Where To Eat Brunch In Chicago Right Now, January 2020

Where To Eat Brunch In Chicago Right Now, January 2020

Eater Chicago | Jeffy Mai | January 17, 2020

Behold, the 16 hottest brunch restaurants in Chicago

Brunch, not quite breakfast or lunch, is one of the best parts of the weekend. After a long week, people deserve to kick back and relax over omelets and Bloody Marys. Don’t ruin things by making the wrong choice. The Eater Chicago Brunch Heatmap is here to help by highlighting the newest restaurants offering killer brunch options.

This month’s additions include luxe Gold Coast restaurant and club Stockton, breakfast and brunch specialist Lizzy J Cafe, and Lettuce Entertain You’s popular riverside destination Pizzeria Portofino. They join a growing number of eateries dedicated to having midday menus that are more than just an afterthought. So start Sunday Funday off right with eggs (and much more) at these 16 hotspots.

1. Lizzy J Cafe – 2205 W Montrose Ave
With more than 20 years of catering experience, Lizzy J Cafe owner Jamie Gilmore has plenty of well-honed recipes to share. Her new breakfast and brunch spot in North Center dishes out comfort food with twists, and Chicagoans can stop in Tuesday through Sunday for chicken and sweet potato waffles, salmon stuffed with crab meat, shrimp and grits, and more.

2. Papa Cenar – 2445 N Milwaukee Ave
Spanish-style small plates are the main draw at this Logan Square tapas spot, which replaced funky Midwestern restaurant Twain. The cafes of Europe serve as inspiration for Papa Cenar, named in tribute to Ernest Hemingway, and the menu has choices that include a Spanish omelet, salted caramel French toast, and pastrami hash.

3. Centre Street Kitchen – 1224 W Webster Ave
Lincoln Park’s new positivity-promoting restaurant gives Chicagoans a place to eat well and make a difference. Centre Street Kitchen, a project from Big Onion Tavern Group, devotes part of its operation to supporting pediatric cancer patients. Customers can choose to donate funds to the Never Had a Bad Day Foundation and try seasonal vegetable dishes. Brunch options include chai French toast, greens and grains skillet, and a breakfast banh mi.

4. Old Pueblo Cantina – 1200 W Webster Ave
The cooking of Northern Mexican state Sonora is on display at this Lincoln Park eatery in the former White Oak Tavern & Inn space. Ballyhoo Hospitality — the team behind Gemini and Walton Street Kitchen — and executive chef Miguel Ortiz came up with a menu that leans on the kitchen’s mesquite charcoal grill. Customers can order grilled steak tacos, a smothered green chile breakfast burrito, chorizo hash skillet, and cheese crisps, or “Sonoran quesadillas” topped with meats and veggies. Leave room for the house-made churros, too.

5. Ella’s BBQ – 723 W Armitage Ave
From the owners of Lokal and Earl’s Drive-Thru BBQ comes this new Lincoln Park cafe. Though the name emphasizes smoked meats, there’s more than just brisket and ribs on the menu. Brunch — available every day — stars items like avocado toast, biscuits and gravy, pulled pork poutine, and breakfast tacos.

6. Amaru – 1904 W North Ave
Former Carnivale chef Rodolfo Cuadros pulls influences from multiple countries at his Pan Latin restaurant in Wicker Park. He celebrates South American cuisine with dishes that are traditional yet modern. On the brunch menu, guests can try a Cuban hamburger, chicken and yucca waffles, and torrejas — Cuban French toast with coconut dulce de leche and toasted coconut.

7. Cafe Cancale – 1576 N Milwaukee Ave
One Off Hospitality’s latest project offers food from the northwestern French coast. The restaurant’s Sunday brunch service includes savory Breton dishes along with traditional sweet crepes. There’s also a full raw bar selection and classical daytime cocktails, such as the “Death in the Afternoon” made with Pernod Absinthe Superieure, lemon, sparkling wine, and lemon peel.

8. Cracked on Milwaukee – 1359 N Milwaukee Ave
Champaign brunch favorite Cracked’s first restaurant in Chicago features familiar bites for University of Illinois students and alum, such as biscuits and gravy and the “morning bender” sandwich (cheddar, hash browns, fried egg, and cream cheese on a French roll). Loaded tater tots and breakfast burritos are also popular choices.

