Hot new restaurants opening in Chicago this spring
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Tuna crudo at Gemini Grill. Photo courtesy of Ballyhoo Hospitality
Spring arrived with a fresh bouquet of restaurants across Chicago.
Why it matters: The bouquet is full of escargot, kebabs, lots of steak and more.
Gemini Grill: This new Streeterville eatery, which anchors the One Chicago luxury residences at 748 N. State across from Holy Name Cathedral, is the twin to sister Ballyhoo Hospitality restaurant Gemini in Lincoln Park.
- On the menu: Eclectic, boldly flavored fare, from bigeye tuna crudo and panzanella to a Korean fried chicken or blackened grouper sandwich.
La Serre Chicago: This new Fulton Market spot aims to capture the taste of coastal France in a greenhouse-inspired setting with a 2,000-square-foot terrace.
- On the menu: Grilled escargot, sole meuniere, steak topped with herbs de Provence flavored butter, and seafood towers with Dijon aioli.
Avaspi: Turkish and Kurdish specialties get the Chicago treatment at this new Lakeview lounge and restaurant that took over where Pescadero closed last year.
- On the menu: Kebabs, dips, salads, mixed grill plates, calamari and kebabs. Currently only open for dinner.
Tama: Avgeria Stepaki — the Greek chef who opened Fulton Market's Nisos then left last year before it became Nisos Prime — has partnered with Adalberto Olaez (Lao Peng You and Boeufhaus) on this this two-story Greek-influenced restaurant in Bucktown, Eater reports.
- On the menu: Mashups including avgolemono ramen, tabbouleh dolma featuring the salad wrapped in swiss chard and grilled maitake mushrooms tossed in clarified butter and white wine.
What we're watching: The scheduled April opening of Rangoli, a fast casual Indian eatery in the Lakeview storefront that once hosted vegan-friendly Native Foods on Belmont. It joins a sister restaurant on North Avenue.
- The summer opening of Parachute Hi-Fi by James Beard Award-winning couple Johnny Clark and Beverly Kim, who will serve their bing bread and a Korean style pizza puff, as reported by the Tribune.
- The sad closing next month of Lincoln Square's Cafe Selmarie, which Eater reports will reopen under the ownership of Lincoln Square Taproom's Andrew Pillman. Working name for the new place: Willow Cafe and Bistro.
- The long-awaited arrival of Common Decency, an '80s-themed bar with small bites that aims to treat both guests and staff incredibly well.