—Farm rest: Mendocino Farms officially opened its doors in River North with a pop-up in the heart of Lincoln Park on Aug. 24.
Attendees enjoyed small bites straight from the restaurant’s branded food truck (including a delicious spicy couscous and the “Not So Fried” Chicken Sandwich), giveaways, interactive brand activations and more.
—Yes, Chef: Green City Market’s annual Chef BBQ returns to Lincoln Park on Thursday, Sept. 4, from 6:30-9 p.m. CT, bringing together more than 100 of Chicago’s most celebrated chefs, restaurants, brewers and mixologists.
Unlike any other food festival in Chicago, every chef participating in Chef BBQ sources sustainably-grown ingredients directly from Green City Market’s local farmers and vendors. This one-of-a-kind food festival fuels Green City Market’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission to secure the future of food by supporting sustainable farmers, educating the community and expanding access to locally grown food. Participants for the 2025 event include avec, Bang Bang Pie, Begyle Brewing, Zeitlin’s Delicatessen, Virtue Cider and many, many more.
VIP guests enjoy access to a bespoke VIP section, including premium reserved seating, trays for carrying unlimited small plates and beverages back to your table, and exclusive VIP beverage activations. General admission tickets (entry begins at 6:30 p.m.) include unlimited access to 100+ small plates and beverage offerings available at the event; no need to purchase additional food or beverage tickets once inside.
—Taste-ful: Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) announced the return of Taste of Chicago, the city’s signature food and music festival, with a dynamic lineup of events across Chicago neighborhoods and a grand finale in Grant Park on Sept. 5–7. All events are free admission and open to the public.
This year’s Taste of Chicago will feature 45 vendor booths, including 41 traditional food booths and an expanded Snack Shack section with four featured vendors. Additionally, 17 food trucks will be serving up diverse, on-the-go culinary experiences throughout the weekend.
Of the total food participants, approximately 20% are new to Taste this year, including 10 new food booth vendors and two new food-truck vendors. New food vendors for Grant Part include Beat Kitchen Cantina, ChefLife19, Chillafry, Crave Cookies, Dao Thai Restaurant, Hubbard Inn, Khmai, Lexington Betty Smokehouse, Nitro Nostalgia Ice Cream and Board Game Cafe, and Thimi’s Empanadas. Returning food vendors include Eli’s Cheesecake, African Food Palace, BJ’s Market & Bakery, Churro Factory, Connie’s Pizza, Franco’s Ristorante, Harold’s Chicken #55, JJ Thai Street Food, Porkchop, Prime Tacos, Moore Poppin Gourmet Popcorn, The Original Rainbow Cone, Yum Dum and more.
BTW, on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 12:30 p.m., original Taste of Chicago vendor Eli’s Cheesecake will celebrate its 45th birthday with a special cake cutting of a 1,000-lb. birthday cheesecake. This year’s ceremonial cake-cutters include rapper Lupe Fiasco; writer/director/actress Sarah Ramos; and actress Karen Rodriguez.
—Change of venue: After 25 years as Chicago’s iconic drag dining destination, the Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club is reborn as the Kit Kat Club, reopening in late September at 3524 N. Halsted St.
The new Kit Kat Club, designed by Kaufman Segal Angyus Design Group, will be a 2,650-square-foot Art Deco space with 240 seats across multiple spaces—a main dining room, a semi-private dining room and a 1,500-square-foot outdoor patio. Chef Chelsea Poe’s menu will include appetizers such as hand-breaded calamari, with red pepper flakes, roasted tomato aioli; Hamachi Crudo (yellowfin tuna, tangelo supreme, ponzu, yuzu kosho, chili crisp, pomegranate seeds and cilantro); and Korean chicken, consisting of chicken thighs, gochujang, soy glaze, green onion and furikake.
And as for entertainment, the revered weekend drag brunches will definitely return. However, there will also be musical performances (Tuesday); Broadway-themed nights (Wednesdays); ballet and improvisational dance led by former Joffrey dancer Jackson Liee (Thursdays); and VIP Dinner & Show (Fridays and Saturdays).
—The Sur thing: Filipino–Midwestern–inspired bakery Del Sur is teaming with Daisies on the Calamansi Chamomile Croissant—a pastry filled with silky calamansi curd (a tribute to the bright, zesty Filipino citrus) coated with chamomile sugar and topped with a toasted chamomile meringue.
The item—courtesy of Daisies Partner/Pastry Chef Leigh Omilinsky—will be available exclusively at the Daisies Chicago café starting Monday, Sept. 1, at 7 a.m. and running throughout the month (first come, first served). A portion of proceeds will benefit AFIRE Chicago, a community organization that creates a political home with and for Filipinx/a/os to confidently organize toward the liberation of immigrants.
—Brew finder: While the Discourse Coffee residency continues at Urbanbelly in Wicker Park, coffee lovers can now enjoy a special lineup of collaborative drinks crafted by Ryan Castelaz and queer coffee expert Morgan Eckroth (@morgandrinkscoffee)—the Oregon-based 2022 U.S. barista champion and world barista runner-up.
Available daily for a limited time from Thursday-Sunday at 7 a.m.-2 p.m. at the dedicated coffee counter, the creations include Ryan’s Dream Dog ($6; cold brew concentrate, mango nectar, vanilla, orange, lime and vadouvan), Go Light ($8; matcha, tomato shrub, passion fruit, soda and chili lime sun gold tomato) and Well-Mannered Goat ($9; espresso, goat-and-oat milk blend, pistachio orgeat, lemon pepper, olive oil, strawberry peppercorn maple buttered popcorn powder and yuzu salt).
—Play ball: Electric Shuffle, a social entertainment concept in River North, has launched Football Season at Shuffle.
For a $10 Sunday cover, guests will enjoy unlimited shuffleboard, wall-to-wall football, and all-day access to exclusive game day food and drink specials, including $5 beers, seltzers and fries; $10 wings and pizzas; $20 beer pitchers; $25 beer buckets; and $30 margarita pitchers, Sun Cruiser and High Noon buckets.
—Happy belly: River North spot Nic & Junior’s is touting its happy-hour specials. This spot’s happy hour runs Monday through Friday at 4-6 p.m. Specials include a variety of $7- $9 dollar cocktails as well as $5 beers; $9 wines by the glass; $7 bar bites like arancini or Brazilian cheese fritters; and entrees such as the double cheeseburger ($15) and San Marzano spaghetti ($12).
In addition, Nic & Junior’s has added lunch service in its bar area beginning at 11 a.m. daily, serving its all-day a la carte menu of globally inspired fare in the bar area.
Until next time… And don’t forget to check out SO much more at SAVOR with Andrew.