Pastoral's Largest Restaurant and Wine Bar Nearly Ready for Andersonville Opening

Chicago's king of artisan cheese is zeroing in on opening their largest location yet—and part of it will be the first iteration under a different name. The restaurant within Pastoral's forthcoming Andersonville location (5212 N. Clark St.) will be called Appellation, and it's all slated to open in early fall.

As previously reported, the fourth Pastoral iteration will hold a full restaurant, and wine bar as well as the retail component that's become a standby for Chicago's cheese-loving community. It'll be a casual counter-service spot during the day for sandwiches and other cafe fare, plus coffee, pastries and breakfast in the morning, before transitioning into a 75-seat restaurant with seasonal "European-inspired" food, charcuterie, craft cocktails and beer, a large wine list, and plenty of cheese, of course.

Chef Jesse Williams, a veteran of Birchwood Kitchen and Lula Cafe who was once a Pastoral cheesemonger, is still putting the finishing touches on the food program. Chicago Magazine reports that Williams will employ cheese in a variety of levels in dishes, anywhere from a "subtle finish" to the "star of the dish," and that a "pretty big" weekend brunch is on the docket.

Appellation and the Pastoral retail component, which all seems like a larger version of the Bar Pastoral restaurant/retail hybrid in Lakeview, is coming before the leaves turn.