clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Rick Bayless Expanding to Wicker Park; Fox & Obel (Finally) Shutters; More

New, 6 comments

This week's top dish from Eater Chicago, Curbed's restaurant, bar, and nightlife blog...

WICKER PARK—After many sources confirmed a Rick Bayless Wicker Park expansion, Alderman Proco Joe Moreno confirmed it officially. Bayless will be opening his first stand-alone restaurant in Chicago since 2009 inside the former home of Salud Tequila Lounge at 1471 N. Milwaukee. Rejoice, hipster taco lovers.

STREETERVILLE—Fox & Obel, one of the original large-scale artisan cafe and marketplaces in town, finally shuttered after a myriad of health code violations. Ownership declared bankruptcy and was sued by investors within the last two months alone.

SOMEWHERE IN CHICAGO?—Nick Kokonas, one of the owners behind the most critically-acclaimed restaurants in Chicago (Alinea, Next, The Aviary), tipped off a local blogger about expansion plans for another drink-focused project. Not only is he hoping to open that by the end of 2014, he's also in negotiations with a high-end hotel group to open in several cities over the next few years."

SOMEWHERE IN THE WEST LOOP—If you're Homaro Cantu, owner of the trailblazing molecular gastronomical upscale restaurant pair Moto and iNG, what do you do next? You plan a chain of coffee and pastry houses, of course. Look for the first in the West Loop soon.