Dining out: March Madness specials, a new Moretti’s and more

Now that everyone has picked a perfect March Madness bracket that definitely won’t get busted on the first weekend, it’s time to find a place to enjoy the games while taking advantage of tasty specials.

March Madness

Bracket hopes spring eternal as March Madness kicks off this week. Suburban restaurants are welcoming hoops fans to watch all the action while enjoying food and drinks specials.

• Both City Works Eatery & Pour House, with locations in Vernon Hills and Schaumburg, and sister concept Old Town Pour House (in Oak Brook and Naperville) are inviting hoops fans to watch the games while digging in to Starch Madness, a limited-time menu item featuring house fries with pimento cheese gravy, smoked brisket, cheese curds, Fresno chilies, pickled red onion and green onions.

The restaurants are also bringing back fan favorite the Final Fourange, a boozy Orange Crush cocktail crafted with Ketel One Oranje, triple sec and a mix of citrus flavors garnished with basketball-themed cocktail sticks and an orange peel.

• Fatpour Tap Works in Lincolnwood is offering eight special burgers and beer bucket specials throughout the tournament. The burger madness includes the Angry Adam, topped with a crab cake, mango pico de gallo, avocado and chipotle mayo; the WTF Burger, which features waffle-battered chicken breast buns, grilled burger, American cheese, bacon, over easy egg, fried onion strings and habanero-infused maple syrup; and the Jala @ Ur Boyga with American cheese, bacon, fried jalapeño, mayo, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle and a fried egg. Bucket specials include domestic beer with five bottles ($25) or 10 bottles ($45) and NUTRL buckets ($30 for five cans, $50 for 10).

• The Budlong Southern Chicken in Oak Brook is offering 20% off orders of $35 or more during March in-store and online (use code MADNESS when ordering). Wing It On! in Lombard has the same offer all month.

Help pediatric cancer patients

You can help the fight against pediatric cancer during Jersey Mike’s annual “Day of Giving” Wednesday, March 26.

All 81 Chicago-area locations of the sub shop will donate 100% of their sales on that day to Cal’s Angels, a nonprofit foundation with a mission of granting wishes for pediatric cancer patients as well as raising awareness and funding research to fight pediatric cancer.

It’s part of the 15th annual Month of Giving campaign for Jersey Mike’s, where customers will have the option to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar or donate $1, $3 or $5 when placing their order to benefit Cal’s Angels’ initiatives. Jersey Mike’s corporate will match up to $1 million for all funds raised during the Month of Giving.

New Moretti’s opens in Wheeling

Moretti’s Ristorante & Pizzeria opens their new Wheeling location Thursday, March 20, at 365 W. Dundee Road in the Wheeling Town Center. It’s the 13th location for the family-owned, Chicago-area chain that serves Chicago-style thin and deep-dish pizza and a variety of more than 75 family recipes.

Specials at the new Wheeling restaurant include: Happy Hour from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday featuring $8 pizzas, half-price featured apps and beer, and wine and cocktail specials starting at $3.50; $11.99 for dine-in lunch combos; a Monday takeout special with 40% off a large one-topping thin-crust pizza; and half-price pizza Tuesdays for dine-in and take out (restrictions apply).

The new location seats over 200 in the dining room and bar area, plus offers a large patio garden, after-dinner entertainment, and take out, delivery and private party services.

Happy Anniversary

Brother Chimp Brewing in North Aurora is continuing to celebrate its five-year anniversary this weekend. Food trucks and live music include Chuck’s Wood Fired Pizza from 5-8 p.m. and music from Cheryl Rodey from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Good Omen Gyoza from 3-7 p.m. and Dave Ramont & Noah Gabriel from 6-9 p.m. Saturday, and Cousins Maine Lobster from noon to 6 p.m. with music by Ernie Hendrickson from 2-5 p.m. Sunday. They’ll be pouring the long-awaited Ludwig, the gold medal winner in the 2024 World Beer Cup, and a new Imperial Coffee Porter in addition to other offerings.

Learn to make your own pizza

Tievoli Pizza Bar in Palatine is taking its expertise on the road to Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village for a hands-on pizza-making class Wednesday, March 26. Guests will learn how to stretch dough, choose toppings and bake their own handcrafted pizza while picking up pro tips. The event, which starts at 5 p.m., is $25 and includes all ingredients plus the pizza you make. Reservations can be made at Eventbrite.

• Send dining events to rwest@dailyherald.com.