Zaragoza’s New Spot in Logan Square and Eight Upcoming Chicago-Area Bars & Restaurants to Know

November 17

Logan Square: Chicagoans will get another chance to preview a $55 set menu from chef Jonathan Zaragoza’s (Birrieria Zaragoza, El Oso) hotly anticipated upcoming restaurant Con Todo Cocina y Cantina on Monday, November 22 at Greek spot Andros Taverna, 2542 N. Milwaukee Avenue, according to a news release. Zaragoza plans to make use of Andros’s open hearth to show off his al pastor and pulpo adobado alongside mezzes and cocktails.

Andros Taverna

Portage Park: Ravenswood-based vegan bakery Mindful Baking aims to open its first retail outpost in early December in the former home of Little Lulu’s Italian Ice, according to Block Club Chicago. Owner Diane Mejia, who has operated Mindful Baking out of a commercial kitchen for seven years, plans to sell gluten-free and vegan baked goods like muffins and pastries, as well as coffee drinks from suburban roastery Reprise Coffee and Italian ice from the space’s former tenant at 5035 W. Montrose Avenue. Little Lulu’s closed in September with plans to relocate to Orlando, Florida.

River North: Trendy local cafe and convenience store chain Foxtrot has announced plans to open a new location in spring 2022 inside Chicago’s historic Tribune Tower, according to Crain’s. The fast-growing brand has applied for a liquor license for the 1,739-square-foot retail space at 429 N. Michigan Avenue, which will include an outdoor patio facing the public park at Pioneer Court.

South Loop: Signs for new breakfast and brunch restaurant the Southern Chicago are up 2000 S. Wabash Avenue, per neighborhood blog Sloopin. Details are scarce but operators promise the spot is “coming soon” in a late October Instagram post.

Uptown: Virtual Puerto Rican restaurant Marina’s Cafe aims to open a permanent location in spring 2022 in a former dry cleaners at 4554 N. Magnolia Avenue, according to neighborhood blog Uptown Update. Co-owners Eric Roldan and Hector LaPorte first opened the restaurant in the spring as a takeout- and delivery-only operation in Avondale.

West Loop: Scandinavian-inspired Michelin-star restaurant Elske is “reopening soon” after a four-month hibernation due to staffing shortages, chef and co-owner David Posey announced last week on Instagram. A separate post from early October notes that said shortages have been addressed and Elske is fully staffed. The relaunch will mark the second comeback for the restaurant, which was among the first in Chicago to temporarily close through the city’s first pandemic winter.

Wicker Park: The building that houses festive sports bar Innjoy at is for sale at 2051 W. Division Street, per an online property listing. Fans needn’t worry, though, as the bar itself is not for sale, according to general manager Rich Kewitz.

Wicker Park: Build-out is well underway at popular baker Mindy Segal’s forthcoming permanent location near the neighborhood’s Six Corners intersection at 1623 N. Milwaukee Avenue, according to an early November post on Instagram. After 15 years in a space that until last year housed her restaurant, Mindy’s HotChocolate, Segal aims to open her new bakery before Valentine’s Day. Fans can expect to see her much-loved bagels, pastries, pot pies, and more.

Wicker Park: An outpost of Denver-based chain Teriyaki Madness is coming to a former Dunkin’ location at 1938 W. North Avenue, signs show. The brand appears to be expanding rapidly around the Chicago area, with restaurants operating in suburban Lombard and Rolling Meadows, plus forthcoming spots slated for South Barrington, Cherry Valley, Beckley, and St. Charles. A pair of franchisees opened a Teriyaki Madness in June 2020 in South Loop but permanently closed just over a year later.

October 26

Avondale: Central Park Bar, a new tavern from Four Entertainment Group, owners of the Owl, Estelle’s, and Easy Bar, announced on its Instagram that it’s opening Saturday, October 30 at 2924 N. Central Park Avenue, replacing the old Polish dive Mr. ZJ. The menu will feature cocktails and beer, and there will be outdoor seating in the backyard around a fire pit.

Lakeview: The Athenaeum Theatre at 2936 N. Southport Avenue will reopen next month, rebranded as the Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture. A series of renovations by John Ronan Architects are also planned, totaling $4 million, that will add a 168-seat event space with a bar, scheduled to open in spring 2022.

Loop: Another location of Foxtrot Market, the upscale convenience store that stocks local purveyors like Pretty Cool Ice Cream, is slated to open in the Willis Tower next spring, the Tribune reports. The 2,625 square-foot store in Catalog, the tower’s five-story food and entertainment space, will be Foxtrot’s first location in the Loop.

Loop: Kindling, a charhouse-style restaurant from the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group centered around an open hearth, will also be opening in the Catalog food space in Willis Tower, becoming its first full-service restaurant. There will also be a terrace overlooking Adams Street for outdoor dining and lawn games. It’s scheduled to open in late 2022.

River North: A new bar, art gallery, and live performance venue called the Marvel has applied for a liquor license at 736 N. Clark Street, a space that previously housed burger spot 25 Degrees. The Marvel aims to “stimulates all of the senses” with cocktails, globally-inspired small plates, and more, says owner Matt Kleinman. He aims to open the venue on Wednesday, November 24 — the day before Thanksgiving.

South Loop: Tatas Tacos signed a lease on the first floor at 720 S. Wells Street, a high-rise apartment building, and plans to open in spring 2022, the neighborhood blog Sloopin reported last week. The 5,643 square-foot space will seat 150 and will be Tatas’s fourth location—the others are in Portage Park and Lakeview. Hops & Scotch, a new bottle shop from the owners of South Loop Market also signed a lease in the building.