9. Stockton Restaurant & Lounge – 1009 N Rush St
Diners can brunch in style at this new Gold Coast restaurant and lounge overlooking Rush Street. The sleek two-story replacement for Pan-Asian spot Jellyfish blends clubby vibes, live music, plush furnishings, low lighting, and an eclectic menu from chef Gerardo Martinez. Guests can have a lavish start to their day with seafood towers, cinnamon roll pancakes, and French toast towers during brunch.

10. Tzuco – 720 N State St
Carlos Gaytan’s highly anticipated restaurant is off to an impressive start. Utilizing Mexican and French techniques, Gaytan blends two disparate cuisines together to create distinct dishes. Both savory and sweet notes are highlighted with offerings such as chicken liver waffles, chorizo crepes, and pan de muerto French toast. As an added bonus, brunch is available Friday through Sunday..

11. Flora Fauna – 11 W Illinois St
Brunchers can escape the cold and soak in warmer vibes at River North’s tropical dining oasis. Flora Fauna, the globally-inspired hotspot from chef-mixologist couple Jonathan Meyer and Liz Pearce, debuted a brunch service that showcases seasonal flavors. The menu is split into three sections — toasts, bowls, and staff favorites — and features dishes including smoked salmon toast, fried rice, and bread pudding French toast. Diners can also build their own cocktails with a collection of alcoholic bases and original mixes, such as pineapple passionfruit habanero.

12. Pizzeria Portofino – 317 N Clark St
Lettuce Entertain You’s riverside restaurant became an immediate dining destination upon opening last summer. The breezy, airy space offers captivating views and a menu inspired by the Italian Riviera. Brunch dishes were recently introduced, giving guests new options such as apple pancakes, eggs in purgatory, and smoked salmon pizza.

13. Time Out Market Chicago – 916 W Fulton Market
Chicago’s newest food hall brings some of the city’s premier chefs together under one roof. The impressive lineup, which is spread across 18 stalls and three floors, provides eclectic bites such as avocado toast courtesy of Fare, Kevin Hickey’s duck fat dog, and slices of princess cake from Lost Larson. And since Time Out Market opens every day at 8 a.m., brunch isn’t limited to just the weekend.

14. Boqueria – 807 W Fulton Market
Add Spanish tapas to the ever-growing list of brunch options in the Fulton Market District. New York-based Boqueria just opened its first Chicago location and launched brunch service on the weekend. For $42 per person, guests can build a feast by picking from a selection of tapas, dishes, paella, and desserts to share. The package also includes bottomless mimosas and sangrias. An a la carte menu full of classics such as tortilla espanola, bacon-wrapped dates, and pan con tomate is available as well.

15. Rooh – 736 W Randolph St
Chicago welcomed a fresh take on Indian cuisine with this West Loop newcomer. Though the food is rooted in traditional flavor profiles, Rooh also embraces foreign ingredients and modern techniques. The contemporary brunch lineup from executive chef Sujan Sarkar presents prawn pepper fry Benedict, masala jackfruit tacos, pork and prawn fried rice, paneer bhurji, and a lamb chapli burger.

16. Ascione Bistro – 1500 E 55th St
Located inside a shopping center, this Hyde Park newcomer dabbles in both classic and modern preparations of Italian fare. Chef Gaetano Ascione, a former vet of the late Gioco in the South Loop, offers brunch specialties like Nutella French toast, chocolate mousse pancakes, and pumpkin gnocchi.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

2 Chicago Restaurants Make Yelp’s Top 100 Places To Eat In 2020

2 Chicago Restaurants Make Yelp’s Top 100 Places To Eat In 2020

NBC Chicago | Dan Van Sickle | January 9, 2020

Yelp thinks these two Chicago spots are a cut above the rest.

As one of the culinary capitals of the nation, it should surprise no one to find a couple Chicago restaurants on Yelp’s list of America’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2020. But instead of Michelin stars or traditional restaurant guides, Yelp uses a different formula to compile its list — its users.

