Thursday, May 23, 2013
A new Middle Eastern restaurant will soon be joining neighborhood favorites, Sultan's Market and Falafel & Grill.
Plans have finally been revealed for a Division Street storefront that has had brown paper and a "Middle Eastern Cuisine" sign posted across its windows for several months. Shawarma Garden will be opening this July in 1951 W. Division St., which was the former home of Habit boutique, according to an Eater report. Remnants of that boutique's sign remain etched in the window. But new restaurant owner Mary Ann Mubayed says she wants to "bring (her) heritage to Division Street," the story says. She'll be cookin up some of her family's secret recipes. Get more local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone with our free newsletter. Fast signup here. The Mubayed family ran Universal Liquors on North Avenue for 25 years, DNA …
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
A new bistro concept is headed to Southport Avenue, taking up residency in a building with a very colorful history. Owners also plan for just as many outdoor seats as indoor.
French bistro-style restaurant The Bentley is gearing up for a June opening on Southport, and the storefront owner Brian Dohmen chose for his new venture certainly has some history. The space at 2834 N. Southport Ave., one block north of Diversey Parkway, was most recently Palette Bistro. But before that, it was Lucca’s, an Italian restaurant where a man was murdered. The then-restaurant manager Randall Hilderband suffocated when he was tied up with electrical cords and had tape placed over his mouth and nose during a 2008 robbery, CBS Chicago reports. David Sidener was sentenced to 60 years in prison for the murder. While in business, Lucca’s menu detailed the odd history the storefront went through, including a funeral parlor in the …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
From classic ribs to bacon popcorn and frozen lemonade, start preparing for the North Side's 15th annual Ribfest celebration. And don't worry, Wicker Park will be represented.
Rib masters from Chicago and around the country are gearing up for the North Side's legendary Ribfest, which will be held in nearby Northcenter. After leaks of dates and music line-ups, the Northcenter Chamber of Commerce finally announced the most important part of the festival—the menus. And you'd better believe that local barbecue hotspot, Smoke Daddy, has made the cut. It's among 13 different rib samplers that will tempt meat lovers on June 7, 8 and 9. Also included is Joey Sutphen's Texas Thunder classic BBQ, offering honey and brown sugar ribs, and the wood-burning smoke house of Wrigley BBQ. If neater eating is more your style, other fare from local kitchens will be available. Big Fork Brands will have their three-cheese macaroni …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The bartenders at Violet Hour may be at the helm of a nearby project, according to reports.
Bartenders from a local favorite may be at the helm of a new venture in Logan Square. That is, if circulating rumors are confirmed. They may be setting up shop in the former home of Las Islas Marinas, 2523 N. Milwaukee Ave., according to an Eater report. The story references a news release indicating that the restaurant will become "a lounge focusing on a line of craft cocktails." "In the last couple of weeks, multiple sources in multiple industries, including that immediate vicinity, have said that the new tenants are longtime bartenders from Violet Hour," the Eater story says. "This week, one of said bartenders confirmed that he's working on a new project, he even held off on adding cocktails to their recently released spring menu …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Three Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. businesses are scheduled to open this summer on a single parcel formerly occupied by Lincoln Park's Tilli's sports bar.
Workers were busy Monday at a Halsted Street site that was once home to a popular, family owned sports bar. Last summer, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises Inc. took over the shuttered Tilli's space 1952 N. Halsted St. Owned by sisters Susan and Kristin Tiritilli, The restaurant lost its lease at the end of 2009 after about 13 years in business. Soon occupying the now vacant plot will be a variation of Lettuce Entertain You's Stella Rossa Pizza Bar, M Street Kitchen and M Street Bakery, according to its website. Those eateries are all based in Santa Monica, Calif. "The space will comprise three separate restaurants," Crain's Chicago Business reports. "The hub, at the entrance, will be modeled after M Street Bakery. Throughout the day, it …
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Manee Thai opens its third location in Wicker Park Tuesday, combining cuisines across Asia.
Thursday, May 2, 2013
A local coffee shop now features more space and natural light, thanks to a recent interior renovation project.
A popular Bucktown coffee shop has room for a lot more coffee drinkers with a recent expansion that nearly doubles its original size. Renovations are complete at Buzz: Killer Espresso, 1644 N. Damen Ave. The cafe now has an upstairs level and about six new skylights that bring in a lot of sunshine, employees said this week. The cafe strives to bring the "finest coffee available worldwide and roast it with care and sensitivity," according to its website. " ... We serve our coffee alongside choice beans from admired roasters all around the country," it says. "Our mission is to embrace the modern push for a new level of coffee quality, along with sustainable and responsible practices." The cafe is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through …
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
A popular, Earth-conscious coffee roaster is making its way to Bucktown.
A coffee roaster known for its unique, Earth-conscious coffee blends will soon be moving into a space near a familiar Blue Line stop. La Colombe Torrefaction, a Philadelphia-based small-batch artisan coffee roaster, will open this coming September in Bucktown near the Damen Avenue Blue Line, according to Crain's Chicago Business. A company representative told Crain's that the Bucktown spot is currently being built out but will have "ample seating and is looking to partner with an acclaimed pastry chef." Currently, the only existing La Colombe cafe is located in the West Loop, though employees there said Tuesday that several Bucktown and Wicker Park area restaurants serve up their blends. Shops are purposely uncluttered of retail, …
Lincoln Park's famed Alinea no longer claims a Top 10 spot on a buzzed about global list honoring the world's best restaurants.
A Lincoln Park restaurant known for once topping a list detailing the best North American restaurants has been ousted from the top 10. Although Alinea, 1723 N. Halsted St., remains on the 50 Best Restaurants list, it now sits in the No. 15 slot, according to a report by Crain's Chicago Business. It was once the top-ranked North American eatery and last year, fell into the No. 7 space. The restaurant—known for its awe-inspiring dishes, innovative presentation and pricey meals—opened in 2005. At the helm is renown chef Grant Achatz and investor Nick Kokonas. Crain's reports: The rankings were released today by U.K.-based Restaurant magazine, owned by William Reed Business Media, at a ceremony held in London. More than 800 members of the …
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Big Star and Chicago Cupcake were both inspected by the Chicago Health Department; see who passed and failed.
jane doe
8:35 am on Monday, May 13, 2013
So I get it, this little internet section is seemingly devoted to all you can eat and drink at seemingly endless restaurants and bars in a trending now gentrified area. Notice how the word community isn't being used here. There seems to not be any at the corner of milwaukee north and damen more ›