LA PRENDA APPRECIATION LUNCH
La Prenda Wine Management appreciation lunch. Sonoma Valley, California.
La Prenda Wine Management appreciation lunch. Sonoma Valley, California.
<div><figure> <img alt="The facade of a store with revolving door." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rcPZBIzAGcwu7gekSvxjq4VH1Y4=/45x0:1468x1067/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73309088/52475018933_ebd4f7205c_h.0.jpg"> <figcaption>What will replace Dom’s Kitchen & Market in Old Town? | Barry Brecheisen/Eater Chicago</figcaption> </figure> <p>A local coffee maker Kyoto Black — without warning — is left without its biggest wholesale customer</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap" id="HuZagd"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/4/23/24138226/foxtrot-dom-kitchen-market-bankrupcty-closing">The debris continues to fall in Chicago</a> where earlier this week, the city saw all 15 <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/foxtrot">Foxtrot</a> convenience stores and two <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/dom-s-kitchen-market-2">Dom’s Kitchen & Market</a> locations suddenly close. Ex-employees have filed a class-action lawsuit against Outfox Hospitality, claiming they weren’t given proper notice of mass layoffs.</p> <p id="bnh2Ms"><a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/work/2024/04/26/foxtrot-workers-rally-demanding-back-pay-doms-kitchen-outfox-hospitality-grocers-closure">Protestors assembled Friday morning</a> outside of Foxtrot’s commissary in Pilsen, but legal experts remain divided <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/small-business/2024/04/24/doms-kitchen-market-foxtrot-class-action-lawsuit-warn-act-layoffs">on whether Outfox will be held legally accountable</a>. Earlier this year, unionized ex-workers at the Signature Room <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/3/29/24115502/signature-room-lawsuit-ruling-hancock-authnetico-tortilla-nlrb-complaint-one-off-customer-app">won their lawsuit</a> that accused restaurant management of violating the <a href="https://dceo.illinois.gov/workforcedevelopment/warn.html">Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act</a>, a safe measure requiring companies to file a notice of mass layoff with the government. Eater reviewed an email sent to some ex-Foxtrot workers dated 11 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, and signed by Outfox CEO Rob Twyman notifying employees that their jobs would be immediately eliminated and stating the message was following state law. The letter does not mention the 60-day notice the law stipulates and came after the stores closed.</p> <p id="xdOXYu">Outfox formed after Chicago-based Dom’s and Foxtrot <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2023/11/27/23978553/specialty-grocers-chicago-foxtrot-doms-merge-outfox-williams-fitzgerald-mariano">combined last year</a>. Foxtrot debuted as a delivery-only app in 2016 that expanded into the convenience store space opening locations in Texas, and the D.C. area. Dom’s debuted <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2021/6/8/22524825/doms-kitchen-market-grocery-retail-shopping-specialty-ingredients-chicago-photos">in 2021 in Lincoln Park</a>. Both entities had major designs on scaling. In the aftermath of the closures, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing — which former employees told Eater to look out for — has yet to pop up, clouding the picture of what went wrong. Outfox hasn’t responded to media inquiries and former vendors tell Eater they haven’t heard anything from them either. They now join the graveyard of Chicago grocery brands like White Hen Pantry, Dominick’s Finer Foods, and Moo & Oink. </p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="BIZ-GROCERY-FOXTROT-DOMS-MERGER-2-TB" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/88rYzxRXj-YcQb__UuqJrzL2zrg=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25420450/1806657255.jpg"> <cite>John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images</cite> <figcaption>Grabbed and gone.