By Bob Glaze
When I am home in Chicago, I love trying new restaurants. Here are some of my favorite new spots. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.
A fun casual spot is the Fireside Restaurant & Lounge at 5739 N. Ravenswood Ave. Located in Edgewater just north of the Ravenswood neighborhood, this is a casual bar and restaurant that celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2024, making it one of Chicago’s oldest restaurants. It has a dining room with a nice fireplace, a bar with many TVs to watch your favorite sports and a heated outside patio. I really enjoyed the warm, cozy atmosphere, the service and the food. I went for brunch on a Saturday and had a tasty eggs benedict. In addition to the weekend brunch menu, it has a menu of salads, burgers, sandwiches, tacos, pasta, ribs, entrees and pizza. I highly recommend the experience. It has a parking lot as well as street parking nearby.
Another new find that I highly recommend is BiXi Beer located at 2515 N. Milwaukee. This is a modern brewpub, offering Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese inspired cuisine, plus house-brewed beer infused with Asian flavors. They are located in a very attractive two-level space and are open for dinner as well as for their dim sum brunch on weekends, which includes dumplings, sushi and many more items. The menu was very creative. The Char Siu Burger made with beef patties, pork belly, American cheese and a fried egg was a perfect choice. My friend loved the egg and pepper Bahn Mi Sandwich.
I was excited to have found it after reading that in January 2025, their chef, Bo Fowler, was nominated as a semifinalist by the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Midwest.
Another recent find in Logan Square is Superkahna International. This is a modern Indian restaurant located at 3059 W. Diversey Ave. I went in February 2025 after reading that in January, chefs Zeeshan Shah and Yoshi Yamada were named a James Beard Semifinalist for Best Chef – Great Lakes. It has a creative menu that is good for sharing. I enjoyed their cheese naan, the achari pork bao with pulled pork shoulder and tamarind chutney, the slow cooked lamb, the pork chop vindaloo and a tasty cocochoco pudding with coconut caramel and salted coconut brittle. Their Superkhana old fashioned, made with their house chai bitters, was a great cocktail to start with. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the service.
While we were there, they were filming a segment for CBS Mornings, that aired on February 20, 2025, about their pizzas or naan using Indian ingredients after it was featured in Bon Bon Appétit Magazine’s article “These 8 Pizzerias Are Reimagining the Craft.” I enjoyed watching it.
Located at 1935 N. Damen Ave. is TRUCE Coffee + Cocktails that opened in May 2024. This is a neighborhood bar that opens in the morning for creative coffee and tea drinks along with bites including overnight oats, bagel sandwiches, pastries and wraps. I enjoyed a latte along with a bagel with cream cheese and a smoked salmon spread. In the afternoon and evenings, they have other bites along with wine and cocktails including several made with coffee. I look forward to going back and trying one of their creative cocktails. I initially went in February 2025 after reading that they were named a Semifinalist for the 2025 James Beard Awards for Best New Bar which is a major accomplishment for such a new establishment.
Located in Pilsen in the former Dusek’s space at Thalia Hall is, Mariscos San Pedro. It had been on my list to try, but after Chef Marcos Ascenio was named a Semifinalist in January 2025 for the James Beard Award Best Chef: Great Lakes, I made a point to go for brunch in February. The menu features seafood, tacos, oysters, tostadas and pastries. I particularly enjoyed my Baja fish taco and a yummy flan with a guava sauce. The dinner menu has some larger dishes. It is an attractive, colorful space with great service. 1227 W. 18th St.
In December 2024 I went to Katherine Anne’s Confections at 2745 W. Armitage. I read about it in The Infatuation as it was listed as one of the best places for hot chocolate in the city. It was a cold day, so I decided to drive over for lunch. This is a small, locally owned cafe featuring hand-made candies, marshmallows, hot chocolate, cookies, pastries, coffee drinks, salads and open face sandwiches. Opened in 2012, it has been featured in the New Times 36 Hours in Chicago in 2026, in Eater Chicago and on local television stations like CBS2. Fodors listed it at one of the 15 Best Places to Drink Hot Chocolate in America. They make all of their chocolates and candy and buy their bread from Publican Quality Bread and coffee from Factotum Coffee.
I enjoyed the staff and really loved my roasted turkey sandwich with Michigan cherry chutney, blue cheese mayo and Chicago-grown microgreens. The flight of hot chocolate was so tasty. They have several options, but I enjoyed the dark chocolate, hazelnut and salted caramel flavors. You have to stop by. They opened a second location and their kitchen in 2023 at 3653 W. Irving Park Rd.