Wicker Park: Asian-inspired sandwich spot Zenwich and bubble tea shop Elitea are slated to open a new joint location next week at 1415 N. Milwaukee Avenue, according to Block Club Chicago. The space has hosted a revolving door slate of business, most recently Yuzuya, a casual Pan Asian restaurant from the owners of Yuzu in West Town. In lieu of cashiers to handle counter service, patrons will order via tablet, as owners aim to operate like an “Asian-style McDonald’s,” they tell reporters. Zenwich operates additional locations in suburban Aurora and Elmhurst and in St. Louis.

Oak Brook: Alter Brewing, a suburban St. Charles-based microbrewery, will open a new restaurant in Oak Brook Commons, a mixed-use development community, reps announced last week. This will be the third Alter Brewing location, following a restaurant in Downers Grove and a taproom in St. Charles. The opening date was not announced. In addition, an outpost of the Brazilian steakhouse chain Fogo de Chão, is scheduled to open in Oak Brook Commons in late 2021.

Munster, Indiana: Rosebud Steakhouse has announced plans to open a new restaurant about 30 miles from Chicago in the Centennial Village development at 9601 Calumet Avenue in Munster, Indiana, according to a rep. An opening date is not yet available, but operators promise a 5,000 square-foot restaurant that seats around 200 with room for private and semi-private dining. Rosebud’s flagship restaurant is located on Walton Street in Streeterville.

October 5

Fulton Market: Diners can get an early taste of one of Chicago’s most anticipated openings this month. Chef Jonathan Zaragoza (Masa Azul, El Oso) will pop up with dishes from forthcoming restaurant, Con Todo Cocina y Cantina, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, October 19 at Publican Quality Meats. Zaragoza, whose family is behind local icon Birrieria Zaragoza in Archer Heights, will team up with lauded butcher and chef Rob Levitt (PQM) to offer his Pamburgesa (Slagel Farms beef, “guajillo-stained” bun, queso Americano, chorizo-spiced curly fries) and Zaragoza Birria (sopes, black beans, tomatillo), and Banhez Mezcal cocktails. Tickets ($16 to $18) and more details are available via Tock. Con Todo is slated to open this winter in Logan Square. An address isn’t yet available, but it should land near Diversey and Kedzie, according to a source.

River North: Chicago’s forthcoming outpost of Gordon Ramsay Burger, the city’s first restaurant from the often irate celebrity chef, has applied for a liquor license at 2 E. Ontario Street. Ramsay is taking over a former Wahlburgers at Ontario and State streets for the chain’s second U.S. location. It’s slated to open in late 2021 or early 2022.

River North: Your’s Truly, a modern martini bar and sports lounge from local restaurateur Adolfo Garcia (Diver at the Park), is slated to open this month at 613 N. Wells Street inside Found Hotel Chicago, according to a rep. Patrons can expect a cocktail menu with plays on classic drinks like Cosmos (hibiscus tea, wild berry puree, jasmine bitters, vodka), as well as a selection of familiar bar food like cauliflower wings and cheeseburgers. Stay tuned for more on this project.

Roscoe Village: New Mexican restaurant Amor y Tequila has applied for a liquor license at 2118 W. Roscoe Street, which previously housed a maternity clothing store. Though an opening date is not yet available, photos of an outdoor patio and other design details are available via Instagram.

West Loop: Caribbean-inspired restaurant and music venue Tribe Supper Club has applied for a liquor license at 1239 W. Lake Street. Operators promise a menu of Caribbean-Soul food, cocktails, live music, and a dozen VIP sections on its website.

September 28

Bucktown: Venerable Chicago dive bar and music venue Gallery Cabaret, now equipped with a new sign over the entrance, is slated to reopen in October for the first time since March 2020, operators announced on Monday via Facebook. The news comes just over a year after the death of founder Ken Strandberg, who in 1988 first opened the space as a haven for local performers and artists at 2020 N. Oakley Avenue.

Little Italy: Breakfast favorite Stax Cafe has applied for a liquor license at 1401 W. Taylor Street, joining its River West outpost in serving alcoholic beverages like mimosas and Bloody Marys. Owner Spiro Tsaldaris, who opened the restaurant with his family in 2010, has not yet returned a request for more details.

Portage Park: Popular gourmet sausage stand the Hot Dog Box is pushing back its projected opening timeframe to November for a stand-alone location at 4020 N. Milwaukee Avenue, says owner Bobby Morelli. He had originally hoped to debut in August, a year after he and daughter Brooklyn launched the restaurant inside 400-square-foot shipping container in the Boxville marketplace.

Eater Chicago/Ashok Selvam

Streeterville: Kitschy retro diner Ed Debevic’s continues to build out at 159 E. Ohio Street, with a new red sign over the door that reads “Eat at Ed’s.” The original River North restaurant was razed in 2015 but former fans have seen rumors of a return start to materialize over the past few years. Operators haven’t yet gone public with a planned reopening date.

The Loop: The team behind Mediterranean boho hit Beatnik will revamp the former Cafe Bonhomme space into GoodFunk, a natural wine bar on the ground floor at 180 N. Wacker Drive next door to Beatnik’s riverside outpost, according to rep. The bar’s sign is up and a few of the interior are posted to Instagram, but an opening date is not yet available.

Wicker Park: A new venue called Champion Vines has applied for a liquor license and package goods license at 1804 N. Damen Avenue, indicating a possible wine bar or wine shop and tasting room. Champion Vines does not yet have an online footprint.

Wrigleyville: The team behind Mexican restaurant La Biznaga aims to open a second outpost in early November at 3555 N. Broadway, the former home of Wrigleyville BBQ, according to an employee. The original restaurant, which is BYOB, opened in 2016 in Irving Park.

For a list of coming attractions from summer 2021, click here.