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While O’Hare International Airport grabs the majority of headlines relating to food, such as Restaurant Week and the addition of new iterations of popular Chicago restaurants, Midway International Airport appears neglected — but it apparently not for long. Chicago’s other airport should finally receive food upgrades, as The Sun-Times reports that a “Taste of Chicago-style concession makeover” will be part of $248 million in improvements to the Southwest Side airport.
The proposed vendor list is impressive. Quick-service restaurants that should move into Midway include Arami for Japanese, Big & Little’s for burgers and tacos and DeColores for Mexican. Big City Chicken and Big Bowl are also set to join the airport fray, likely similar to Lettuce Entertain You Enterprise’s set up at Navy Pier.
Casual restaurants proposed include—yes, unless it’s a misprint—a White Sox-themed restaurant and a spinoff of River North’s Hubbard Inn. Legendary South Side watering hole Schaller’s Pump also plans a Midway location. There’s also a Goose Island-branded bar and an outlet of the Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant chain. These are all proposals, so they’re subject to change.
They’re widening a pedestrian bridge, mostly to increase security checkpoints. The extra space will add 20,000 square-feet of room for concessions. Existing concessions will also receive a makeover.
A variety of Chicago food vendors should breathe life into the airport’s dining scene. Other than a long-shuttered Superdawg location, it’s been relatively mundane. The Sun-Times didn’t mention a timeline when the upgrades would be completed, but it can’t be soon enough. The changes would make Eater Chicago’s guide to Midway dining a bit more interesting.
