Poke, Coffee, and Burgers Converge at New Evanston Market

Grab-and-go lunch in Evanston is getting a whole lot easier. Next of Kin, one part of highly-anticipated two-prong restaurant concept in the near-north suburb, opened Friday morning at 625 Davis Street with quick-serve breakfast and lunch, plus full coffee service. The market and its larger restaurant sister, Kinship, come from L3 Hospitality Group, the group behind Late Bloomer in Lincoln Park.

The focus of Next of Kin is quick grab-and-go meals that are filling, with a large variety of options. Chef Marco Bahena, a former Eater Young Gun semifinalist, is the kitchen mastermind here along with a pastry program by Jenny McCoy. Breakfast will feature coffee and an eclair program, the first of its kind in the Chicagoland area. There will be both sweet and savory options, along with other pastries.

Lunch will bring a mix of items, from a cold salad bar, a window with three hot sandwiches (a Buffalo fried chicken sandwich, a burger with duck fat onions, and a corned beef brisket sandwich), poke bowls, a hot buffet with a rotating protein, starch, and vegetable, and a different mac and cheese every day.

The goal is to make something for everyone, whether that means a build-your-own salad or chowing down on a burger. Drinks will include lemonades and teas, but alcohol will be saved for Kinship, which will feature a happy hour program.

Seating isn’t prime at Next of Kin, with only eight seats available, but come spring an outdoor patio will add more. Next of Kin is now open and will be followed by Kinship in the coming days. Stay tuned for more on Kinship.

Next of Kin, 625 Davis Street, Evanston. Open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.