A recent online search resulted in me finding Taureaux Tavern, downtown in the Loop at 155 W. Van Buren. This is a contemporary French bistro located behind the Chicago Board of Trade Building. I went for lunch and enjoyed eating on their outside patio. The food was excellent, as was the service. I loved the French onion soup and some pommes frites or fries with a garlic aioli. It opened in 2018.
Ballyhoo Hospitality, which also owns Gemini Grill, opened Petit Pomeroy in September 2024. This is a classic French bistro that is a sibling to Pomeroy in suburban Winnetka which I have enjoyed in the past. Petit Pomeroy has a warm, inviting space with a menu of traditional French dishes. I had a great French onion soup gratinée, mussels marinière, a yummy apple tart and a great French cabernet wine. 748 N. State St.
While visiting the Andersonville neighborhood after Thanksgiving 2024, I went to Hopleaf Bar after reading several great reviews. The New York Times rated it as one of the best restaurants in Chicago in August 2024. This is a local gastro pub, since 1992, with a large menu of Belgian bottled beer and beer on tap. It also has a Belgian-inspired food menu. I had to try the mussels and fries cooked in wit beer. They have several spaces including an outdoor patio during the warmer weather. I recommend that try it.
North of Hopleaf is Lady Gregory’s Irish Bar & Restaurant. This is a gastro pub known for its food and whiskey. My friend who I ate at Svea with said that she and her husband go often. I can’t wait to try it. The brunch menu looks great. They are also know for their fish and chips. I loved the warm atmosphere and the beautiful Christmas decorations. I then went for the first time in February 2025 with a friend and had a great experience. I tried the fish and chips and loved it. 5260 N. Clark.
Not to be missed is Cadinho Bakery & Café. After reading about it, I made a point to visit with a local friend. It is a Portuguese-style cafe opened by Alejandra Rivera and her husband Eric Carlson, after they lived in Portugal for two years. They have coffee drinks and pastries. But the highlight is the famed Portuguese Pastéis de Nata or flaky egg custard tarts. I had my first ones in Portugal which are also known as Pastéis de Belém. I had them again in the Newark NJ Ironbound or Portuguese neighborhood. They were excellent at Cadinho. You must try them!! We also enjoyed meeting Eric and learning about his story. It is located in McKinley Park just west of Bridgeport at 3483 S. Archer Ave.
The historic Ramova Theater in Bridgeport at 3520 S. Halsted, opened in 1929 as a sister theater to the Music Box Theatre in Lakeview. Closed for over 35 years, it underwent a $28 million renovation to convert it into an entertainment space, restaurant and brewery. It opened in late 2023. I went for brunch in October 2024 at the Grill & Taproom and enjoyed the shrimp and grits. I also tasted the Bridgeport Ale brewed onsite by Other Half Brewing. The Ramova offers special events, lectures, live music and more.
I also enjoyed trying Spacca Napoli Pizzeria, located at 1769 W Sunnyside Ave.in Ravenswood. Local friends had recommended it, and it had been on my list to try. I went with friends and enjoyed my dinner on the lovely outdoor patio. Opened in 2006, it specializes in Neapolitan-style thin-crust pizzas served in a rustic space. The menu also has pastas and salads. I really enjoyed the fig pizza with prosciutto. I recommend the experience. Reservations are accepted.
Just west of Ravenswood in Albany Park is Antepeli Mediterranean Grill at 4849 N. Kedzie. This is a Turkish restaurant near the corner of Lawrence Ave. I went for lunch with a local friend and enjoyed the food, atmosphere and the service. The staff were all from Türkiye. I loved my past trip to Istanbul and wanted to try the food. I enjoyed the babaganoush, lamb and chicken kabobs plus the traditional baklava. They also have a bakery where you can buy their baklava and other pastries.
In May 2024, Maison Marcel opened a French-inspired fine-dining restaurant called Le Petit Marcel, a few blocks away at 2914 N. Broadway. It has a menu of French favorites from French onion soup and mussels to steak frites and crème brûlee. They are now open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday. I went on a Sunday and enjoyed a French omelette with a salad and rich chocolate mousse. I tried my friend’s French onion grilled cheese sandwich which was excellent and tasted like you were eating French onion soup without the broth. It has a beautiful, traditional decor. I particularly enjoyed the brunch cabaret performance by a local singer and pianist who sang Broadway show tunes recommended by the diners.
Another new find for Southern cooking is Dawn A.M. Eatery at 1642 E. 56 St. This is a restaurant open for brunch, lunch and an early dinner featuring Southern cuisine. Opened in early 2024, I went in February 2025 after reading good reviews. It is a very attractive space that has a fun local vibe. I was impressed with the menu. I had some excellent shrimp and grits, while my friend enjoyed the fried catfish with two sides.
I have lists of new places to try. I will keep you updated as I go and explore.
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