</figcaption> </figure> <p id="EXMjou">But as the legal theater begins to play out, workers are setting up <a href="https://www.instagram.com/foxtrot_md_tips?igsh=MTVoMGFhdHpzdGxkMw==">online fundraisers</a> and scrambling for jobs. In Chicago, the 17 potential real estate vacancies (liquidation could slow things down), are creating a feeding frenzy. Independent grocers, liquor shop owners, and would-be restaurant owners are contacting their real estate agents, hoping to cut deals with landlords on some prime retail spaces on the North Side. </p> <p id="KoJsVt">Fresh Market Place in Bucktown is an independent grocer that’s become a champion of local vendors, where many chefs from Chicago’s top restaurants shop.</p> <p id="8Fme9F">“I would, at the very least, I would listen to an offer,” Fresh Market GM Kostas Drosos says. “I definitely will inquire — or maybe I have inquired already.” </p> <p id="GAF2wY">The demand for the Foxtrot and Dom’s locations contrasts with what’s happening on the West and South sides, where residents have clamored for more investment. The city has struggled to find a tenant in Englewood <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2022/5/2/23053317/whole-foods-englewood-grocery-ravenswood-restaurant-delivery-bombobar-marz-malort-spritz">to replace Whole Foods</a>. Locals seeking an upscale retailer with a similar cachet were rendered disappointed <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/business/2023/12/6/23990961/yellow-banana-ohio-sued-unpaid-bill-sells-florida-save-a-lot-stores-canfield-chicago">by the pending arrival of Yellow Banana</a>, a division of Ohio-based Save A Lot. Some Chicagoans aren’t missing Foxtrot or Dom’s. You can’t miss <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Hh0XGBLC9/">what you never had</a>.</p> <div class="c-float-right"><div id="T6Ume7"> <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtCVe-QLNFO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtCVe-QLNFO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div> </div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CtCVe-QLNFO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Kyoto Black (@kyotoblackcoffee)</a></p> </div></blockquote> <script async="" src="//platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js"></script> </div></div> <p id="TdWBhh">Meanwhile, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/fancy-plants-cafe-2">Fancy Plants Cafe</a> owner Kevin Schuder spent much of the week trying to reach Dom’s and Foxtrot, hoping to connect them with the Great Chicago Food Depository. He’s had no luck, and his frustrations spiked <a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/small-business/2024/04/23/doms-kitchen-foxtrot-closing-stores-grocers-outfox-hospitality-merged">after a <em>Sun-Times</em> report</a> saying workers were instructed to throw away food. Drosos compares that to when Stanley’s, a tiny independent market on the corner of North and Elston Avenue, was razed in anticipation of the Lincoln Yards development. He remembers handing out business cards and hiring a few Stanley’s workers in the two weeks before <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2019/04/23/popular-produce-market-stanleys-abruptly-closes-real-estate-remains-for-sale/">its closure in 2019</a>.</p> <p id="wAVpVF">“Stanley’s put in notice two weeks out and said ‘Come on in, guys!’” Drosos recalls. “They were giving away the food — come in, we’re going to be closing and we’re giving discounts.”</p> <p id="Yhb226">Foxtrot and Dom’s shared some similarities, but it wasn’t a precise fit. Both wanted to attract upscale restaurant customers. They recruited chefs for cooking demonstrations and sold gourmet items with the chefs’ names. The latter was ripped from Trader Joe’s playbook. The concerns were detailed nicely earlier this month <a href="https://tastecooking.com/we-need-to-talk-about-trader-joes/">in an article by Adam Reiner in Taste</a>.</p> <p id="Hkk3vJ">But as Foxtrot raced for scale, with locations in high-rent areas like Fulton Market, execs may have skipped a step in establishing community roots, something Drosos says is integral to Fresh Market’s success. In Andersonville, Foxtrot attempted to open near <a href="https://andalemarket.com/">Andale Market</a>, a small independent shop that stocked specialty items from the kind of vendors Foxtrot desired. Locals <a href="https://www.supermarketnews.com/news/foxtrot-faces-pushback-plans-open-chicago-neighborhood">pushed back</a>.</p> <p id="5Ha1nB">That disconnect with Foxtrot and its community might be why Palita Sriratana says her sales at Fresh Market and <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=66960X1516589&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fhereheremarket.com%2F%3Futm_source%3Dads%26utm_medium%3Dgs%26utm_campaign%3Dads_gs_branded0823%26gad_source%3D1%26gclid%3DCjwKCAjwoa2xBhACEiwA1sb1BLFqSAH8MGlsVcjUNRIVqkQczD9cWQinNIUdC54n3Mo5SmFQkStznhoCTWgQAvD_BwE&referrer=eater.