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Inside Andersonville’s Cozy New Bar for Comfort Foods With Global Twists

Stone Fox is now open on Clark Street

This puffy pastry crust reveals littleneck clams in a wine broth.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Ashok Selvam is the editor of Eater Chicago and a native Chicagoan armed with more than two decades of award-winning journalism. Now covering the world of restaurants and food, his nut graphs are super nutty.

Stone Fox owner Cy Oldham likened her chef, Greg Hageli, to a mad scientist. The former baker at Michelin-starred brewpub Band of Bohemia is going the extra mile by making his own sausage for his chewy thin-crust pizzas at the new Andersonville bar and restaurant that opened over the weekend. There’s a lot of international influences on the menu including a puffed pastry crust that reveals little neck clams swimming in a white wine broth accompanied by Spanish chorizo, kale, and fingering potatoes.

The space, the former Pork Shoppe, needed a little TLC, and Oldham’s crews have added new furniture and modernized the space (this is what Pork Shoppe looked like). It’s a cleaner look with big comfy booths and an area that could be reserved for parties wrapping around the bar on the space’s south side. The wall will eventually lead to a patio where there’ll be a second bar outside. Given that it’s 8 degrees in Chicago right now, Stone Fox’s team has a little time before opening the patio to its customers.

Oldham, who owns Fat Cat in Uptown and ran Silver Cloud in Bucktown, hopes her newest project retains a welcoming atmosphere. She also wants to embrace the diversity in the area, which is another reason for the international flavors on Hageli’s menu which include a chickpea fritter (basically an Indian-inspired pakora) and grilled chicken thighs basted with a pomegranate harissa glaze.

Cocktails include frozen Palomas — yes it’s winter but not too early to think about “patio pounders.” There are also classic cocktails with a few modern updates, and plenty of draft beer and wine.

Walk through the space below and check out some of the menu items. Stone Fox is now open for dinner. Weekend brunch is coming this spring.

Stone Fox, 5721 N. Clark Street, (773) 961-7647, open 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday through Friday; 4 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Saturday.

The exterior restaurant sign.
There’s nothing behind the name — the owners just liked it.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
While the barbecue that existed before Stone Fox was rustic, the new space is much sleeker.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Note the disco ball lights near the front windows.
Ownership wants this bar to be welcoming for dates, birthday parties, and families.
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
A look at the main entrance.
Ownership said they picked durable materials because they want to be around in Andersonville for a while.
This is the back of the main dining area.
This room, behind the bar, can be reserved for private parties.
The space is good for larger groups.
This puffed pastry crust keeps clams with Spanish chorizo, kale, and potatoes warm in wine broth.
Pasta with braised lamb, saffron, fried chickpeas, peppadew peppers, and carrot puree -
Green salad with mixed greens, quinoa, parmesan crisps, jazz apples, squash, herbed goat cheese in a tahini vinaigrette.
Wood-grilled chicken thighs with a pomegranate-harissa glaze and charred green beans served over roasted red pepper and sunflower seed sauce, topped with cocoa nibs and fresh mint.
Pork belly with cilantro chutney.
Frozen Paloma
Mai Tai
Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago
Pink Rabbit

Stone Fox

5721 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL Visit Website