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Lyft's Top Restaurant and Bar Destinations, Barcocina Building Ice Rink, More AM Intel

Plus, the Wicker Park Starbucks is getting much larger, Kuma's brings back the Motorhead burger, and what's the deal with Publican Tavern?

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Big Star is popular, in case you haven't heard
Big Star is popular, in case you haven't heard
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—Ride-sharing app Lyft has released lists of its top destinations of different kinds around the country—in the form of the first-ever "Lyftie Awards"—and Chicago's most-visited restaurants and bars via Lyft may or may not surprise. Big Star and Boystown bar Roscoe's were tops, while Pequod's Pizza won the "Only in Chicago" award and TCBY somehow was its "Trending Destination" here.

—Lakeview unconventional Mexican restaurant Barcocina is adding a 2500 square-foot ice rink, and ownership is hoping it's ready in time for New Year's Eve. The skating rink is being built in what was a parking lot but will become a new patio in the spring, where they'll also serve hot cocktails and whimsical sweets.

Barcocina ice rink

[Rendering Courtesy of Barcocina]

—The once-controversial Wicker Park Starbucks at the North, Milwaukee and Damen intersection is getting a large expansion. The prominent chain coffee shop will triple in size—and hope to serve beer and wine—expanding from the tiny four-seat operation with no public bathrooms, DNAinfo reports. There's no word yet on when it will be finished.

Kuma's Corner is bringing back its Motorhead burger all this week in honor of former Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, who passed away on Monday evening. The Greek-themed burger has a 10-ounce beef patty with goat cheese, tzatziki sauce, kalamata olives, fresh oregano, tomato and onion.

—In other Wicker Park news, a building permit has gone up for One Off Hospitality's takeover of the former Francesca's Forno, which curiously lists the name as "Publican Tavern." A spokeswoman says it's a "temporary placeholder," however, and declines to release more info at this time. But DNAinfo picked up on job openings for a "Publican Tavern by Paul Kahan"—at O'Hare—where no Publican Tavern exists either. Stay tuned.

—The World of Beer planned for the Loop is in some trouble, as investors are suing the franchisee for refusing to complete the sale of the space, Chicago Real Estate Daily reports. The 15-19 S. Wabash expansion, which was reportedly one of five new locations, was first reported in February.

Francesca's Forno

1576 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 773 770 0184

World of Beer

1601 Sherman Ave, Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 328-3688 Visit Website

Roscoe's

3356 North Halsted Street, , IL 60657 (773) 281-3355 Visit Website

Barcocina

2901 North Sheffield Avenue, , IL 60657 (773) 687-9949 Visit Website

Pequod's Pizza

2207 North Clybourn Avenue, , IL 60614 (773) 327-1512 Visit Website

Big Star

1531 North Damen Avenue, , IL 60622 (773) 235-4039 Visit Website

Kuma's Corner

2900 W Belmont Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 (773) 604-8769 Visit Website

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