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fchicago.eater.com%2F2024%2F4%2F26%2F24141661%2Ffoxtrot-doms-kitchen-market-outfox-closing-future-kyoto-black-pink-salt-here-here-fresh-market" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Here Here Market</a> exceeded her brand’s sales at Foxtrot. In November, her company Pink Salt was selected through Foxtrot’s <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/91005317/foxtrot-market-corner-store-up-comer-award-next-big-snack-geem-tings">Up and Comer</a> competition, recognizing vendors selling new snacks, dips, and coffees — stuff Foxtrot wanted to scale and sell nationwide. Sriratana makes a Thai chili jam, which belongs in the same genre as chile crunch, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/4/17/24126541/chicago-chili-crisp-local-vendors-momofuku-david-chang-anna-desai">David Chang be damned</a>.</p> <p id="EdHmqj">Sriratana describes the terms of winning as restrictive. They sounded like the stringent restrictions reality TV show contestants face; winners were barred from selling their products at “major retailers.” There were “unrealistic” deadlines as Pink Salt geared up for the holiday gift-giving season — Foxtrot wanted enough jars of jam to stock at 54 stores versus the eight stores initially ordered. Sriratana says “she held her breath” and carried on with production. She says the system feels “predatory to a very vulnerable group of small makers.” </p> <p id="DmoetK">“I feel sad for the brands that opened [production orders] and took out loans to meet their scale,” Sriratana says.</p> <p id="FgObaF">Here Here, founded in 2021, aimed to give vendors like Sriratana more control. Disha Gulati founded the startup in 2021 to give chefs including Rick Bayless and Stephanie Izard a digital marketplace for sauces, pasta, and spices, It allowed lesser-known names a chance to establish their brands nationally. Over the past few days, Gulati and Drosos have been inundated with requests from former Foxtrot vendors wanting shelf space. Both say they’ll expedite the process to help. Gulati says she spends much of her time connecting vendors so they could better share their experiences and succeed. She feels that’s why they feel a “strong sense of community on our platform.”</p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1DMyGBCS_PihCmnl-Mw223EhIro=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25420325/53139047939_b3ff7f5ac1_o.jpg"> <cite>Garrett Sweet/Eater Chicago</cite> <figcaption>Foxtrot had an eye toward upscale customers.</figcaption> </figure> <p id="JlK7oH">Gulati was careful not to villainize Outfox, saying she doesn’t know what pressures they faced: “Them going under might have been inevitable,” she says.</p> <p id="HBGCCk">But when discussing how Outfox closed without warning without informing vendors, Gulati says: “One hundred percent they should have done it differently.”</p> <p id="Uq1Ccc">Justin Doggett has sold his <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/kyoto-black">Kyoto Black</a> bottled cold brew coffees at Foxtrot since 2021 when the store reps approached him saying they wanted to stock his coffee. He never worried about Foxtrot reverse engineering his Kyoto-style cold brews: “It’s fairly unique, it’s a very niche product,” he says.</p> <p id="ANTwcc">Foxtrot represented his biggest wholesale customer — all 15 Chicago Foxtrots stocked Kyoto Black. The sudden loss of the marketplace has forced Doggett to launch a campaign <a href="https://kyotostylecoffee.com/collections/all">to grow his monthly subscription base</a>, where customers would buy coffee directly from him. He says he’s had zero contact with Foxtrot since the announcement and feels blindsided.</p> <p id="71lPD6">“Their closure represents a loss of thousands of dollars of sales per month,” Doggett wrote in a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/doggettjustin/posts/pfbid06AoPeNCcFh5rWSfrBB1J6tEBKjvRpHofDAJFBisccGEQJWbW581qkD2Au1xJpGQ8l">Facebook post</a> from Tuesday, April 23. “It also devastates my brand presence. People would order from me directly all the time because they first had my coffee at Foxtrot.”