GIVEAWAY!: I’m having another giveaway—this time, for a Bedsure GentleSoft White Throw Blanket!
All you have to do to qualify is to be a paying subscriber (for less than $5/month) to either SAVOR for Andrew (future3733.substack.com) or Pop-Eds (Andrew449.substack.com). The deadline is Friday, May 1, at 5 p.m. Good luck!
And now on to culinary items…
——Job opportunities: Daniel Barat (through Burnham Park Yacht Club) is hiring two to three servers and/or bartenders as well as two to three cooks.
This is at a private club on Northerly Island and is seasonal. Email gm@bpyc.com for more info.
—Reaching the Summit: Ateema Media & Marketing announced the official nominees for The Summit Awards, an annual program celebrating excellence in Chicago’s tourism and events industry. The awards will be presented April 28 at Morgan Manufacturing (401 N. Morgan St.) during the Trade Show portion of the conference.
There were several categories that people could vote for this year. (For example, best restaurant nominees include Gibsons Bar & Steakhouse, Lucca Osteria & Bar, Robert’s Pizza and Dough Co., and Rosebud Restaurants.) To purchase tickets and learn more about the 2026 agenda, visit thesummitchicago.com.
—How Swede it is: The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) invites the community to gather around the bonfire for the third annual Valborg—a traditional Swedish celebration welcoming the arrival of spring on Thursday, April 30, at 5-8 p.m. at the Chicago Waldorf School, 5200 N. Ashland Ave.
Throw your worries and concerns in the fire while enjoying traditional Swedish songs, family-friendly entertainment and traditional Valborg soup courtesy of The Dinner Belle. The free event also features eco-friendly and sustainability resources in celebration of Earth Month. Windy City Shaved Ice, Aim & Ignite (sustainable goods) and The Storm’s Eye (tarot-card readings) are among the other businesses slated to participate.
—That’s Italian!: Doughboy Restaurant Group—led by Chicago artisan baker/restaurateur/entrepreneur Rich Labriola—announced that Labriola Italian Specialties is now open at 852 W. Fulton Market.
The new concept brings Labriola’s signature pizza, house-made pasta and bakery favorites, including Sicilian cannoli. The restaurant seats more than 100 guests in the dining room, with an additional 30 seats at the bar.
Rich Labriola’s career began in his father’s south suburban Chicago pizza shop. In 2014, he partnered with Stan’s Donuts to bring the Los Angeles-based concept to Chicago; currently, Stan’s operates 18 Chicagoland locations and more than 20 licensed stores across Illinois.
—”Roots” on the ground: This May, Sunda New Asian invites guests to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month through a multi-city experience that brings together culture, cuisine and storytelling, highlighted by the national premiere of the award-winning documentary Food Roots, from Sunda CEO/Founder and Emmy Award-winning restaurateur Billy Dec.
Premiering nationwide throughout May on PBS and American Public Television (APT), Food Roots will also launch on Billy Dec’s YouTube channel beginning May 1. The film has already garnered national acclaim, earning Audience Choice Awards at the Nashville Film Festival and Vero Beach Film Festival, with additional screenings at Chicago International Film Festival, Newport Beach Film Festival and more.
In 2023, I talked with Dec about the documentary. Find out more here.
—Sharing is caring: One Hope United is launching its first-ever “Sip & Share for Foster Care” campaign, during which Chicagoland restaurants are donating $1 from select menu items to support children and families in foster care.
More than 391,000 children are currently in foster care across the country, including more than 16,000 in Illinois alone.
Some of the restaurants partners include Dell’ Rooster ($1 from every order of short rib barbacoa), The Reservoir ($1 from every Irish Maid Cocktail and Reservoir Burger), Bocaditos ($1 from every Billion Dollar Margarita and Mar y Tierra dish), I/O Godfrey ($1 from every order of steak skewers) and Katherine Anne Confections ($1 from every lemon fennel latte). Info and a full list of participating locations are at www.onehopeunited.org/sip.
—Going retro: State and Lake Chicago Tavern is turning brunch into a throwback party with the debut of its Golden Era Brunch at theWit Chicago, A Hilton Hotel.
Now served every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the high-energy experience celebrates the food, music and pop culture from the 1960s to the early 2000s. Menu highlights include the Biggie Benedict, Fresh Prince Royale, Saved by the Shell and Eggs Just Wanna Have Fun alongside Honey, I Fried the Chicken, French Toast Flashback, Brunchzilla Bacon Pancakes and Shrimp Bizness. Drinks include Bottomless Mimosas, a Spritz & Spin Pitcher, a mimosa tower and a lineup of zero-proof sips called Mocktail Mix Tapes, featuring drinks like Say My Name Strawberry Lemonade.
Live music is crucial to the experience, and DJs will spin crowd-favorite throwback tracks from every decade from the 1960s to the early 2000s.
—And they’re off!: The Kentucky Derby is taking place Saturday, May 2—and several Chicagoland spots are hosting elegant watch parties and offering unique specials:
- The Bellevue is bringing Derby Day to the Gold Coast with a chic, fashion-forward celebration starting at 9 a.m. Guests can sip on classic race-day cocktails like Mint Juleps and Oaks Lilies (vodka, sweet and sour, cranberry juice and triple sec) while taking in race. Derby attire is encouraged, from statement hats to seersucker suits.
- On Saturday, May 2, guests can kick off the festivities at aliveOne with a pre-race half-price happy hour at 4-6 p.m., along with a featured $12 Spicy Gold Rush (bourbon, lemon juice and hot honey), available all evening. After the race, DJ Boathouse takes over from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m.
- Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse is offering its own specials, including mint juleps ($18), deviled eggs with smoked salmon and caviar ($15), tobacco-smoked ribeye ($75) and Derby pie ($16).
- Gene & Georgetti will offer a special Kentucky Derbymenu available all day. Menu highlights include fried green tomatoes served with house-made remoulade; the classic Kentucky Hot Brown and Gene’s Fried Chicken; and turtle cheesecake. Derby-inspired cocktails will include the Mint Julep, Kentucky Mule and Jockey Tea; wine specials include Simi Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma Cutrer.
- Easy Bar invites guests to celebrate the excitement of the Kentucky Derby as they air the race on Saturday, May 2. Easy Bar will offer a $14 featured cocktail named after one of the horses, “Talk to Me Jimmy” (made with Jefferson’s Reserve bourbon, passionfruit purée, mint lime syrup, fresh lime, ginger bitters and soda).
- The Burr Ridge Village Center’s Derby Day celebration will put some Derby fun in the burbs. At 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m., there will be Two Bostons Dachshund Derby as guests can “bet” on their favorite pup while supporting the Hinsdale Humane Society. (Register at twobostons.com/derby.) At 4-7 p.m., the Derby Day celebration will feature a live stream of the race, complimentary bubbly from Cooper’s Hawk, a Best Hat Contest, al fresco dining and more.
—Take note: Much more Chicago dining news is at SAVOR with Andrew. You can subscribe for free (one-time full access) or for less than $5/month (permanent all-access).
Until next time…