And Yelp thinks these two Chicago spots are a cut above the rest.

Coming in at number 33 this year is Nini’s Deli on 543 N Noble St. in West Town. The neighborhood eatery mixes the flavors of Latin Caribbean food with “rich, nourishing Mexican textures.” The result is an empanada and sandwich-laden menu, complete with an inviting, hot pink exterior.

At number 57, and making the list for the first time, is Healthy Substance on 6852 W Archer Ave. in Garfield Ridge. Healthy Substance opened in August of 2018 and sports a vegan and vegetarian menu with dishes inspired by the owner’s home country of Mexico.

The only other restaurant on the list from Illinois was Evanston’s Gotta B Crepes, which came in at 38th place. The full list of Yelp’s America’s Top 100 Places to Eat in 2020 can be found here.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Chicago’s Restaurant Experts Name Their Top Restaurant Newcomers Of 2019

Chicago’s Restaurant Experts Name Their Top Restaurant Newcomers Of 2019

Eater Chicago | Naomi Waxman | December 30, 2019

Shockingly, Time Out Chicago’s editor really likes Time Out Market

To continue the tradition of asking Chicago’s food writers and critics to sum up their year in dining, they named their favorite new restaurants in 2019.

Chandra Ram – Plate:
Thattu, Galit, Jeong, Kikko, Superkhana and Wherewithall shook the dust off of Chicago’s restaurant scene. Kostali has enough of the great Naha flavors and vibe. And I want to add an honorable mention to Virtue, which opened in late 2018 but rightfully dominated my dining recommendations to visiting chefs and food writers.

Titus Ruscitti – ChiBBQKing:
Gaijin, Jeong, Tzuco, Tortello, Politan Row, Ali Baba Doner, Barbaro Taqueria, Torchio Pasta Bar, Lola’s Coney Island, Middlebrow Bungalow, Carnitas Uruapan Restaurant, Tacos de Canasta Don Rossy.

Ji Suk Yi – WGN Radio, Sun-Times:
Galit, Wherewithall.

Michael Nagrant – michaelnagrant.com:
Funkenhausen, Bar Kumiko/Kikko, Bayan Ko, Jeong, Galit, Cafe Cancale.

Ariel Cheung – Plate, Chicago, Time Out Chicago, Block Club:
My personal favorites – the food that really excited me – were Wherewithall, Jeong and Kumiko.

Morgan Olsen – Time Out Chicago:
I’m admittedly quite proud of Time Out Market Chicago – where else can you find eats from Abe Conlon (Fat Rice), Thai Dang (Hai Sous), John Manion (El Che Steakhouse and Bar) and Lost Larson under one roof? I also loved Kumiko, Wherewithall, Tzuco and Thattu.

Jeff Ruby – Chicago:
Wherewithall, Jeong, Tzuco, Claudia.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Chicago’s 2020 Restaurant Week Breaks Record With 400-Plus Locations

Chicago’s 2020 Restaurant Week Breaks Record With 400-Plus Locations

NBC Chicago | December 16, 2019

Online reservations available now for the 13th annual Chicago Restaurant Week

Chicago Restaurant Week pulled out all the stops for its 2020 celebration of local food and chefs with more than 400 restaurants participating in the January event, including 50 in the suburbs.

For 17 days, between Jan. 24 and Feb. 9, diners can enjoy curated, multi-course prix fixe menus at $24 for brunch and lunch, and $36 and/or $48 for dinner.

“Chicago’s well-deserved status as our nation’s culinary capital is drawn from our city’s multitude of cultures and the ingenuity of our chefs in all of our 77 communities,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot in a statement, “and I personally look forward to exploring some of our local eateries and discovering the hidden gems off the beaten path.”

This year’s roster includes plenty of newcomers from around Chicago: Maddon’s Post in Wrigleyville, Offshore Rooftop and Bar in Streeterville, Tzuco in River North, Il Culaccino in McCormick Square, La Pizza & La Pasta at Eataly Chicago in River North, Cruz Blanca in the West Loop, Indie Cafe in Edgewater, Mesler Chicago in Hyde Park, Queenie’s Supper Club on the Near West Side and Time Out Market Chicago in Fulton Market.

