—Pizza on Earth: Boka Restaurant Group announced Zarella, a neighborhood pizzeria and taverna located on the bustling corner of Grand and Wells in the heart of River North. It will open next year.
Chef partners Chris Pandel (Swift & Sons, Cira, Swift & Son’s Tavern) and Lee Wolen (Boka, Alla Vita, GG’s Chicken Shop) have come together to craft a menu featuring a mix of tavern-style and artisan pizzas as well as entrées, small bites, fresh salads and an ever-rotating roster of Italian specialties. The pizzas will be available in a range of flavors, like Spicy Vodka with Calabrian Chili and Mozzarella; Carbonara with Pancetta, Pecorino and Egg; and Italian Sausage with Giardiniera, Oregano and Mozzarella. Each pizza will also be available with a gluten-friendly crust.
Designed in collaboration with Anna Filatov, the two-level restaurant will feature a main bar, a mahogany-clad dining room, and a lower-level taverna perfect for cocktails and private events.
For a full list of vendors and for more event information (including vendor registration), visit RaviniaFarmersMarket.com.
—Group together: The Group Hospitality—the NYC-based entity responsible for the River North spots Olio E Piu and La Grande Boucherie—has now opened Omakase Room by Kanemaru in the same area, at 40 W. Hubbard St. It’s also the hospitality organization’s third omakase spot, behind NYC’s Omakase Room by Mitsu and Omakase Room by Shin.
This exclusive culinary experience invites guests on a 16-course journey through Chef Shinichiro Kanemaru’s menu, which aims to fuse Japanese precision with contemporary Chicago flair. While staying true to traditional Japanese methods, Kanemaru incorporates local, small-batch ingredients and seasonal flavors; signature dishes include Hokkaido-sourced uni and soy-marinated toro. The 10-seat counter offers an exclusive and intimate setting; the 16-course omakase menu starts at $195 per person.
—Snowman holiday: Yes, it’s that time of the year, as festive pop-ups are here!
The third annual “A Very Dandy Holiday” will return to pop up at The Dandy Crown through Saturday, Jan. 4, daily. Its sibling bar will host “Sugar Plum Parlour” in The Parlour at The Albion Manor (stairs required) on select dates starting Friday, Nov. 29, through Saturday, Jan. 4.
Both are free to attend and while walk-ins are accepted, reservations are encouraged; RSVP at DandyHoliday.com and TheAlbionManor.com. Additionally, several festive and free-of-charge events are planned, including Holiday Trivia (Dec. 3, at Dandy), Ugly Sweater Night (Dec. 10 at Dandy and Dec. 12 at The Parlour) and The Dandy Crown’s 5th Birthday (Dec. 15).
—New zoo revue: In celebration of the annual ZooLights experience at Lincoln Park Zoo (now in its 30th year), Gemini and DeNucci’s are offering specials and seasonal sweets designed for guests to enjoy before or after their visit to the nearby zoo.
Both restaurants will offer a three-course prix fixe dinner menu ($56); the menu includes a dessert course to go (homemade cookies and a warm beverage) for guests to enjoy as they walk over to ZooLights, and will take place Mondays through Fridays starting at 4:30 p.m. as well as Saturdays and Sundays starting at 3:30 p.m. Also, a holiday hut (on the corner of Lincoln and Dickens) is offering walk-up service for homemade cookies and hot beverages to go Thursdays through Sundays 4:30-8:30 p.m. The specials are taking place through Jan. 5.
—Let them eat cake: The two-Michelin starred Moody Tongue will offer pick-up and to-go orders of its famous 12-layer German chocolate cake this holiday season.
The speciality cake showcases alternating layers of chocolate buttercream, toasted pecan and caramel, chocolate cake and ground espresso-speckled cheesecake with a crust of chocolate cereal, graham cracker crumbs and pretzels all beneath a dark chocolate mirror glaze. Whole cakes are available for pick-up between 4:30pm and 10:00pm during your selected date range. Moody Tongue typically scores these cakes in their restaurant for eight (large!) slices, but it would be happy to score these cakes for 16 or 24 slices as well. The cake can be ordered here.
—“Night” fever: The Graystone Tavern, 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., is back with “8 Crazy Nights,” opening Wed., Nov. 27. Chicago’s first and only Hanukkah-themed pop-up bar will be open through Sunday, Jan. 5.
The display features a winter wonderland of decorations created for the Jewish holiday throughout the bar and weatherproofed beer garden, including more than 30,000 blue and white lights and Hanukkah ball lanterns adorning the ceiling, Star of David and dreidel ornaments, lighted menorah decor, Mensch on a Bench, a Hanukkah sweater wall and an eight-foot inflatable dreidel.
New for 2024, “8 Crazy Nights” will serve tableside Manischewitz Spritzer Chambongs with Manischewitz red wine and Prosecco, and a Mega Mensch Mule (96 ounces, $80) that will serve six to eight people and feature Stateside Vodka, strawberry puree, ginger beer and lime juice. Offering traditional Hanukkah dishes with a tavern-style spin, “8 Crazy Nights” will also add Brisket Sloppy Joes ($14) and a Lox Dip served with Bagel Chips ($14) to the menu. Staples include Matzo Ball Soup, Challah grilled cheese with tomato soup, house-made brisket sandwich served on challah bread, and Boozy Jelly Donuts for dessert. Guests can also enjoy a latke menu featuring six flavors.
There will also be one-off events throughout the pop-up such as a “Hanukkah Drag Show” on Monday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. with a special appearance by drag bubbie Merriam Levkowitz. Tickets will be available for $15 each starting Dec. 1.
—Pie in the sky: The Dearborn is returning with its limited-edition 9” pies and cakes.
This year’s items are the chocolate cheesecake and the butterscotch pecan pie ($40 each). They’re available for pickup 48 hours after ordering throughout the holiday season. You can order them here.
—Pie in the sky, part two: To honor its fifth anniversary, Robert’s Pizza & Dough Co. will host a three-part dinner series beginning in December.
Guests are invited to enjoy a unique culinary experience with three incredible dinners spread across December, February, and April. Guests will take a gastronomic journey through the Mediterranean, the Orient Express and Latin America.
The Mediterranean dinner will take place Thursday, Dec. 5, at 6-8 p.m. Offerings will include chickpea croquettes, seafood shakshuka pizza, roast lamb pizza, loukaniko pizza and honey panna cotta. Tickets for the dinner are $100 per person (plus tax and gratuity) and include wine pairings. RSVP here.
—Molly-wood: Time Out Market Chicago has welcomed Molly’s Cupcakes to the fold.
Molly’s Cupcakes will offer its signature cupcakes, breakfast pastries, cake pops, croissants, sandwiches, coffee and more. A fan favorite and winner of the first season of Cupcake Wars, Molly’s Cupcakes joins businesses such as Sporty Bird, Demera, Bar Goa, Southern Bites and Gutenberg (among others) at the market. Also, here’s something you may not know: The bakery donates 10% of its cake batter sales to local schools, continuing Molly’s Cupcakes mission of kindness and community.
Time Out Market Chicago is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information on Molly’s Cupcakes, visit this link.
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