</p> <p id="ev8MDk">Doggett says he made $120 in coffee deliveries on Monday. If this was in June, prime cold brew season, that delivery could have been larger. He’s looking for 800 new monthly customers; basically converting his Foxtrot customers to direct customers.</p> <p id="1cdBFq">Some independent coffee shops, the same ones that Foxtrot sought to compete with, are helping out. <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/side-practice-coffee">Side Practice Coffee</a> and Drip Collective have offered to sell Kyoto Black while Doggett adjusts. He knows that he won’t make up for the loss immediately. He also stressed that the workers he interacted with treated him well and shouldn’t be conflated with the corporate business.</p> <p id="wZ1LaJ">History has repeated itself for Sriratana who has experience with start-ups suddenly closing; Pink Salt was also the name for her Thai food stall inside <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/fulton-galley-2">Fulton Galley</a>, a food hall in Fulton Market. It closed in 2019, without warning, <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2019/11/7/20953725/fulton-galley-food-hall-chicago-closing">after being open for five months</a>. The space — located less than a half mile west from Outfox’s headquarters — remains vacant. </p> <p class="c-end-para" id="lkVj8j">“My experience with Fulton Galley made me not trust the partnership with Foxtrot and pushed me to really value independent businesses — I cannot stress that enough,” she says.</p> <aside id="IJCOOg"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside><p id="COS1H4"></p> <p id="887sxU"></p> <p id="fA5cLY"></p> <p id="k7qBOO"></p></div>
<div><figure> <img alt="A person cuts into a strawberry crepe topped with whipped cream." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FdckEtU4tGe_fODM8GJ0Ob46rQg=/213x0:4969x3567/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73308932/53283220049_ed3f0e64f0_o.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Holy crepe, Chicago. | Kim Kovacik/Eater Chicago</figcaption> </figure> <p>Enjoy the variety from sweet to savory, to French, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese</p> <p id="HJNEED">Crepes, the endlessly versatile French specialty, is a deceptively simple creation that can take on a remarkable number of forms. The delicate pancake dish can be served sweet or savory; for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert; on a plate at a sit-down restaurant, or in a cone for street-side munching. The crepe has a slew of international cousins like Chinese jianbing and South Asian dosa, and can be thoughtfully adapted for vegans and gluten-free diners. </p> <p id="4hvkKC">That’s a lot to consider, so Eater Chicago is here to help. This map takes an expansive view of the crepe family tree, guiding locals and visitors through the city’s best creperies, crepe-centric cafes, and lesser-known crepe outposts around town. </p></div>
Folks need to know if she ate deep dish so they can offer their preset response that “it’s not the real Chicago pizza” and that “it’s only for tourists.” They need to know if Minaj ate tavern-style pizza so they can comeback with “no one calls it tavern style” and “why didn’t she go the South Side?” Perhaps the less fans know is better when surviving the pizza wars. Minaj, born in Trinidad and Tobago, also shared some love for an often overlooked portion of Chicago’s population in praising its T
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<div><figure> <img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/1JVxhycJ05-Mcyyh3UG_CbJHZ-0=/89x0:1512x1067/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73305817/53632123516_7c2848658e_h.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Common Decency is ready to open. | Garrett Sweet/Eater Chicago</figcaption> </figure> <p>Explore Common Decency, featuring a 100-percent gluten-free menu and bodacious cocktails</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap" id="B9igYw"><a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/4/23/24138624/common-decency-bar-felipe-hernandez-obituary-logan-square">The team behind Common Decency</a> knew they had big shoes to fill inside the former <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/lost-lake">Lost Lake</a> space. Their response? Focus on food and cocktails that everyone could enjoy. That includes making sure the bread used in their Cuban sandwich is gluten-free (which accommodates beverage director Kelsey Kasper’s allergy) and giving partner Jason Turley a top-flight vegetarian option with the mushroom French dip, made with roasted portabella and gruyere.