Chicago Restaurant Openings for Spring 2017

For a list of summer 2017 openings, go here.

June 16

ARMOUR SQUARE— Joy Cafe is open, reported DNAinfo. It serves an iced coffee that comes from a Thai recipe. It also pours coffee from Columbia Street Roastery in Champaign. Status: Certified open, 258 W. 31st St.

FULTON MARKET— A restaurant serving small plates with a bar has quietly opened near the corner of Peoria and Lake. It’s called Fulton Market Co. The menu is varied from tapas, to Greek, to ribs. Check out the website. Status: Certified open, 205 N. Peoria St.

LAKEVIEW— Heritage Bicycles General Store now has a kitchen. It serves breakfast and lunch until 2 p.m. Items include thin-crust pizza and breakfast sandwiches. Status: Certified open, 2959 N. Lincoln Ave.

THE LOOP— Hannah’s Bretzel has remodeled its original location. It first opened in 2005 and the sandwich maker figured it was time for a refresh. Status: Certified open, 180 W. Washington St.

THE LOOP— Flat white fans have a new champion. New Zealand coffee shop chain Mojo has opened its first U.S. location. DNAinfo reported the opening, reminding folks that it doesn’t offer WiFi. It does have grab and go items for folks who want Internet service. Status: Certified open, 200 S. Wacker Drive.

THE LOOP— Sweetgreen, the national salad chain, has opened a second Chicago location. Rumor is a third could be on the way in Lincoln Park. Status: Certified open, 1 N. Dearborn St.

RIVER NORTH— Hi-Vibe Organic Superfood Juicery has open its second location. It’s in the food court inside Merchandise Mart. Status: Certified open, 160 W. Kinzie St.

UKRAINIAN VILLAGE— Kanela Breakfast Club has brought Greek breakfasts to Division Street. This location, the sixth for the chain, also bakes fresh pies. Status: Certified open, 2127 W. Division St.

UPTOWN– Longacre Pizza, which features Detroit-style pies from the owners of Kal’ish, is ready for Uptown. It also offers Halal toppings. Status: Certified open, 1039 W. Wilson Ave.

EVANSTON— Viet Nom Nom is finally open near Northwestern University in the suburbs. It offers a spin on Vietnamese food. Status: Certified open, 618 ¹⁄₂ Church St, Evanston.

SCHILLER PARK— Short Fuse Brewing Co. has opened up a taproom in the suburbs. It has 12 beers on tap and serves food. Status: Certified open, 5000 N. River Road, Schiller Park.

June 9

AVALON PARK— It’s not Chicago’s first cereal bar, but Oooh Wee Sweet Tea Restaurant has opened its doors. DNAinfo has the two scoops on the bar’s decor which includes a giant-ass throne. Status: Certified open, 1225 E. 87th St.

BUCKTOWN— Jr.’s Red Hots has opened at the site of Sam’s Red Hots, the 70-plus-year-old hot dog stand that stood before Jr.’s. It’s owned by the same team behind Arturo’s, the Mexican restaurant at Armitage and Western. DNAinfo has more info. Status: Certified open, 2345 W. Armitage Ave.

IRVING PARK— Fittingly Delicious is a new spot that sells pre-packed and prepared meals for those with special diets. Check out the website here. Status: Certified open, 3939 W. Irving Park Road.

LINCOLN PARK— A new seasonal barbecue stand has opened on the Lakefront Path, between North and Fullerton avenues. Brian Bruns, a Spiaggia and Tru vet, has opened Flat & Point. He described as Texas-influenced barbecue, serving tacos and sliders filled with smoked meats. There’s also a cheddar cheese cornbread waffle and a veggie "stuffed" avocado. They’re open through Labor Day. Bruns eventually wants to open a brick and mortar. Status: Certified open, Lakefront Path, between North Avenue Beach and Fullerton Avenue.

OLD TOWN— The second iteration of Lady Gregory’s quietly opened last week. The Irish pub has a strong craft beer selection. It shares the same ownership as Wilde in Lakeview. The original is in Andersonville. Status: Certified open, 1525 N. Wells St.

