Dining out: Bowling With the Stars at Pinstripes, wine dinners, new restaurants and more
We’ve got Bowling With the Stars at Pinstripes, new restaurants on the horizon and upcoming dinner events focused on whiskey and wine pairings. And if you’re into cider, the biggest tasting event of the year is coming to Chicago next month.
Winter wine dinner series
Main Street Social in Libertyville will hold its first luxury wine dinner of 2024 at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. The four-course meal will be paired with wines from Orin Swift Cellars. After a sparkling wine welcome, the 2021 Mannequin Chardonnay will be paired with spagetti allo scoglio, followed by the 2021 Papillon Red Blend and Duke’s sausage and peppers. A 2021 Mercury Head Cabernet Sauvignon will be enjoyed with Thor Hammer braised beef. Finish off the evening with the 2022 Eight Years in the Desert Zinfandel Blend paired with a chocolate tart for dessert. The dinner is $125 per person or $95 if you’re a member of the wine club, which can be joined at the dinner. The restaurant is located at 608 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Email pat@mainstreetsoc.com to attend. Call (847) 549-3490 for details.
Frozen outside and in
Not frozen enough outside for you? Grab the kids and head to Pinstripes for Bowling With the Stars with Anna, Elsa and your favorite Frozen friends from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19. Tickets are $20 each and include one hour of bowling and a free kids’ meal voucher. Minimum of four people per reservation, maximum of eight people per lane. Don’t want to be reminded of the cold? Superhero stars Spider-Man, Batman and more will be at Pinstripes Friday, Jan. 26. Make reservations at the Northbrook, Oak Brook or South Barrington locations at pinstripes.com.
Tropical tenders
Is the onslaught of winter getting to you, but you can’t get away to warmer climes? Head to Atlas Chicken Bartlett from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, for a tropical good time. Enjoy some tropical swag, munch on tenders and sip a piña colada slushie, with or without a shot of rum, while Matt Kiser plays the steel drums. Atlas Chicken Bartlett is located at 1048 Army Trail Road. (630) 855-3978 or atlaschicken.fun.
Alpine Fest
Buffalo Creek Brewing encourages you to embrace the cold and join them on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-27, for Alpine Fest. There will be lots of activities, winter games and warm fires in their outdoor Alpine Biergarten. Fork N Fry food truck will dish out winter comfort food like poutine, and there will be live music and games, drawings and contests inside the Alpine lodge. The free event takes place from 5-10 p.m. Friday and 4-11 p.m. Saturday. BCB is located at 360 Historical Lane in Long Grove. (847) 821-6140 or buffalocreekbrewing.com/.
Mangia, mangia
Italian eatery Davanti Enoteca will celebrate the grand opening of their new Lincolnwood location with a ribbon cutting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31. The Scott Harris Hospitality wine bar and restaurant serves contemporary twists on rustic Italian cuisine, with a rotating menu that features seasonal antipasti, pastas, insalate and more, with unique twists on classics like creamy mascarpone polenta, smoky whole roasted eggplant and the Davanti Burger. The fourth Davanti Enoteca is located within District 1860 at 4436 W. Touhy Ave. and joins locations in Naperville, Western Springs and San Diego, California.
Whiskey dinner
Whiskey lovers will want to head to Niche in Geneva for their High West Distillery dinner on Wednesday, Jan. 31, featuring a five-course menu paired with High West whiskies. The $150 per person event starts with High West Niche Single Barrel American Prairie whiskey paired with pain perdu. Course two features High West Campfire with sweet potato crusted cod, followed by High Country Single Malt whiskey and smoked andouille sausage with Brie cheese waffle. The fourth course pairs Prisoner’s Share with coffee- and malt-rubbed petit tender. For dessert, diners can enjoy Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 11 with dark chocolate silk pie. Doors open at 5:30 and dinner starts at 6 p.m. Call (630) 262-1000 for reservations. Niche is located at 14 S. 3rd St., Geneva.
Coming soon
Halsted Street Deli is scheduled to open another Naperville location next month at CityGate Centre at Route 59 and Ferry Road. Known for its “colossal two-handed sandwiches,” hot Italian sandwiches, wraps, bagel sandwiches and paninis, along with homemade soups, salads and breakfast items, Halsted Street Deli opened its original location in 1998. The new location on the first floor of CityGate is the fifth in Naperville and joins suburban restaurants in Aurora, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Lisle, Oak Brook, Rosemont, Schaumburg, Vernon Hills and Warrenville.
Plan ahead: Annual Cider Summit returns
The region’s largest cider tasting is back for a 10th year. Tickets are on sale now for Cider Summit Chicago, which takes place from 2-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, at Navy Pier’s Aon Grand Ballroom. Cider Summit Chicago will showcase over 150 ciders, meads and cider cocktails, including regional favorites and international classics. This year the event has added on a pre-opening Cider-Cheese-Charcuterie Tasting for $35 from noon to 1 p.m. Tickets for the main event, which is 21 and older, start at $35 for general admission and are available at CiderSummit.com.
• Email dining news to rwest@dailyherald.com.