A sample menu item from Nic & Junior’s, set to arrive in River North this spring
Chicago’s flourishing restaurant scene will welcome an array of long-anticipated restaurants this year, bringing flavors from across the globe to your neighborhood.
1001 W. Washington Blvd. / Website
Calling all Grateful Dead fans: A homage to Jerry Garcia is arriving in the West Loop later this month. A restaurant, bar and concert venue in one, Garcia’s is the latest venture from concert promoter Peter Shapiro, who first announced the concept in 2019. The space came to life via a collaboration between Shapiro’s concert promotion company, Dayglo Presents and Garcia’s family estate. The team has called upon executive chef Ivy Carthen, a Chicago native formerly of Last Call Tavern Group, and development firm Lowder-Tascarella Hospitality to design the menu, which pays tribute to Garcia’s favorite foods and draws inspiration from Deadhead meccas, including San Francisco and Spain. Culinary offerings are anticipated to include buttermilk-brined fried chicken, cod, milkshakes and globally inspired favorites like Jerk chicken sliders.
405 N. Wabash / Website TBD
James Beard Foundation Award nominee Junior Borges is opening a globally influenced dining concept set to arrive in River North this March Nic & Junior’s will serve everything from housemade pasta to contemporary Brazillian fare, drawing from Borges’ background as the former executive chef of Brazillian fine dining destination Meridian and his current role as chef-partner for Austin-based Excelsior Hospitality, which includes overseeing the culinary programs at Northern Italian restaurant Juniper and Italian eatery Uncle Nicky’s. Nic & Junior’s is Borges’ first concept as chef and owner, an endeavor he is working on alongside Nicholas Yanes, owner of the Excelsior Hospitality group. The restaurant will feature a bar area, a la carte menu offerings and a raw bar, plus a 30-seat dining room with a six-course prix fixe menu. The beverage program, helmed by award-winning mixologist Travis Tober, will encompass craft cocktails, curated wine pairings and more.
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3152 W. Diversey Ave. / Website
Common Decency’s vibrant, elevated older sister, Feverdream, will debut in Logan Square this year. Located in the former Thank You space, the restaurant will bring sophisticated plating, inspired cocktails and out-of-the-box ingredients into the limelight and onto its guests’ plates. Chef Mark Steuer, alongside his partners Kelsey Kasper and Jason Turley, has furthered Milkhorse Hospitality’s mission of incorporating dietary restriction-friendly menu offerings and providing sustainable employee support—including insurance, employee loyalty benefits and more—at the group’s latest culinary endeavor.
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531 N. Wells St. / Website
A River North neighborhood pizzeria and tavern from Boka Restaurant Group will open on the corner of Grand and Wells this spring, featuring an Italian-inspired culinary program from Boka Restaurant Group chefs Chris Pandel (Swift & Sons, Cira and Swift & Son’s Tavern) and Lee Wolen (Boka, Alla Vita and GG’s Chicken Shop). Zarella!’s menu will include an ever-evolving menu of specialties, fresh salads, entrees, small bites and tavern-style and artisan pizzas, including a range of specialty pies (also available with a gluten-friendly crust) with flavors like spicy vodka with Calabrian chili and mozzarella; carbonara with pancetta, pecorino and egg; and Italian sausage with giardiniera, oregano and mozzarella.
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1043 N. Rush St. / Website
Iconic Gold Coast haunt Carmine’s is set to reopen this spring following a multimillion-dollar renovation. A Chicago staple since 1974, the Italian restaurant will further its local legacy with a new look and and a revitalized one-floor layout with indoor dining, a new private dining room, indoor and outdoor bars, a sprawling terrace space and a total seating capacity for 366 guests. The eatery will boast an elevated terrace bar overlooking Rush Street, complete with a chic marble bar, high-top seating and a contemporary pergola with overhead lighting. Diners can enjoy the steakhouse specialties and Italian staples that have made the restaurant a fan favorite (signature stuffed mushrooms and premium butcher-cut bone-in ribeye, to name a few) while taking in the sleek, revamped environs.
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11 W. Illinois St. / Website
A new dining concept from chef Justin Vaiciunas and Michael Mauro of Detroit-based restaurant group Canvas Hospitality is set to debut in River North this spring. Dubbed LIA (short for “Life Imitates Art”), the restaurant will offer a unique and immersive experience that merges food and art, featuring installations from local artists, globally inspired shareable plates and a constantly evolving tasting menu inspired by artists in residency. LIA’s anticipated opening follows the debut of The Jackson, a joint venture from the duo in Rochester Hills, which was recently selected as one of Detroit News’ Best New Restaurants for its inventive plating, exceptional service and incorporation of fresh, seasonal ingredients. In addition to featuring the work of the area’s acclaimed artists, LIA will also showcase a sprawling, Jackson Pollock-inspired 62 by 7.5-foot canvas painting crafted by Vaiciunas and Mauro themselves.
