2026 brings a wave of new restaurant and bar openings across Chicago and nearby Evanston, including projects from major hospitality groups and a large magic venue. Alley Cat will open at 2013 W. Division Street as a West Town dive bar from Tung & Cheek offering batch cocktails, beer-and-shot specials, canned beers, nonalcoholic wines, snack plates such as potato wedges with chives, and a playful "Girl Dinner" of pickled vegetables with bread and mustard, plus vintage-bookcase decor and a plant-lined Green Room for private events. Burl will open at 2545 Prairie Avenue in Evanston, led by Thomas Carlin and Rachel Canfora-Carlin, centering seasonal, globally influenced cooking around a wood-fired grill with meat and seafood sourced from regional purveyors.
"The team behind Paulie Gee's is stepping away from the ovens to debut a West Town dive bar. the Alley Cat, a new project from hospitality group Tung & Cheek (Derrick Tung, William Ravert, and Tony Dezutter), will feature a drink menu with batch cocktails, beer-and-shot specials, canned beers, and nonalcoholic wines. For food, the bar will serve snacks like potato wedges topped with chives and a playful "Girl Dinner" spread of pickled veggies with sliced bread, whole-grain mustard, and a dirty martini."
"Evanston is set to welcome Burl, a new restaurant opening in the old Coast Sushi & Sashimi space near the Central Street Metra station. Led by Thomas Carlin, formerly of Galit and Dove's Luncheonette, and his wife, Rachel Canfora-Carlin, the project will focus on seasonal and globally influenced cooking that's centered around a wood-fired grill. Diners can expect dishes that highlight meat and seafood sourced from local purveyors, reflecting Carlin's strong relationships with regional farmers."
Read at Eater Chicago
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]