Superdawg Drive-in plans to serve its beer at Wheeling location

Superdawg fans soon may be able to pair their favorite drive-in foods with the restaurant's brand-name craft beer at the Wheeling location.

Superdawg Drive-in wants to serve cups of beer and six-packs to go starting this spring. While the beer is available in liquor stores throughout the Chicago area, neither the Chicago nor Wheeling restaurants serve it.

That could change soon. Wheeling plan commission members gave the restaurant owners the go-ahead Thursday, and a liquor license could be approved in April.

"I think it's a great idea," Commissioner Jeff Creech said. "I'm looking forward to having a cold beer with my hot dog when I visit your establishment."

The family-owned restaurant, celebrating its 70th anniversary, also has plans to sell Superdawgs and Whoopskidawgs in grocery stores throughout Illinois. The meats will be available across Illinois and won't be exclusive to any one grocery store chain, owner Scott Berman said.

"We know how popular Superdawg is and we know how popular the beer is, so it all works out very well," Berman said.

Since 2014, Superdawg Drive-in has partnered with Lake Effect Brewery Co. to brew its own recipe of craft beers, including SuperBier (kolsch-style), Whoopskibier (amber German-style ale), Superdawg 1948 IPA and SuperShake (chocolate malt-inspired stout).

"The beers have been widely received," Berman said. "They sell out very quickly in local stores."

The Wheeling location would be the only place to get the beer in the area. Beer would be sold at the indoor dining room or walk-up counter, not the drive-in or drive-through window.

Berman said he intended to restrict retail beer sales to south of its Chicago restaurant at 6363 N. Milwaukee Ave., which will help drive traffic to the Wheeling location.

The Chicago location will not sell beer because the building doesn't have enough dining or storage space. Customers are allowed to bring their own beer or wine to that location.