H&H Bagels, one of New York’s most beloved bagel makers, is opening a Chicago location this summer at 164 N. Peoria Street in Fulton Market

Ballyhoo Hospitality — the team behind Wilmette’s Sophia Steak, Winnetka’s Pomeroy and Highland Park’s DeNucci’s — confirmed it will open a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant within the much-publicized development commonly referred to as One Winnetka.

Dave148 wrote:

Ballyhoo Hospitality — the team behind Wilmette’s Sophia Steak, Winnetka’s Pomeroy and Highland Park’s DeNucci’s — confirmed it will open a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant within the much-publicized development commonly referred to as One Winnetka.

Some Other Dude wrote:Lefty's in Highland Park is officially closed. I think it was as of beginning of February but I just got a photo of a For Lease sign at the front door.

The Eco Cafe

4756 N. Rockwell St.

The Eco Flamingo opened in 2020, offering ethically sourced products in 100-percent compostable or recyclable packaging, or in no packaging. Since then, owners Bethany Barbouti, Mia McCullough and Alexis Chavez have evolved the business model to include workshops and events.

With soon-to-open The Eco Cafe, the owners want to bring their sustainable ethos to a family-friendly, coffee shop setting, Barbouti said.

The cafe won’t have compostable coffee cups; instead, customers are encouraged to bring their own cup or sign up for Forever Ware, similar to a few other coffee shops in Lincoln Square and Ravenswood.
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The “eclectic” menu — an “American, Mexican, Arabian fusion menu,” Barbouti said — will include vegan-friendly options like empanadas and tamales and locally roasted, freshly ground coffee from vendors including Backlot Coffee, Taste of India Coffee and Back of the Yards Coffee.

The cafe will also have nitro cold brew, as well as locally brewed kombucha on tap, the owners said.

“We’re also going to have glass bottle sodas from Filbert’s. Everything in the cafe is sustainable,” Barbouti said.

That includes some of the artwork in the cafe featuring upcycled burlap coffee sacks converted into a canvas and repurposed tiles decorated by local artists, she said.

The Eco Cafe opened to customers Wednesday. By the following afternoon, nearly every seat in the cafe had a customer working on a laptop and drinking coffee or tea.

Hiro Izakaya will replace the long-shuttered Porto

The team behind Pilsen Yards and The Alderman, led by brothers Paul and John Abu-Taleb, are remodeling the former Beaumont Bar & Grill building at 2020 N. Halsted St., which was built in 1890, into a new 200-seat restaurant. The bar closed in 2023.

Mr. B’s Caribbean Grill Brings ‘A Taste Of The Islands’ To Jefferson Park

The team from Michelin-starred Galit debuted an all-day cafe on Wednesday morning. Cafe Yaya is a counter-service restaurant with an assortment of sweet and savory pastries during the day, with dinner service in the evening.

CrazyC wrote:It's been a while friends! And I remembered my password!

Now that the kids are older and I am venturing out more, I hope to be more active here again! Now on to the subject at hand...

FINALLY a Korean restaurant is opening in Oak Park! Seoul Ave will be opening in the former Papaspiros location on Lake by Oak Park Ave. I did some cyber sleuthing and it looks like the chef/owner Minha Sung has quite the culinary resume ranging from Nico Osteria to the Peninsula Hotel. I am eagerly awaiting this opening.

And my favorite boba shop is opening in the area too! The Wolf will be opening on Oak Park Ave by Lake Street, next to Mulata. My kids and I are anxiously awaiting their opening (supposedly this month according to their North Riverside staff). It is hands down our favorite boba tea place in Chicago. For fruit boba drinks, we are still Chinatown Joy Yee fans.

LynnB wrote:

CrazyC wrote:It's been a while friends! And I remembered my password!

Now that the kids are older and I am venturing out more, I hope to be more active here again! Now on to the subject at hand...

FINALLY a Korean restaurant is opening in Oak Park! Seoul Ave will be opening in the former Papaspiros location on Lake by Oak Park Ave. I did some cyber sleuthing and it looks like the chef/owner Minha Sung has quite the culinary resume ranging from Nico Osteria to the Peninsula Hotel. I am eagerly awaiting this opening.

And my favorite boba shop is opening in the area too! The Wolf will be opening on Oak Park Ave by Lake Street, next to Mulata. My kids and I are anxiously awaiting their opening (supposedly this month according to their North Riverside staff). It is hands down our favorite boba tea place in Chicago. For fruit boba drinks, we are still Chinatown Joy Yee fans.

Just here to say “Welcome Back!”

Pauly wrote:Not a restaurant but Butera's in Des Plaines has closed and been replaced by a Jimenez grocery store.

Pauly wrote:Not a restaurant but Butera's in Des Plaines has closed and been replaced by a Jimenez grocery store.

Pauly wrote:...Things like Notelli's sausage is gone as well as the deli selection from Alex's meats.

Boka Restaurant Group’s new downtown pizzeria will debut this week. Zarella will serve two styles of pizza — Chicago tavern and “artisan thin crust” — inside the former GT Fish & Oyster in River North, on the corner of Wells and Grand.

Moretti’s Ristorante & Pizzeria opens their new Wheeling location Thursday, March 20, at 365 W. Dundee Road in the Wheeling Town Center.