PILSEN— It’s been a long wait, but Lo Rez Brewing has finally opened its taproom. Check out the photos snapped back in April. Status: Certified open, 2101 S. Carpenter St.

Marc Much

PRINTER’S ROW— Poke & Roll has taken over the Pork Chop space and serves fish bowls and sushi burritos. A Yelper snapped a photo of the menu. Status: Certified open, 555 S. Dearborn St.

WEST LOOP— Maybe someone is a fan of Silicon Valley in the Aloha Eats family, but Zach Friedlander and friends have another stall over at Chicago’s French Market. It’s called Aviato Eats. They are serving up healthy breakfast bowls. Status: Certified open, Chicago’s French Market, 131 N. Clinton St.

WICKER PARK— Felipe Caro has opened his hot dog stand, Mutz, inside the former Picante space. He’s got Chicago-style dogs, Maxwell Street Polish sausages, and Sheboygan brats on the menu. Status: Certified open, 2016 ¹⁄₂ W. Division St.

WICKER PARK— Shambles, the multi-level late-night bar on Division Street, is now a restaurant. Its under the same ownership, who claim they’re now focusing on food at Bourbon on Division. Apparently they are serving southern food. They still hold that 4 a.m. liquor license. Status: Certified open, 2050 W. Division St.

EVANSTON— Kabul House is opening its Evanston location over the weekend. It closed in Skokie and moved toward Northwestern. The school’s student paper spoke with the owners to took about Afghan culture and the origin of the business. Status: Opening Saturday, 2424 Dempster St., Evanston.

NAPERVILLE— Blue Sushi Sake Grill is opening in Naper-thrill over the weekend. The sushi chain scored a nice space near the River Walk. Status: Opening on Saturday, 123 Water Street Suite 111, Naperville.

WINNETKA— The owner of the Grateful Bites catering has opened a North Shore pizzeria. Grateful Bites Pizza Shoppe has sold pizzas at outdoor markets. It has a menu of thin-crust red and white pies. Status: Certified open, 899 Green Bay Road, Winnetka.

June 2

BUENA PARK— Klein's Bakery & Cafe is serving savory pies, sandwiches, cupcakes, and more. Uptown Update first reported the opening. It took over a former 7-Eleven. Status: Certified open, 4155 N Broadway St.

DEPAUL— Ignoble Wine Bar is providing the outskirts of Lincoln Park a neighborhood wine bar. There’s a full menu of elevated bar food, too. Status: Certified open, 2417 N. Clybourn Ave.

EDGEWATER— Get fat and skinny in Edgewater as Flaco’s Tacos has opened an ice cream shop. It’s called Gordo’s and it’s got paletas and house-made ice cream bars, according to a news release. Status: Certified open, 1120 W. Granville Ave.

PORTAGE PARK— The owners of The Country Club in Wrigleyville has opened Easy Street Pizza & Beer Garden. They’re serving thin and pan pizzas, as well as their take on pub grub. DNAinfo has the menu. Status: Certified open, 3750 N. Central Ave.

SOUTH SHORE— A new vegetarian/vegan restaurant mixes African and Latin American flavors. It’s called Manjani, and DNAinfo spoke with the owners about how they raised the money for the project. Status: Certified open, 7167 S. Exchange.

WICKER PARK— Vinny D’s is finally open on Division Street to serve hot dogs, shaved ice, and Italian beef. DNAinfo has more details about the small spot. Status: Certified open, 1709 W. Division St.

AROUND TOWN— Calabrian Imports, which has a brick and mortar in Beverly, has recently launched a food truck. Calabria on Wheels is serving a variety of sandwiches, including a fan-favorite meatball. DNAinfo spoke with the owners.

May 26

STREETERVILLE— The Albert, the Einstein-influenced restaurant inside the Hotel EMC2, is now open. It serves new American cuisine with a tinge of French. Chef Brandon Brumback is in charge of the kitchen, and Chicago reported his resume includes time at Roister, Grace, Blackbird, and the French Laundry. Food and beverage director Rebecca Royster worked at Hogsalt Hospitality. Status: Certified open, ground floor of the Hotel EMC2, 228 E. Ontario St.

