Baconfest Chicago Releases 2016 Lineup of 153 Vendors

Spring means melting ice, birds chirping, and, of course, the smell of bacon wafting from the UIC Forum. Baconfest Chicago announced their lineup for their annual bacon bacchanalia, which this year consists of 153 restaurants. That's down 15 from 2015, but this year's two-day event, held on April 30 and May 1, has attracted almost 40 first-time entrees including yet-to-open spots Imperial Lamian and the Fork spinoff Knife, as well as long-time Humboldt Park and now Fulton Market favorite, Cemitas Puebla.

Tickets go on sale at noon on Monday, Feb. 22. General admission costs $100, with VIP tickets selling for $200. The latter allows attendees to get in an hour early for the Cooking Channel VIP Hour.

Browse this year's line up, which is subject to change:

• 312 CHICAGO - Luca Corazzina
• 676 RESTAURANT AND BAR - Anthony Herve (2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• 694 WINE & SPIRITS - Chris Dunstatter
• AMAZING EDIBLES CATERING - Alexi Mandolini
• ARA-ON RESTAURANT - Trevor Hoyte
• ATWOOD - Brian Millman (6th year participating in Baconfest)
• AUTRE MONDE CAFE & SPIRITS - Andrew Kerns
• BACARO - Drew Starkey
• BACON HILL KITCHEN + PUB - Zachary Lucchese (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• BAKIN' & EGGS - Bob and Gina Hartwig
• BALLARO - Mark Newman (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• BANG BANG PIE SHOP - Patrick Cloud (2014 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• BANG CHOP - Matt Riordan
• BARN & COMPANY - Gary Wiviott
• BITE CAFE - Todd Decker
• BLACK DOG GELATO - Jessica Oloroso
• BourBonQue - Kevin Whittier
• BREAKROOM BREWERY - Matt Brems
• BRIDGE HOUSE TAVERN - Mark Hemmer
• BURGER BAR CHICAGO - John McLean
• BUSY BURGER - Joe Devito
• CANTINA LAREDO - Hector Rivera
• CARNITAS URUAPAN - Marcos Carbajal
• CARNIVALE - Rodolfo Cuadros
• CEMITAS PUEBLA - Antonio Anteliz (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• CHICAGO q - Ian Thompson
• COMMUNITY TAVERN - Joey Beato
• Creative CONEcepts - Turon Cummings (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• DAVANTI ENOTECA - Daniel Harris
• DAVID BURKE'S PRIMEHOUSE - Amanda Warren (8th year participating in Baconfest)
• E+O FOOD AND DRINK - Rodelio Aglibot
• EDZO'S BURGER SHOP - Eddie Lakin
• EL MARIACHI TEQUILA BAR & GRILL - Eduardo Hermenegildo
• FARMHOUSE - Eric Mansavage ( 2014 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• FIRECAKES - Jonathan Fox
• FIREFLY GRILL - Niall D. Campbell II
• FLO AND SANTOS - Mark Rimkus
• FLO CAFE & BAR - Leonard Sanchez
• FLORIOLE - Sandra Holl and Emily Spurlin (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• FORK - Timothy Cottini
• FREESTYLE FOOD + DRINK - Javier Mora and Geordan Stenson
• FRONTIER - Brian Jupiter
• GAYLE'S BEST EVER GRILLED CHEESE - Gayle Voss
• GINGERSNAP SWEETS & SUCH - Jen Templeton
• GLAZED AND INFUSED - Chris White
• GUILDHALL RESTAURANT - Marcos Ascencio
• HASH HOUSE A GO GO - Brad Gold
• HEARTH RESTAURANT - John "Woody" Linton
• HOMESTEAD - Rob Shaner
• HONEY BUTTER FRIED CHICKEN - Joshua Kulp & Christine Cikowski
• HOWELLS & HOOD - Brett Neubauer
• HUBBARD INN - Matt Wilde
• IMPERIAL LAMIAN - Christianna Klangides (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• INSPIRATION KITCHENS - Greg Darrah
• ITALIAN VILLAGE RESTAURANTS - Jose Torres
• JAKE MELNICK'S CORNER TAP - Nick Santangelo
• JELLYFISH - Hector Marcial
• JORDAN'S FOOD OF DISTINCTION - Jordan Spritz
• KAISER TIGER - Pat Berger
• KITTY O'SHEA'S - Mario Garcia
• KNIFE - Tim Cottini
• KNIFE & TINE - Paul Caravelli
• KUMA'S CORNER - Dan Grynevich
• LABRIOLA CAFE & RISTORANTE - Fred Ramos
• LE BOUCHON & LA SARDINE - Oliver Poilevey & Scott Jambrosek
• LINKS TAPROOM - Grover Betts
• LOCKWOOD RESTAURANT at the Palmer House - Mathew Wiltzius (*2013 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• LOKaL - Artur Wnorowski