</p> <p id="TsrGq2">While Lost Lake focused on liquids and was often crowded with folks holding drinks garnished with umbrellas, Common Decency sports tables in the aisles where diners can enjoy small bites like skillet cornbread or thrice-cooked (baked, smoked, fried) chicken wings to more robust dishes like a hanger steak or dumpling cacio e pepe. Dumplings have been a signature dish for ex-<a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/funkenhausen">Funkenhausen</a> chef Mark Steuer since his days at <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/the-carriage-house">Carriage House</a> in Wicker Park. The difference in Logan Square is ensuring the gluten-free dumplings are airy.</p> <div class="c-float-right"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A disco ball shining" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/s9qirv7F4ZrpH21MMMwtyXUjdj8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412175/53632123681_0bd9dd49ca_h.jpg"> <figcaption>They’ve added a disco ball.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <p id="YMQRZK">The space feels wider and flashier thanks to the ’80s vibe which allows visitors to enact their <em>Miami Vice</em> dreams. But instead of fighting over who gets to play Crockett and who gets to play Tubbs, Steuer sees a welcoming atmosphere. There’s a disco ball and a photo booth, plus a new backroom for larger groups.</p> <p id="bdLzfR">Don’t look for banana daiquiri on the drink menu. There are frozen drinks, like frozen Key lime pie with rum and Greek yogurt. The drinks from Kasper, a partner in the bar who formerly managed <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/spilt-milk-2">Spilt Milk</a>, showcase her gift of balancing acid, says Steuer, her fiance. A drink called Barbershop Celebrity uses sticky rice, mango, and Thai basil mixed with coconut-washed vodka. The Coffee Date is their answer to the espresso martini using Hexe espresso, honey, dates, and cacao. Steuer says they’ll eventually make seltzer and vinegars using citrus peels and other waste from fruit.</p> <p id="dLknaG">Common Decency’s owners are offering workers profit sharing and health insurance co-pays after six months of employment as part of their way of raising the standards in the workplace for hospitality workers. Those benefits will be baked into the cost of food and drink. Steuer says QR codes and surcharges are pet peeves he’ll avoid. </p> <p id="2p3EjM">Earlier this month, partner and co-chef Felipe Hernandez suddenly died in an accident. Hernandez’s loss is felt on several fronts, including lost recipes that weren’t written down. Steuer and company have attempted to reverse-engineer some. Later this summer, a companion restaurant, Fever Dream, will open next door inside the space where <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/thank-you">Thank You</a>, the Chinese American takeout spot that was once operated by Lost Lake’s owners. Hernandez was to play a large role in Fever Dream. Steuer says they’re still figuring out how to properly honor their friend at the bar. There’s a bit of push that the best way to remember Hernandez is to make sure Common Decency is successful. </p> <p id="d1FSnU">While Hernandez won’t be present for the next stop in their journey, he’ll remain in the staff’s hearts when Common Decency opens on Friday, April 26.</p> <p id="BXbpka"><a href="https://www.havecommondecency.com/"><em>Common Decency</em></a><em>, 3154 W. Diversey, opening Friday, April 26.</em></p> <div class="p-fullbleed-block"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/5S_2x-Y8ZWTuzCrKxa7bQFHnPF0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412190/53632568000_44a4638320_h.jpg"> </figure> <div class="c-image-grid"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/P-e2gLxEU8xQXyenN9TMtg0vvi0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412188/53632463029_596b6d93e7_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vV_1dxCQ4km31-ciXDDl3ZTJS_0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412177/53632330838_988c336902_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="An empty