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700 N. Clark St. / Website
Ambar, the Michelin-recognized restaurant from Street Guys Hospitality, is set to arrive in River North this spring, bringing fresh interpretations of classic Balkan dishes to the local dining scene. Taking over the former Etta space, the 5,300-square-foot eatery will exist as its first outside of Washington, D.C., which currently houses three locations. The dining destination will feature the hospitality group’s signature Dining Without Limits experience, with 30 signature dishes offered for one set price, including slow-cooked courses from Northern Serbia, grilled meats from Southern Serbia and fresh seafood from Montenegro and Croatia.
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Location TBD / Website
Chef Jenner Tomaska, Scott Weiner and Greg Mohr have joined forces to debut The Alston, a classic American steakhouse that will combine high-caliber Midwestern ingredients and French Nouvelle cuisine. Set to open this spring, the restaurant will feature tableside service, including bread and cheese carts, along with Chef Jenner’s inventive rendition of a Duck a la Presse carved tableside, with sauces prepared and cooked in front of guests. In addition to a 350-seat dining room, the space will house a Champagne bar, a private terrace and private and semi-private dining spaces. The restaurant will also feature an invitation-only members’ club, which grants exclusive access to chef collaborations, curated partnerships, bespoke events and other unique experiences.
Chris and Megan Curren
7 S. Broadway, Aurora / Website TBD
The husband-and-wife-duo behind St. Charles’ The Graceful Ordinary, executive chef Chris Curren and Megan Curren, are back with their newest restaurant concept, Vicolo. Opening this spring, the European-inspired cafe and pasticceria will feature Italian cuisine, handmade pasta and fresh-baked pastries in a 3,200-square-foot space. During the day, the dining destination will host live music, movie screenings and family-friendly performances. At night, a refined dining experience will be ushered in via craft cocktails and chef-curated menu offerings.
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Location TBD / Website
Friends and hospitality industry veterans chef John Asbaty and restaurateur Alain Uy have joined forces to unveil a new addition to Lincoln Park’s buzzy dining scene. Set to open this summer, Brick & Mortar will offer a fresh take on classic Midwestern fare, incorperating locally sourced ingredients, comfort food staples, a wood-burning hearth and a curated beverage list with spirits, craft beers and wines from the Midwest. Ideal for gatherings of all kinds, the restaurant will feature lounge seating, booths, banquettes and a private dining room inspired by a kitchen library. The eatery’s namesake reflects the pair’s mutual foundation in the Windy City and their journey together—from initially meeting at Evanston’s Trio in 2003 to collaborating on the launch of the Restoration Hardware hospitality program alongside Brendan Sodikoff, including the 2015 opening of the Gold Coast’s 3 Arts Club Café.
Chef and partner Thai Dang
Address TBD / Website
Renowned chef and owner of Pilsen’s James Beard Award-nominated HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen, Thai Dang, is unveiling his first restaurant concept with Lettuce Entertain You, anticipated to open in the summer months of 2025. Crying Tiger will offer Southeast Asian dishes in a resplendent atmosphere, designed in collaboration with acclaimed interior architecture practice David Collins Studio—the team responsible for Tre Dita and the St. Regis Chicago’s iconic atmospheres.
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1101 W. Lake St. / Website
Since founders, restauranteurs and longtime friends Diego de la Puente and Diego Herrera opened Osaka Nikkei in 2001, the restaurant has garnered global acclaim for its seamless fusion of culinary traditions and unique dining experience. This year, the second U.S. outpost of the lauded Peruvian-Japanese dining concept is arriving in Fulton Market, bringing mouthwatering specialties like wasabi ceviche, braised short rib asado gyüdon, nigiri and crispy tumbo shrimp to Chicagoans. Located on the ground level of a 100-year-old former cargo storage facility, the restaurant will incorporate local ingredients and inventive adaptations that draw inspiration from the Windy City’s restaurant scene. Additionally, the 180-seat space will feature a Kero Bar social seating configuration to highlight a well-endowed craft cocktail program and DJ tunes. Leading up to its debut, the location will host a series of exclusive, pre-opening events, offering locals a preview of the cuisine, cocktail program and atmosphere.
See also: The 17 Most Sought-After Reservations In Chicago
Photography by: Photos of Crying Tiger courtesy of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants; photo of Zachary Engel and Andrés Clavero by Brian Cassella; photo of Vicolo courtesy of Matt Reeves; photo of Nic & Junior’s courtesy of Junior Borges
