Lunch at River North’s New Craft Beer Bar, 2 Car Crashes at Chicago Restaurants, More Intel

—River North eaters (and drinkers) can now have lunch at the downtown neighborhood’s first dedicated craft beer destination. Centennial Crafted Beer + Eatery has unleashed daytime hours every day after opening two months ago. The lunch menu offers two types of burgers, smoked brisket, madras chicken, sandwiches, and array of small plates, and plenty of craft beer, of course.

—Cars crashed into two local restaurants over the weekend resulting in varying amounts of damage. An SUV plowed into French doors in the front of 22-year-old Grand Avenue Italian restaurant Bella Notte during its Saturday night dinner rush, the Tribune reports, but amazingly no one was hurt and the it continued service with a broken door and the car on the curb.

—Meanwhile, another car crash sent a Pontiac Grand Prix into the Baba’s Famous Philly Steak & Lemonade at 130 E. 51st St. in Bronzeville around midnight on Saturday night, according to the Sun-Times and ABC7. There’s no word yet on the status of the restaurant.

—Following the lead of its themed dinner series on cult TV shows “Game of Thrones” and “Stranger Things,” acclaimed Michelin-starred new-gatherer restaurant Elizabeth will take on “Twin Peaks” after that. The dinners are slated for August 8-26, cost $125 a person, and tickets are available on Tock.

—DNAinfo points out that the sad sad recent shutter of Chicago’s oldest restaurant, Schaller’s Pump in Bridgeport, now makes beloved South Side soul food diner Daley’s Restaurant Chicago’s oldest restaurant. But Daley’s, which has been open since 1892 at 809 E. 63rd St., may move to the under-construction Woodlawn station across the street. A decision should be made within the next month or so. Check out this interview from Eater Chicago’s Breakfast Week and this video from Eater National’s “Dining on a Dime” series last year for more on Daley’s.

—This year’s edition of barbecue and country music extravaganza Windy City Smokeout will include more nationally-acclaimed ‘que. Organizers announce the addition of longtime pitmaster Rodney Scott (of his family’s Scott’s Bar-B-Que in Hemingway, SC and his own Rodney Scott’s Bar-B-Que in Charleston) to the 2017 festivities. Other additions include Fox Bros BBQ of Atlanta and Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix. The festival happens July 14 through 16.

—And finally, a Crain’s feature takes a deep dive into Rich Melman and Lettuce Entertain You’s history and impact on the restaurant industry, and how his children R.J., Jerrod, and Molly will take over for him — at some point in the future.