bar" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_zPU6mhY-yaFgSL3uD9UBqxFleQ=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25414669/53632568655_af2d5cc14c_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NMFbFUOD9ouSocFWXM6iEkVi5-I=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412167/53631231047_e19741b7eb_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> </div> <div class="c-image-grid c-image-grid__odd"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VAkQ0lKW3hx43gdNmpRMWJTIehY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412179/53632331588_09179e31c8_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Rtrt36lybiyRZfcV1lQZ0BKiM70=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412189/53632567840_a1fa118f39_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/FzBdLOiiHufAPMdxec-otF4wNZc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412180/53632331628_f4f8fed37f_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> </div> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="A cuban sandwich." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RGDQgh81fJphwJEwgMfKIuKaNk8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412178/53632331303_8fc1d811a9_h.jpg"> <figcaption>El Cubano</figcaption> </figure> <div class="c-image-grid"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Dumplings on a cream sauce." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/iByMNheWkObBJAJJerkmcqX8uNw=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412171/53632123406_0de97ce14d_h.jpg"> <figcaption>Dumpling Cacio E Pepe.</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/kGyMxhQLwGMkBZlTOS41GrYxkaY=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412172/53632123471_a7bd5288d5_h.jpg"> <figcaption>BBQ Chicken Roulade</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div> <div class="c-image-grid"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Four oysters." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_Prtia4LxPm58c18zFifW8WQ8to=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412196/53632568540_3327b3ebc6_h.jpg"> <figcaption>Roasted Oysters</figcaption> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QXp9H4Dts4B_T1iBJQt1vAZUkP0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412166/53631230982_d7afe57971_h.jpg"> <figcaption>Felipe’s Seven Layer Dip</figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/muAoJ33XBmKz8p69v2bcLHbr3xs=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412163/53631230807_4380861c7c_h.jpg"> <figcaption>Skillet Cornbread</figcaption> </figure> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fL4dBQKaH-6KP8m8japxUJR6XxA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412194/53632568320_af541e2a4e_h.jpg"> <figcaption>Quatro leches cake</figcaption> </figure> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CFt9XgQbOOdaQYAlMwa7q9irFqk=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412192/53632568260_85965498db_h.jpg"> <figcaption>Centerfield Angel</figcaption> </figure> <div class="c-image-grid__wrapper"> <div class="c-image-grid"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KYMdGpSlcwhNRhC1qhJGKNvIHY0=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412193/53632568305_c31bd3ca9e_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6dnMz-VQMZ1HUasY5kN40itObic=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412187/53632462629_4e0a1e2c76_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Dz4Bn2-6KDxp06y6AjN3fFGK2Ik=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412182/53632462024_cd2d51038a_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/NYxfsnbPedEFoC7zs7yJd-vVK_4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412185/53632462444_7b97900eb8_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> </div> <p class="caption">Spanish Style G&T</p> </div> </div> <p id="nBDu07"></p> <div><div class="c-image-grid__wrapper"> <div class="c-image-grid c-image-grid__odd"> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/L75BM5oqhTFDPygP0nn8Tp2AStA=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412176/53632330733_4ac3778005_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KDtsCJ2hN_en--UtKPCKCC7mLV4=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412191/53632568225_aaf9b49e45_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> <div class="c-image-grid__item"> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/mNUx8atqozP1yQkdh4qbrL1X-u8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25412169/53632123141_f6ce22c748_h.jpg"> </figure> </div> </div> <p class="caption">Mojito</p> </div></div> <p id="p4KV3l"></p></div>