BOYSTOWN— Bistro 750 has risen inside Taverna 750’s original digs. The owners’ goal is to create a date spot, according to DNAinfo, that has food comparable to trendier spots in the West Loop. But it’s still a neighborhood restaurant at heart. Status: Certified open, 750 W. Cornelia Ave.

GRANT PARK— Tony Hawk probably didn’t get to eat at a tamales trailer near his skate park. But Dia De Los Tamales now has a trailer set up at Grant Park near the skate park for some treats after skaters are done shredding. Status: Certified open, Grant Park skate park.

BRONZEVILLE— The Cajun Connoisseur was making friends with Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Tuesday during the Taste of Chicago vendor reveal. The food truck opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant this week. Status: Certified open, 4317 S. Cottage Grove.

DUNNING— A new bar has taken over the Mugshots space on the Northwest Side. It’s called Old 41 Saloon, and ownership claims to have a solid craft beer lineup. Check out how they rehabbed the space on their Facebook page. Status: Certified open, 7718 W. Addison St.

THE LOOP— There’s a new challenger when it comes to poke supremacy. It’s called High Tide Poke. Besides fish bowls, it serves fresh-squeezed juices and smoothies inside the new concourse connected to the Clark and Lake El. Status: Certified open, 203 N. LaSalle St.

Courtesy of High Tide Poke

May 19

ROGERS PARK— While late-night mac and cheese spots aren’t anything new nationwide (New York’s S’MAC is a key example), they’re new to Chicago. That changes this afternoon as Midnight Mac and Cheeserie in Rogers Park opens its doors. DNAinfo reported that it’s taking over the spot vacated by the Growling Rabbit before it moved. Also, it’s offering lobster mac and cheese. Take a look at the menu below. Status: Opening at 4 p.m. Friday, 6979 N. Sheridan Road.

RIVER NORTH— The king has returned—kind of—as Big Wig Tacos & Burritos is opening over the weekend at the corner of Chicago and LaSalle streets. It’s a late-night spot when food is better than going to sleep right after the bars from the former Taco Burrito King owner. Status: Opening on Sunday, 770 N. LaSalle St.

LINCOLN PARK— Whole Foods’ flagship Lincoln Park store has a new addition to its food court. Poke Bowl Co. has opened to serve those sushi bowls that have become increasingly trendy. It’s sure to be popular with ClassPass members. Status: Certified open, Whole Foods, 1550 N. Kingsbury St.

THE VILLA— A new Cuban spot has opened near Milwaukee and Addison. Bia’s Marianao Cafe serves sandwiches and coffee. Take a look at their menu posted via Yelp. Status: Certified open, 4323 W. Addison St.

LAKEVIEW— There’s a new Asian spot where Lure Izakaya once stood. It’s called Saigon Lotus and the serve pho and other Vietnamese items. Check out their menu below. Status: Certified open, 2925 N. Halsted St.

BRIDGEPORT— Steps from Sox Park, Northern Taste serves “traditional Northern Chinese cuisine.” It seems there’s a splash of Korean flavor, too. Status: Certified open, 3409 S. Halsted St.

BOYSTOWN— Little Jim’s Tavern has sprung an expansion. Welcome, Big Jim’s where they’re serving steak tacos, Sloppy Joe’s and more. Check out the menu. Status: Certified open, 3503 N. Halsted St.

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LAKEVIEW— One Turkish restaurant, Mavi Chicago, has closed to beget another. Pera Turkish Kitchen & Bar has a sleek, clean dining room and the serve kebobs and other Mediterranean items. Status: Certified open, 2833 N. Broadway St.

HIGHWOOD— The North Shore has a new taproom. The Kings & Convicts Brewing Co. has opened with a small batch of IPAs on tap. Check their website for more details. Status: Certified open, 523 Bank Lane, Highwood.

SCHAUMBURG— After the success of Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises-affiliated Seaside’s, the virtual restaurant operating inside Oyster Bah in Lincoln Park, LEYE and Co. have taken the operation to the northwest suburbs. Diners can order fried chicken and barbecue ribs from Seaside’s, operating out of Shaw’s Crab House in Schaumburg.