• LOVELY: A Bake Shop - Bob Hartwig
• MADDY'S DUMPLING HOUSE - Chrissy Camba
• MARION STREET MARKET - Bret Bohning
• MASTRO'S STEAKHOUSE - Anthony Bernal
• MAY ST. CAFE - Mario Santiago
• MERCAT A LA PLANXA - Evan Behmer
• MEXIQUE - Carlos Gaytan
• MICHAEL JORDAN'S STEAKHOUSE - Craig Couper
• MISS RICKY'S - Rick Gresh (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• MITY NICE BAR & GRILL - John Chiakulas (2014 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• MONTI'S - James Gottwald
• MORE - Patty Rothman
• MOXEE RESTAURANT - Rob Stromm
• NaanSense - Hiran Patel & Sahil Singh
• NANA - Jeremy Kiens
• NONNA SANTI'S BISCOTTI - Jo-Marie Frigo
• OLD TOWN POUR HOUSE - Paul Katz
• OLD TOWN SOCIAL - Blake Saavedra
• OSTERIA LA MADIA - Jonathan Fox
• OSTERIA LANGHE - Cameron Grant
• PADDY LONG'S - Patrick Berger & Chris Latchford (7th year participating in BaconFest)
• PARAMOUNT ROOM - Stephen Dunne
• PECKISH PIG - Debbie Evans
• PERENNIAL VIRANT - Paul Virant & Ed Sura
• PI GALLERY BAR - Alyssa Torres
• PIECE - Bill Jacobs & Charlie Springer
• PINSTRIPES - Cesar Gutierrez
• PIZZA BARRA - Chris Macchia
• PLEASANT HOUSE BAKERY - Art and Chelsea Jackson
• PLUSH HORSE ICE CREAM SHOPPE (TINLEY PARK) - Mary Ellen Rydberg
• PORK & MINDY'S - Jeff Mauro (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• PORKCHOP - Kenneth Robinson
• PROSECCO - Mark Sparacino
• PUBLIC HOUSE - Jeremy Tannehill
• RED BUTTER - Monica Sehgal Sharma ( 2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• RED DOOR - Troy Graves ( 2009 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
• REVOLUCION STEAKHOUSE - Alberto Mendez
• REVOLUTION BREWING - Charlie Eure
• RIVER VALLEY FARMER'S TABLE - Jordan Rose
• ROCKIT BAR & GRILL/ROCKIT BURGER BAR - Amanda Downing
• RURAL SOCIETY at Lowes Chicago Hotel - Cory Morris (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• SALERO - Ashlee Aubin (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• SEEDLING FRUIT - Peter Klein
• SHEEKAR DELIGHTS - Diane Khouri Joseph
• SIGNATURE ROOM - Cardel Reid ( 2010 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
• SLURPING TURTLE - Takashi Yagihashi (2015 Award for Most Creative Use of Bacon)
• SMYLIE BROTHERS BREWING CO. - Grant Carey
• SPACCA NAPOLI - Jonathan Goldsmith
• SPARROW COFFEE - Chris Chacko
• STAN'S DONUTS - Rich Labriola
• STANLEY'S KITCHEN AND TAP
• STOUT BARREL HOUSE & GALLEY - Michael Matthews
• SUNDA - Jess De Guzman
• TABLE, DONKEY & STICK - Scott Manley
• TACO IN A BAG - Alice Chiu (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• TACO JOINT - Edgar Torres
• TÊTE CHARCUTERIE - Thomas Rice & Kurt Guzowski
• THE ASHBURN at Lowes Chicago O'Hare Hotel - Brian Wolters
• THE BAD APPLE - Craig Fass
• THE BRIXTON - Alex (Jethro) Gialanella
• THE CHOP SHOP - Nick Moretti
• THE COTTON DUCK - Dominic Zumpano
• THE DAWSON - Shaun King
• THE DEARBORN - Aaron Cuschieri (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• THE DUCK INN - Kevin Hickey
• THE MONKEY'S PAW - Rahjan Shabazz
• THE RADLER - Nathan Sears (2011 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
• THREE ACES - Matt Troost (2012 & 2013 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• TOZI KOREAN BBQ - Derek B
• TRAVELLE - Tim Graham
• TROQUET RIVER NORTH - Tim Davidson
• UNCLE BUB'S BBQ - Kyle VerVynck
• UNITE URBAN GRILL - Rob Schlitt
• UNTITLED SUPPER CLUB - Bryan Collante
• VANILLE PATISSERIE - Stacy Waldrop
• VIE - Brian Motyka (2015 Golden Rasher Award Winner and 8th year participating in Baconfest)
• VINCENT - Adam Grandt
• WEST TOWN BAKERY & DINER - Chris Teixeira
• WHISK - Ricardo Rodriguez
• WOLLENSKY'S GRILL - Victor Newgren
• WOODHAVEN BAR & KITCHEN - Zachary Prince
• WOW BAO
• WYLER ROAD - Forster Sorensen (1st year participating in Baconfest)
• ZED451 - Andrea Williams (2012 Golden Rasher Award Winner)
• ZOOM PIZZA FACTORY - Paul Guerrero