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 2023’s coming attractions for dining. Did we miss something? Send Eater Chicago a tip at chicago@eater.com.
March 28
Albany Park: Contemporary Persian tasting menu restaurant Maman Zari is aiming for an early summer debut at 4639 N. Kedzie Avenue, co-owners Mariam and chef Matteo Lo Bianco (who have also applied for a liquor license) announce on Facebook. “The tasting menu at Maman Zari is inspired by Persian cuisine and adapted to today’s palate,” they write. “We want to expand your idea of what the food from various regions of Iran can be and give you a chance to experience the flavors in new ways.”
Avondale: An extensive remodel is well underway at Deep Red Wine Merchant, a forthcoming wine bar and bottle shop that owner Dave Thompson (Lula Cafe, Cherry Circle Room) plans to open this spring in a historic building at 2901 N. Milwaukee Avenue. Thompson is sharing renderings of the space alongside photos of construction on Instagram. “We’ll be repurposing 130-year-old wood joists to create merchandise shelving,” he writes. “This reuse not only shares a weathered character you can’t copy, we’re thrilled that the beams won’t end up in a landfill.”
Bridgeport: Work on the Ramova Theater’s massive $23 million remodel is scheduled to wrap up this year, at last completing the 1920s movie palace’s transformation into a concert venue, restaurant, and brewery at 3518 S. Halsted Street, a developer tells Block Club Chicago. Chef Kevin Hickey (The Duck Inn) will lead operations at the Ramova Grill and longtime collaborator Brandon Phillips has developed the bar menu. Block Club has photos of construction inside the long-vacant building.
Fulton Market: The owners of Yokocho, a Japanese-style bar with small plates that closed in 2019 in Wicker Park, have applied for a liquor license under the same business name at 167 N. Green Street. Co-owner Susan Thompson was also behind shuttered vegetarian staple Mana Food Bar and Anaba Handroll Bar.
Logan Square: The team behind StopAlong at Boiler Room, a spinoff of family-friendly restaurant the StopAlong, has applied for a liquor license in the former Boiler Room space at 2210 N. California Avenue. It’s scheduled to open in May with thin-crust pizzas and vintage arcade games.