Bears Legend Mike Ditka’s Chicago Restaurant Is Staying Open

Mike Ditka’s Chicago restaurant isn’t closing after all

Bears legend Mike Ditka’s Chicago restaurant will stay open for at least another year. The restaurant’s lease has been extended for one year, the Sun-Times reports, after da coach told the paper earlier this month that it would close when its current lease expires at the end of the year. The closing was in doubt then too, however, as negotiations were ongoing even while the outspoken former head coach was telling the media that the restaurant’s run was “over.” Now it’s officially sticking around its current location through at least 2020.

Multiple Christmas pop-up bars are coming back

Last year, Chicagoans were flooded with more Christmas and holiday season pop-up bars than ever before. Now many of them are announcing their returns this year, including Christmas Club at Country Club opening November 20, Santa Baby at Deuce’s also opening November 20, Frosty’s near North and Clybourn opening November 15, and a new one, Rudolph’s, opening at Casey Moran’s on November 22. Stay tuned for Eater Chicago’s updated guide in November.

Portillo’s to open suburban pop-up shop with Scratch-N-Sniff wallpaper

Chicago street food superfans will soon be able to hang out in a French fry room, take a ride on an onion ring swing, dress up like hot dogs, and test out Scratch-N-Sniff wallpaper at a new suburban pop-up shop from Chicago icon Portillo’s. The “Portillo’s Experience” is slated to run from November 6 through the end of the year inside the Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. Free tickets and more info are available here.

Two prominent out-of-town chefs holding Chicago events later this week

And finally, a couple of intriguing events happen later this week with prominent out-of-town chefs. Kristen Tomlan, owner of NYC hit DO, Cookie Dough Confections, will hold a book signing and class Thursday evening at Williams Sonoma Lincoln Park to support the recent release of her book Hello, Cookie Dough. And the James Beard Taste America tour comes back to Chicago with a gala dinner on Friday evening highlighted by chef Michael Fojtasek of Olamaie in Austin as well as many prominent local chefs, including Stephanie Izard, Carlos Gaytan, Diana Davila, and more.