<div><figure> <img alt="An overhead photograph of several bowls and sides from Cava, a Mediterranean-ish fast-casual restaurant in New York City." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Vxzi_pF84SuyoO8S2hauwwqh9Go=/292x0:4083x2843/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73305347/330.0.jpg"> <figcaption>Cava is headed to Chicago. | Cava</figcaption> </figure> <p>The mega chain’s Wicker Park location is its first in Chicago, and they’re already planning a suburban Vernon Hills outpost</p> <p id="tA3SoZ">Quick-serve Mediterranean restaurant chain <a href="https://cava.com/">Cava</a>, a budding force in bowl-centric dining, will launch its <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/2024/3/5/24090617/cava-grill-chicago-fast-casual-wicker-park-first-midwest-location">first foray into the Midwest market</a> this week in Wicker Park. The company, which is already teasing a second outpost in the suburbs, will make its Chicago debut on Friday, April 26 at 1484 N. Milwaukee Avenue. </p> <p id="iPGrfH">Adored by fans for its wallet-friendly menu laden with nutritious and meat-free options, Cava seems an apt replacement for the location’s previous tenant, local vegetarian chain <a href="https://chicago.eater.com/venue/native-foods">Native Foods</a>. Its menu applies a familiar mix-and-match approach to its <a href="https://www.eater.com/2020/1/31/21117429/cava-restaurant-beats-panda-express-eater-super-bowl?_gl=1*9eesi7*_ga*MTEzNTc3NjI5My4xNjQ3NTcwODUz*_ga_GMSWCRTSTY*MTcxNDA1OTg5Ni4xNjQ1LjEuMTcxNDA2MTgzOC42MC4wLjA.&_ga=2.219968281.1670777835.1713800049-1135776293.1647570853">Eater Bowl Bowl-winning</a> grain and vegetable bowls, weaving in Mediterranean-style ingredients like tzatziki, falafel, and spicy lamb meatballs. Cava also features pita wraps with options like Greek chicken with olives and feta. </p> <p id="x6x8JN">Fast-casual restaurants have a reputation for fluorescent sterility, a quality that Cava seems intent on bucking with a design style it’s dubbed “Project Soul,” the<em> </em><a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/taste/2024/04/25/cava-chicago-restaurant-wicker-park-vernon-hills-mediterranean"><em>Sun-Times</em></a> reports. The company tapped Chicago artist Alyssa Low to create a colorful mural featuring local elements like the city’s flag and Lake Michigan inside the 30-seat Wicker Park restaurant, where customers can also expect cushioned booths and soft lighting. </p> <figure class="e-image"> <img alt="Cava’s food" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_p1DIN0pwWeyd44jmgZAPIF4nh8=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11936847/CAVA_Food_Selects_3.jpg"> <cite>Cava</cite> <figcaption>Cava insists that bowls don’t have to be boring.</figcaption> </figure> <p id="eL6gfG">Cava’s second Illinois outpost is slated for a summer debut in Vernon Hills (coincidentally, also on a Milwaukee Avenue — at 890 N. Milwaukee Avenue in the suburb), co-founder Ted Xenohristos tells reporters. The short timeline between openings may signal that a cascade of Cava locations is headed to the Chicago area, as the brand is in the midst of a nationwide expansion, <a href="https://qz.com/cava-stock-high-profits-ipo-1851290842">opening 72 locations</a> last year. If all goes according to plan, it hopes to secure 1,000 restaurants by 2032. </p> <p id="IgFlj7">Xenohristos, along with partners and childhood friends Ike Grigoropoulos and chef Dimitri Moshovitis, opened the first Cava nearly 20 years ago in Maryland. In the intervening years, Mediterranean food has gained significant prominence in the U.S. It seems that trajectory has served Cava well, as the company went public in 2023 and touts <a href="https://investor.cava.com/news/news-details/2024/CAVA-Group-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-Fiscal-2023-Results/default.aspx">more than $700 million</a> in annual revenue.</p> <p id="sRnEJg"><a href="https://cava.com/"><em>Cava</em></a><em> Wicker Park, 1484 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Scheduled to open Friday, April 26. Cava Vernon Hills, 890 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Vernon Hills, scheduled to open this summer.</em></p> <aside id="HD3dYC"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"chicago-eater"}'></div></aside></div>
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