Classic cocktails and more familiar bites like Thai fried chicken and nori fries are also available. Keeping to the farm-to-table focus of Viceroy’s ground-floor restaurant Somerset, Pandan’s produce is sourced from Mick Klug and Nichols farms. Laguatan is also growing ingredients; he operates a garden and beehives on the roof above the kitchen, one of the first projects he started after joining Viceroy three years ago. The menu will change seasonally, with warm cocktails rolling out for winter.
“We’re continuously improving this garden, adding more things and using it as a learning platform for our cooks and sometimes our guests,” Laguatan says. “It’s for them to understand when ingredients are at their best and hopefully we can carry on this learning culture of using what’s around us. Working with our farmers and local vendors is how we keep our community alive.”
Pandan, 1112 N. State Street, opening Thursday, June 20.
Reservations are now live via for the newly relocated Khmai, the Cambodian restaurant that earned accolades after two years in Rogers Park. Khmai 2.0 is sleeker and more upscale than the original, and with its new location along Sheridan Road near Loyola University, chef and owner Mona Sang has added a casual new sister spot in Kaun Khmai.
Before the restaurants’ debuts on Thursday, June 13 in Rogers Park, Sang previewed her restaurant to friends and media members earlier in the month. Those who attended witnessed firsthand just how far the restaurant has come since its founding in 2022. “This is a huge upgrade,” one diner audibly whispered to her companion.
The menu draws inspiration from Khmer royal cuisine, or mahob preah barom reacheaveang, a style developed in palace kitchens and one of three overarching culinary genres in Cambodia. It’s distinguished by the quality of ingredients and more elaborate cooking techniques — a style that’s evident in new menu options like the show-stopping trei chien chuyen, a whole fried red snapper that smacks of powerful umami, ginger, garlic, and fresh herbs.
Another addition, bangkea tuk ampil — large and juicy head-on shrimp marinated in Khmer spices, breaded, and slathered in spicy tamarind sauce with palm sugar and shrimp paste stars. Meanwhile, an old standby, kaw ko — a braised oxtail with bone marrow, galangal, star anise, and fragrant lemongrass, soothed. Sang offered a special preview menu for guests, with Khmai’s signature “dips” — in essence Khmai’s answer to crudités. The beloved egg rolls — filled with ground chicken, shallot, onion, garlic, and taro —were also available. The restaurant was still waiting for its liquor license, so a wine list wasn’t available.
A royal Khmer dancer watches over the dining room.Naomi Waxman/Eater Chicago
The new space, the former Onward Chicago, is more striking than the original Khmai and includes a soaring arched ceiling and a stunning wall-size mural of a Khmer dancer. The ornate Regency-style gold and black tableware is a product of Sang’s Bridgerton fandom. Chopsticks, forks, knives, and spoons sat on the tables.
The reopening represents a pivotal moment in the saga of Khmai, which Sang originally conceived as a therapeutic project with her mother, Sarom Sieng, a survivor of the Cambodian genocide. Their endeavor rapidly grew and they soon accrued a customer base with church catering gigs before opening a permanent location on Howard Street near the Evanston border. A rare specialist in traditional Cambodian cuisine, it was a surprise smash hit that garnered a semifinalist nod from the James Beard Foundation. In 2022, Sang and Sieng were named co-winners of Eater Chicago’s Chefs of the Year award and Khmai was dubbed one of the 15 Best New Restaurants in America.
Kaun Khmai will offer a meaty Cambodian fried rice.Naomi Waxman/Eater Chicago
Behind the scenes, pressure on Sang and her team was mounting. Between a contentious dynamic with her former landlord and the structural limitations of the original location, she knew that a move was essential to the restaurant’s survival. Khmai closed in November 2023, and in the intervening months, Sang has slowly unfoldedher plans to the public — including the pending debut of a relaxed second restaurant that would feature fruity cocktails and Khmer street food like skewers of grilled beef, chicken, and squid. A smash burger made with spicy, sour twa ko (Cambodian sausage) will also appear.
Both restaurants share the space on the ground floor of the Hampton Inn, but Khaun Khmai channels a more relaxed energy without reservations. There’s a large rectangular bar, large windows that fill the room with light, and colorful Cambodian artwork displayed on the walls and around the room. Sang will also launch the city’s only Cambodian brunch services at both restaurants alongside dinner and hopes to begin offering breakfast and lunch in August.
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