ST. CHARLES— The suburbs have another place for wine, as Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant has opened its 28th location in Illinois. Status: Certified open, 3710 E. Main St., St. Charles.

May 12

LAKEVIEW— A new burger place serving up sandwiches and comfort foods has opened across from the Landmark Century Theater. It’s called Bluebird. Take a gander at the menu here. Status: Certified open, 2863 N. Clark St.

EAST VILLAGE— There’s a new bakery serving cheesecake and Dark Matter Coffee across from Wells High School. Maayan’s Bakery also serves gluten-free cookies, DNAinfo reported. Status: Certified open, 937 N. Ashland Ave.

STREETERVILLE— Last month, the Pane Caldo space quietly changed hands and reopened with a new name. It’s called Osteria del Pastaio. The food is from Jean-Louis DeMori, an L.A. fixture famous for Maccheroni Republic. Status: Certified open, 111 E. Chestnut St.

WEST LOOP— The folks from Union Hospitality Group are getting into the virtual restaurant business in the West Loop using Madison Bar and Kitchen. West Loop Sushi should expand their menu (see below). For now they offer an assortment of rolls for carry out and delivery. Status: Opening on Sunday, 1027 W. Madison Ave. (Madison Bar and Kitchen)

LINCOLN SQUARE— A new neighborhood sushi spot has recently opened in Lincoln Square. It’s called Fugu Tei Sushi. There’s not much more info online other than a Yelp page. Check out the menu via Grub Hub. Status: Certified open, 1925 W. Foster Ave.

HYDE PARK— University of Chicago favorite Fabiana’s Bakery has moved to a large space. Their old space debuted in 2015 and was at 5655 S. University Ave. Status: Certified open, 1658 E. 53rd St.

BLOOMINGDALE/DEERFIELD— McAlister’s Deli, a fast-casual chain based out of Atlanta, opened a pair of suburban locations this week. It now has five in the suburbs but haven’t cracked the city, yet. Status: Certified open, 663 Lake-Cook Road, Deerfield; 454 W. Army Trail Road, Bloomingdale.

May 5

GOLD COAST— 20 East, the restaurant inside the Talbott Hotel, is now open in the Mercadito Kitchen space. It’s a Four Corners Tavern Group project with input from Hogsalt Hospitality (Au Cheval). Status: Certified open, 20 E. Delaware Place.

THE LOOP— I Dream of Falafel is opening the first of three new restaurants. Find gyros, falafel, and more at the new location. Status: Opening on Monday, 19 N. Wells St.

RIVER NORTH— The Hotel Felix has a new sushi restaurant. The folks from Troquet have opened Taketei. Status: Certified open, Hotel Felix, 111 W. Huron St.

LINCOLN PARK— A new assembly line lunch spot has opened inside the strip mall that’s anchored by a Mobil gas station on the corner of Halsted and Division. It’s called KorFusion. Looks like Korean-style tacos are the name of the game. Status: Certified open, 1234 N. Halsted St.

OLD TOWN— Insomnia Cookies is giving away free cookies this week in honor of their opening. They’ve taken over a former stationary store space on Wells. Status: Certified open, 1350 N. Wells St.

UNIVERSITY VILLAGE— A new Chinese-American restaurant has opened on Taylor Street. Chinese Kitchen has a menu with wings, mapo tofu, and egg foo young. It also has lunch specials. Status: Certified open, 1139 W. Taylor St.

MIDWAY— Lou Malnati’s continues its expansion. They’ve opened another deep-dish pizza spot near Chicago’s Midway International Airport. They’ve even posted a little video. Status: Certified open, 6456 S. Cicero Ave.

BERWYN— Gina’s Italian Ice is open for the season. It’s the suburban ice stand’s 40th year. Status: Certified open, 6737 W. Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

MORTON GROVE— The Chicago suburbs aren’t close to New York, but sub chain Penn Station has found another home. Find the “East Coast Subs” chain inside a strip mall. Status: Certified open, 7923 Golf Road, Morton Grove.