“The culinary talents across Chicago’s neighborhoods are among our biggest draws for visitors from across the country and around the world,” said David Whitaker, Choose Chicago president and CEO, in a statement. “We are proud to showcase everything we have to offer to both visitors and locals over an incredible 17-days of dining.”

Online reservations for Chicago Restaurant Week are open now right here.

For a list of restaurants, broken down by area, cuisine and menu type, head here.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

The Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings In Chicago, Winter 2020

The Most Anticipated Restaurant Openings In Chicago, Winter 2020

Eater Chicago | Ashok Selvam and Daniel Gerzina | December 13, 2019

Cards Against Humanity deals itself into the restaurant world and more to look forward to

Chicago’s new restaurant outlook for this winter offers variety and some unlikely surprises. The city’s iconic Willis Tower is in the midst of a major renovation which has already begot a few new food options. A tourist attraction opening new restaurants to capitalize on crowds isn’t surprising, but winter 2020 will also bring an improbable debut: the entrepreneurs behind Cards Against Humanity are opening their own cafe.

A second surprise comes from Pilsen and its upcoming concert venue, Radius. It will feature a full-service restaurant and bar, and it’s the only project on the list south of Roosevelt Road. A pair of delayed projects that have appeared on previous previews — RPM Seafood and Chef’s Special Cocktail Bar — also should debut soon, according to reps.

Read on below for winter’s most anticipated restaurant openings. The list is sorted alphabetically.

CATALOG
Address: Willis Tower, 233 S. Wacker Drive, Loop
Key players: EQ Office, Urbanspace, Rick Bayless, Jollibee, Roberta’s, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Footman Hospitality, and more.
There’s a big effort to modernize one of Chicago’s most popular tourist attractions. Catalog is the over-arching name for new dining renovations inside the Willis Tower, and those improvements include a bevy of new food options highlighted by a new Mexican restaurant chain from chef Rick Bayless that’s funded by the company behind Filipino fast-food powerhouse Jollibee. It’s slated to open in January. The first-floor already has debuted a Shake Shack, Brown Bag Seafood Company, and Do-Rite Donuts. Sweetgreen opened this week, and Lettuce Entertain You’s Sushi-san is pegged for a February opening, according to a rep. A second level will feature a food hall opening in early 2020 from New York’s Urbanspace. Just this week, Urbanspace announced Chicago’s Footman Hospitality (Bangers & Lace, Sparrow) will operate its bar. Urbanspace, which will first open a Loop food hall, promises a lineup of New York favorites, such as Roberta’s — the hip Brooklyn pizzeria — and local chefs.

CHEF’S SPECIAL COCKTAIL BAR
Address: 2165 N. Western Avenue, Bucktown
Key players: Jason Vincent, Josh Perlman, Ben Lustbader, Chase Bracamontes, Tom Scodari, Aaron Kabot
Chicagoans have been patiently waiting for James Beard Award-nominated chef Jason Vincent’s American-Chinese restaurant and bar since January 2019. Chef’s Special will be a throwback to Chinese-American restaurants of the ‘80s, the kind of places that introduced many Americans to Chinese food through plates like Mongolian beef and General Tso’s chicken. There’ll also a bar with fancy drinks. Vincent’s team opened the highly-acclaimed Eater 38 restaurant Giant in 2016 in Logan Square and also oversees the culinary program at the Ace Hotel in Fulton Market. A rep said construction is nearly complete for Chef’s Special, and they’ll start to train workers after January 1 while gearing for a mid-January opening.

CHICAGO BOARD GAME CAFE
Address: 1965 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Logan Square
Key players: Cards Against Humanity, Max Temkin, Aaron McKay
The team behind ever-popular cheeky card game Cards Against Humanity are getting into the restaurant game with this new multi-prong project near the Bucktown/Logan Square border. Chicago Board Game Cafe will include a full-service restaurant and bar, a game library, a shop full of Cards Against Humanity stuff, and even two escape rooms. The food, from pedigreed chefs Aaron McKay (Schwa, NoMi) and Evan Behmer (Mercat a la Planxa, North Pond), will focus on Spanish, Vietnamese, and Mexican street food influences. It’s slated to open on January 10 and reservations are already available.

