5 exciting Chicago restaurants opening this fall
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A selection of dishes to be served at Anelya. Photo: Courtesy of Garrett Baumer with Kinship Company
As fall weather descends on the city, some of the season's most anticipated restaurant openings are arriving, too. Here are five new spots we're watching:
Anelya
Chef Johnny Clark — who co-owns Parachute with his wife, Beverly Kim — will expand the Ukrainian pop-up he started last year into a full-fledged Avondale restaurant in October.
What they're saying: "I have such a strong desire to share a unique culture that I feel has been underrepresented throughout the world," Clark said in a statement. "I'll be cooking traditionally inspired Ukrainian dishes with a modern approach."
Expect: An emphasis on fermentation, a zákusky tower of pickled appetizers and seasonal dumplings called varenyky.
Brasero
Chef John Manion (of El Che Steakhouse) reaches back to his childhood in Brazil with this celebration of grilled meats expected to open in November on Chicago Avenue in the old Funkenhausen space.
What they're saying: The name refers to "a grill's fire box and is born of Manion's love for the live-fire cooking of Brazil that captured his imagination as an 8 year old living in San Paolo," according to an emailed news release.
Expect: Grilled chicken marinated in garlic-chili oil, sausages with garlic sauce, and a seafood stew called moqueca full of mussels and shrimp with coconut-scented rice.
Jook Sing
The name refers to Asians raised in the West but also reflects the fusion at this cocktail and snack emporium set to open this fall in West Town.
What they're saying: "The idea is inspired by the lively atmosphere of night markets and street food in Southeast Asia," a release for the new spot says.
Expect: Sticky wings with a tamari marinade, salt and pepper tofu, and the Indonesian diner classic called "Internet" featuring Indomie noodles, corned beef and a fried egg.
- Plus a Jook Sing roti, described as an omelet topped with a baguette that's "dressed in sweet Calabrian chili sauce, aioli, napa cabbage and Asian pickles."
Motor Shucker pop-ups
The Bamboo Room in Three Dots and a Dash is hosting pop-up cocktail and small-plate pairings with Motor Shucker every Friday and Saturday through October.
Expect: Four courses of oyster-focused dishes paired with nautical rum-focused cocktails curated by the Bamboo Room's beverage professionals.
Tickets start at $100.
Ramova Theatre
This beloved Bridgeport landmark, shuttered for three decades, is set to re-open in late fall with live shows, a brewery, beer garden and grill, with chef Kevin Hickey (The Duck Inn) as a partner.
What they're saying: Nearly a century after it first opened, the restored theater at Halsted and 35th will once again light up Bridgeport with top acts, "alongside educational programs, workshops and community outreach initiatives," the Ramova site says.
Expect: Rib-sticking diner favorites. We hope Hickey pays homage to the old Ramova Grill traditions by bringing back that amazing chili (with or without beans).