NORTHBROOK— Jar Bar, the healthy restaurant that takes the “salad in a jar” gimmick to the suburbs has opened its first location. The owner, a former Oprah producer, has designs on suburban domination. Status: Certified open, 1350 Shermer Road, Northbrook.

April 28

HYDE PARK— After four years, Litehouse Whole Food Grill has moved from 1373 E. 53rd St. It’s from the same owners of Mikkey’s Reto Grill, also in Hyde Park. Expect the same healthy salads and other offerings. Status: Certified open, 1660 E. 55th St.

PILSEN— The new cafe from the owner of The Bagelers in Lincoln Park, Cafe Lacuna, is open. They’re still working out the kinks, but when they’re at full power expect tea cocktails, a rooftop space, and more. Status: Certified open, 2150 S. Canalport Ave.

LINCOLN PARK— Chopo Chicken aims to give Clark Street a taste of Peru. It serves South American-style chicken and bowls. Status: Opening on Sunday, 2460 N. Clark St.

LAKEVIEW— Muscle Maker Grill is kind of a Chipotle for workout fiends who want to “get large.” Earlier this month the chain, founded in 1995 in New Jersey, opened their first Chicago location. Status: Certified open, 920 W. Belmont Ave.

LOGAN SQUARE— Forget Tokyo, Godzilla has designs on conquering Chicago. Gorilla Sushi (formerly known as Godzilla Sushi) has opened its fourth location. DNAinfo has the details about how every item costs $2.95. Status: Certified open, 2735 N. Milwaukee Ave.

ALBANY PARK— A new bubble tea spot, Shukr Cafe, looks like it’s a good place sate a sweet tooth. Status: Certified open, 3334 W. Foster Ave.

DUNNING— After a short slumber, Yaquidios Restaurant is back open. They serve Mexican and American food. Status: Opening tonight, 3225 N. Harlem Ave.

SKOKIE— Salads and sandwiches are served at this lunchtime spot the suburbs. Pick up the Panino Blitz in Skokie. Status: Certified open, 5051 Oakton Ave., Skokie.

SKOKIE— Reality TV star Marcus Lemonis isn’t just about coffee. His fast-casual chain of restaurants, The Simple Greek, has expanded. They’ve opened in Skokie inside the Village Crossing shopping center. Status: Certified open, 5415 Touhy Ave., Skokie.

The Simple Greek

April 21

LINCOLN PARK— Broken English Taco Pub has opened its third location at the intersection of Lincoln, Sheffield, and Wrightwood. There’s a new wrinkle at Adolfo Garcia and Phil Stefani’s cantina: breakfast tacos. There’s also plenty of patio space. Status: Certified open, 2576 N. Lincoln Ave.

BRIDGEPORT— A new Mexican grocery store, Mi Lindo Mexico Market, will serve to-go carnitas, barbacoa, and menudo (tripe soup) on the weekends. Status: Opening on Saturday, 538 W. Pershing Road.

WRIGLEYVILLE— The neighborhood where the Cubs play was once home to a few of the city’s Reggae clubs. It looks like Irie Jerk Bar and Grill will assume that mantle, at least with Jamaican food. There’s plenty of food with jerk seasoning to go around. They’re open right now, but looks like it’s only in soft mode. Status: Certified open, 3404 N. Clark St.

WRIGLEYVILLE— Frio Gelato has opened its second location, a follow-up to its debut in suburban Evanston. It’s an Argentinian twist on the frozen treat. Status: Certified open, 3721 N. Southport Ave.

EDGEWATER— Anew spot is serving breakfast and lunch in Edgewater. It’s called PHlour Bakery. Take a look at the menu below. Status: Certified open, 1138 W. Bryn Mawr.

GRAND BOULEVARD— Ribeyes, chicken wings, and burgers are among the offerings at Vinnie’s Steak House. There’s even an Italian section on the menu with pasta. Status: Certified open, 4655 S. King Dr.

MARYCREST— Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp will celebrate the opening of another location on Saturday with discounts. Check out the fried seafood goodness on the far south side. Status: Certified open, 3242 W. 87th St.