KOVAL DISTILLERY TASTING ROOM
Address: 4241 W. Ravenswood Avenue, Ravenswood
Key players: Sonat Birnecker Hart, Robert Birnecker
One of Chicago’s most popular craft distillers is finally close to opening its long-planned tasting room off the city’s burgeoning Malt Row on the North Side. For the last 11 years, Koval has specialized in organic spirits. The company has a tasting room, but it’s a little cramped for tour groups. Koval will stretch out its legs at a new 40,000-square-foot facility that’s about 10 minutes away from the current 11,000-square-foot HQ. Expect a cold kitchen with snacks, a patio, and more space to learn about Koval’s offerings. A rep said they’re planning on a February opening.

MOTHER’S RUIN
Address: 2943 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Avondale
Key players: TJ Lynch, Richard Knapp, James Metze, Nick Pfannerstill, Toby Maloney
Boozy milkshakes and Tecate beer cans spiked with Cholula hot sauce are among the drinks coming to Mother’s Ruin Chicago, the Avondale location of a New York bar that opened in 2011. The atmosphere there is casual, but can allegedly get rowdy. The New York team has anointed Toby Maloney as its local partner. Maloney is known for his work at the Violet Hour in Wicker Park, helping make that bar one of the most influential in Chicago. A rep said it’s slated for a February opening.

MUNDANO
Address: 1935 N. Lincoln Park West, Lincoln Park
Key players: Baligh and Moe Abu-Taleb, Ross Henke, Trista Baker
Mundano is about more than fusion food. It’s about a new approach to hospitality from chef Ross Henke who starred at Logan Square Mexican restaurant Quiote. Henke is working with front-of-house manager Trista Baker, a former colleague at Quiote, who founded a not for profit, Restaurant Culture Association, which works toward improving life for restaurant industry workers in a world of #MeToo and debate about wages and tipping. She’ll use that experience in working with Henke to develop best practices to make restaurants better places for workers. Mundano’s menu will represent more than Mexico, dipping into Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East for inspiration. Sample dishes include a bread and oil/chips and salsa service with baguettes with salsa macha and grated pecorino, plus crispy pig ears and salsa. Lamb dan dan noodles with fermented kale, “mexicracha,” lime, and peanuts; fried rock shrimp, cheese curds, escabeche/escalivada, mayo, and lime; delicata squash, salsa roja, labneh, and zaatar.

RADIUS
Address: 640 W. Cermak Road, Pilsen
Key players: Nick Karounos, Henry Hill
The owners of Radius, an upcoming 55,000-square-foot entertainment venue, kept their plans under the radar until this week after lining up acts including Lil Wayne and Alkaline Trio/Bad Religion for the 3,800-capacity music hall component, dubbed Cermak Hall. A rep later revealed that Radius will contain a full-service restaurant. Details are scant, but in a bit of serendipity, chef Henry Hill will develop the menu. Hill worked at Dusek’s, another Pilsen restaurant that comes attached to a music venue (Thalia Hall). Hill helped bring Dusek’s to Michelin-star status while he worked in the kitchen. Slated to open in February, Radius represents the only major project south of Roosevelt Road on this list.

RPM SEAFOOD
Address: 317 N. Clark Street, River North
Key players: Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises, Bill and Giuliana Rancic
The main component of an ambitious project along the Chicago River, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises plans on opening the new seafood restaurant in January. There’s a bit of an unknown with the controversial departure of chef/partner Doug Psaltis, but it appears construction is the culprit behind the delay. Pizzeria Portofino opened in August inside the riverside building. A private event space, RPM on the Water, opened in the fall. For those wanting a sneak peek, Lettuce Entertain You is offering a New Year’s Eve event where attendees can watch fireworks off the restaurant’s private terrace. Celebrity couple Giuliana and Bill Rancic — also partners in the RPM restaurants — will be in attendance. RPM Seafood should open in mid- to late-January, according to a LEYE rep.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE