Dining out: Oberweis and The Nutcracker, 7 Brew’s new holiday menu and more
Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy and The Joffrey Ballet are teaming up to celebrate the 10th anniversary of two-time Tony Award-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon’s “The Nutcracker” with a limited-edition ice cream flavor.
Nutcracker Peppermint Swirl, which features sweet sugar cookie ice cream swirled with a crimson peppermint ribbon, will be available at all Oberweis scoop shops as well as at Lyric Opera House Chicago during performances of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 5-28.
The new flavor will be available in four-ounce ice cream tubes and will be sold as individual treats by The Joffrey Ballet, and will be available as a three-pack at Oberweis locations and select grocery stores in December.
Stout season
It’s the most wonderful time of the year because it’s time for the annual release of Goose Island Beer Company’s Bourbon County Brand Stout lineup.
The 2025 roster hits shelves Friday, Nov. 28. This year’s lineup includes Bourbon County Brand Original Stout, as well as Cherries Jubilee Stout, Chocolate Praline Stout, Proprietor’s Stout, Double Barrel Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Stout and Parker’s Heritage Reserve Stout. For the first time, the Original Stout is available in 10-ounce four-pack bottles.
New Naperville restaurant
CRISP & GREEN, a fast-casual eatery known for its health-focused menu, has opened its second suburban location.
The new Naperville restaurant at 448 S. Route 59, Suite #108, joins Vernon Hills as the only Illinois outposts of the Minnesota-based company that has been expanding nationally since 2020.
The chef-crafted menu features made-from-scratch salads, wraps, grain bowls and smoothies with fresh ingredients. It’s open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Freshly minted
The Original Rainbow Cone is getting in the holiday spirit with six new peppermint-packed menu offerings.
Through Dec. 31, fans can get five layers of vanilla and mint chocolate chip ice cream stacked in their signature style and topped with crushed peppermint. Other peppermint offerings include a shake, cake, cookie sandwich and sundae. They’ve also added a pecan pie super sundae.
The 100-year-old ice cream shop has suburban locations in Bolingbrook, Darien, Glendale Heights, Gurnee, Kildeer, Lombard and Mount Prospect.
From pop-up to permanent
Five & Hoek Coffee opened Viva Café as a pop-up location in collaboration with Bien Trucha this summer in Geneva. The companies recently announced that the arrangement will become permanent. The location at 416 W. State St. will go by the name Five & Hoek Coffee and will continue their collaboration with neighbor Bien Trucha, offering their burritos and pastries in addition to Five & Hoek’s coffee and handcrafted beverages. Five & Hoek also has a suburban location in Wheaton.
Step aside, pumpkin spice
Had your fill of pumpkin spice lattes? 7 Brew’s holiday menu is out with new seasonal offerings.
Drink highlights include the pecan pie breve with salted caramel, Irish cream and the limited-edition almond roca flavoring; Santa’s cookie mocha with almond roca; a crème brûlée latte; a candy cane mocha; the Holiday Punch 7 Energy, an infused energy drink with blackberry and pomegranate flavors; and the Brew Frost 7 Fizz Soda, a blue raspberry, coconut and vanilla-infused soda.
7 Brew has suburban locations in Algonquin, Huntley, Lake Zurich and Naperville.
• Email dining events to rwest@dailyherald.com.