AVONDALE— La Nonna is a cafe that’s a BYO option with empanadas, WiFi, and more. It serve La Colombe coffee. Status: Certified open, 3400 Lawndale Ave.

JEFFERSON PARK— A casual Mexican restaurant has opened in Jefferson Park with gorditas, nachos, and more. Chavez Mexican Restaurant even serves American-style diner breakfasts. Status: Certified open, 5239 N. Central Ave.

OAK PARK— A restaurant has opened up in the burbs called Obsessed Kitchen & Bar. Check out the menu below. Certified open, 800 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park.

OAK PARK— A third location of Cafe Huong, which has locations in Chinatown and in Uptown, has opened in the suburbs. Find pho, banh mi, and other Vietnamese items. Status: Certified open, 6818 W. North Ave., Oak Park.

OAK PARK— A restaurant vet who has worked at Piccolo Sogno and Cafe Iberico has opened his first place by himself. Rustico works Spanish-Italian fusion under one roof. Oak Park Leaves spoke with the owner. Status: Certified open, 722 Lake St., Oak Park

GLENVIEW— A new Mexican cafe/bar/grill has arrived on the North Shore. It’s called Cafe El Tapatio, a spinoff of a restaurant near Roscoe Village. Status: Certified open, 9707 N. Milwaukee Ave., Glenview

April 14

LOGAN SQUARE— Passion House Coffee House has taken over the Bow Truss space in Logan Square, but it’s only limited hours for now. Look for coffee-based mocktails, pastries from The Bakery At Fat Rice and more. They’re doing a cold-brew tasting flight from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Status: Certified open, 2631 N. Kedzie Ave.

WICKER PARK— Where can coffee drinkers find a beverage named after J. Mascis, the lead singer of Dinosaur Jr.? Why, at Purple Llama, the new coffee shop/record store in Wicker Park. They will host a grand opening party on Saturday. Status: Certified open, 2140 W. Division St.

CHINATOWN— La Mom Kitchen gives Chinatown another option. There’s not much known about its menu, but check out their Facebook page for more updates. Status: Certified open, 2229 S. Wentworth Ave.

OAK BROOK— There’s a new suburban gastropub for all huge golf fans. It’s called Tin Cup and it’s in the Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort & Conference Center. It overlooks the Championship Willow Crest Golf Club in the former The Grille space. The space also houses full-swing gold simulators that are rented out by the hour. Status: Certified open, 3500 Midwest Road, Oak Brook.

April 7

WRIGLEYVILLE — Just in time for Opening Day on Monday at Wrigley Field, Starbucks Reserve has opened at The Park At Wrigley on Clark and Waveland. This special Starbucks, just off the outdoor plaza, offers unique coffee and teas in the shadow of Wrigley Field. Status: Certified open, Clark and Waveland.

UPTOWN— Sol’s Kitchen is a new Korean restaurant that opened in the Inspiration Kitchens space. It’s more of a quick sit-down space, reported DNAinfo Status: Certified open, 4715 N. Sheridan Road.

THE LOOP— The relaunched restaurant inside the Palmer House Hilton, Potter’s Burger Bar, debuts next week. It features burgers named after a variety of Chicago neighborhoods. Check out the menu below. Status: Opening on Monday, 17 E. Monroe St.

GOLD COAST— Alex Dana from Rosebud Restaurants has a new restaurant. Chicago reported that East Side Taverna is ready for customers. There’s about 150 seats and classic Italian fare. Status: Certified open, Residence Inn, 201 E. Walton Place.

LINCOLN PARK— Big Bob & Fritzy’s is the new fast-food spot that replaced Brother’s Beef across the street from Lincoln Park High School. It caters to the lunchtime crowd. Status: Certified open, 732 W. Armitage Ave.

ARCHER HEIGHTS— Mezquite Express has opened a second location, serving Mexican fast-casual food. Find chicken, tacos, quesadillas and more are on the menu. Status: Certified open, 5160 S. Pulaski Road.

For a list of the 2016-2017 winter openings, click here.