A NEW KOREAN PUB IN FULTON MARKET AND NINE MORE UPCOMING RESTAURANTS

Wondering what’s in the works in the Chicago area for restaurants, bars, and cafes? Look no further than Eater Chicago’s guide to spring 2024’s coming attractions for dining. Did we miss something? Send Eater Chicago a tip at [email protected].

Fulton Market: Palilgu, a new Korean pub from the owners of Logan Square’s Ramen Wasabi, is “coming soon” to 821 W. Fulton Market, according to a sign posted on its door. The space previously housed Ramen Takeya, also owned by the Ramen Wasabi team, which closed in May 2023 after a nine-year run. On Instagram, patrons can get a preview of dishes like spicy soft tofu stew with kimchi and pork belly, Korean seafood pancakes, and kimchi fried rice.

North Center: Gourmet sweets spot Bartleby’s Ice Cream Shop will launch this summer at 1943 W. Byron Street in the former home of brunch restaurant Kick, owner Rachel Kamins announced on Instagram. Kamins promises decadent treats made with ingredients from local favorite Kilgus Farmstead, all served in vintage glassware.

Pilsen: After nearly two years of preparation, Indgó MRKTŌ is set to open this summer in a warehouse-style building at 2100 S. Morgan Street, according to Block Club Chicago. The brainchild of Chicago chef Mer Mansuria, formerly of casual Mexican restaurant Casa Indigo, the hall will be divided into four sections: all-day spot Cafe Indigo, ceviche bar Txoco, speakeasy-style cocktail bar Lo Lo Antro, and an as-yet-unnamed main restaurant featuring pintxos. Mansuria has also tapped the boozy talents of notable bartender Denisse Soto (Osito’s Tap), who is consulting on the cocktails.

Uptown: New Palestinian coffee house Nabala Cafe is aiming for a spring opening at 4660 N. Broadway, owners announce on Instagram. Customers can expect coffee, chai, and espresso drinks, and a food menu of sandwiches and pitas.

West Loop: Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Louisiana’s rapidly expanding fast-food behemoth, is in talks to take over the prominent restaurant space at 820 W. Randolph Street that previously housed celebrity chef Stephanie Izard’s Little Goat diner, according to Crain’s. Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, CEOs of James Beard Award-winning Boka Restaurant Group (the company behind Little Goat) own the 8,780-square-foot West Loop space, though Little Goat moved out of the Randolph Restaurant Row location in late 2022 and reopened the following year in Lakeview. If Raising Cane’s secures the space, it will mark the chain’s fourth city outpost and 19th in the Chicago area.

West Town: Puffy Cakes, a new dessert shop specializing in fluffy soufflé-style Japanese cheesecakes, is planning to open sometime this year at 1651 W. Chicago Avenue, according to its Instagram page. The team will offer the distinctive cheesecakes in three sizes (four, six, or eight inches), as well as chocolate tarts, cheese tarts, coffee, matcha, and espresso drinks.

Winnetka: Lauded Evanston-based bakery Hewn will launch its third North Shore outpost this fall at 964 1/2 Green Bay Road in Winnetka, according to a rep. The 700-square-foot space will be Hewn’s smallest storefront, joining the Evanston original and a sister spot in suburban Libertyville.

March 21

Jefferson Park: Family-friendly coffee shop and indoor play space Sunny Village Cafe will open in June at 5918 W. Lawrence Avenue, owner Georgena Hurst tells Block Club Chicago. The idea stemmed from a trip that Hurst, her husband Seokhee Burningham, and their two sons took in 2023 to South Korea, where they encountered numerous “kid cafes.” The genre has grown so popular that the Seoul Metropolitan Government aims to open 400 city-run “kid cafes” by the end of 2026. Sunny Village Cafe will include an area for stroller parking, as well as a counter serving coffee, tea, baked goods, and more.

Jefferson Park: Prohibition-era nostalgia is likely to reach new heights with the debut of Vito’s Vault, a speakeasy-style dinner theater spot that’s aiming for an April debut at 5901 W. Lawrence Avenue, according to Block Club. Owner Mark Forrest Virkler spent nearly two decades working at Tommy Gun’s Garage, a 1920s-themed spot in South Loop. After it closed in the early years of the pandemic, Virkler set out to spin off his iteration in the hope of reviving the popularity that dinner theater once enjoyed. Vito’s patrons can expect a three-course meal (options will include steak, chicken, fish, and pasta) and a 90-minute stage show featuring comedy, songs, and interactive “police raids” that bring the audience into the production.

Fulton Market: Long-awaited French-Lebanese restaurant Beity, the debut project from chef Ryan Fakih, has applied for a liquor license at 813 W. Fulton Market. Fakih says he’s aiming to open in early summer. First announced in March 2023, Beity was originally slated to open in River North, but plans have changed and it will now replace shuttered wine bar Joe’s Imports.

Pilsen: Local craft beer maker Monochrome Brewing has applied for a liquor license at 2101 S. Carpenter Street, a space that was once home to shuttered brewery and taproom Lo Rez.

Streeterville: Chapel Street Cafe, a new Australian restaurant specializing in Aussie staples like Lamington cake, flat whites, and toast with Vegemite, is slated for a November debut at 198 E. Delaware Place on the ground floor of the Hilton Chicago/Magnificent Mile Suites, according to Crain’s. Owner Shawn Uldridge, an Australian who moved to Chicago in 2014, is also behind West Loop’s Publishing House Bed & Breakfast and opened wine bar The Press Room, though he’s no longer involved in the latter.

Uptown: Chicago Pickle Eatery, an Avondale deli that’s garnered a following with enormous New York City bodega-style sandwiches, is aiming to expand in March into a sister location at 4515 N. Sheridan Road, owner Mohamad Atieh announced on Instagram. Atieh moved to Chicago from New York City three years ago and tells reporters that he observed a gap in his new city’s corner store offerings. He’s working to fill that chasm with a menu of hefty sandwiches like the eponymous Chicago Pickle (pastrami, corned beef, pickles, coleslaw, Swiss, Russian dressing) and the steak and cheese, a riff on famed regional delicacies like Philly cheesesteaks and New York chopped cheese.

Wicker Park: Trattoria RnB, a new Italian restaurant featuring wood-fired pizzas and fresh pasta, is working toward a debut at 2101 W. North Avenue, the former home of indie pizzeria Knead, according to its website. An opening date is not yet available.

Evanston: Nearly a year after its closure, Irish pub The Celtic Knot has announced plans to reopen in the former home of Lush restaurant at 2022 Central Street in suburban Evanston, according to Evanston Round Table. Owners Liz and Patrick Breslin say fans can expect a smaller, cozier space and a slimmed-down menu, but promise they hope to recreate the pub’s lively atmosphere with live music and a crew of regulars.

Naperville: California-born brand Ranch 99 Market, said to be the largest Asian grocery chain in the country, is poised to take over a former Dominick’s grocery store at 1555 N. Aurora Road in suburban Naperville, according to the Tribune. It’s pegged to debut in 2025 and will include a food court called Eat Up. The chain, also called Tawa Supermarket, was founded in 1984 by Roger Chen, a Taiwanese immigrant, and currently operates 54 stores across 10 states. The Naperville location is part of the area’s Riverbrook Shopping Center, which is now owned by Texas-based developer NewQuest Asia-Pacific Retail. In early January, NewQuest reps told reporters that the company plans to transform the center into a hub for Asian restaurants and businesses.

2024-03-21T17:12:36Z dg43tfdfdgfd