15 suburban eateries to watch for in 2019
Suburban foodies with a sophisticated palate for new and flavorful culinary experiences will have an eclectic choice of eateries for dining out next year. Here are some of the restaurants targeted to open:
Beatrix
272 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook, beatrixrestaurants.com/
Targeted opening date: First quarter of 2019
Specialties: “Healthy meets delicious” specials for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus specialty coffee, weekend brunch, fresh-squeezed juices, craft cocktails, and housemade pastries and desserts.
Details: This is the first Beatrix location in the suburbs, and the fourth in Illinois.
Burnsies Uptown
545 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, facebook.com/burnsiesuptown/
Targeted opening date: March/April 2019
Specialties: A modern take on small, urban deli/sandwich joints. The menu will feature freshly baked biscuits, bagels delivered daily from New York Bagel & Bialy, acai bowls and breakfast sandwiches, as well as deli/diner-style breakfast and lunch entrees and sandwiches. Nightly fare shifts to gourmet burgers and bar choices.
Details: John Durning, owner of Pizzeria DeVille a block south, and business partner Steve Burns, a corporate executive, plan to differentiate themselves with high-quality grab-and-go offerings not currently available downtown.
Caffe di Moda
1012 Burlington Ave., Lisle, caffedimoda.com/
Targeted opening date: Beginning of March
Specialties: Espresso Bar and Italian street food featuring coffee and espresso drinks paired with Italian pastries baked fresh daily. In the afternoons and evening, the restaurant will focus on porchetta sandwiches and varieties of focaccia and piadina.
Casa Rubi-os Mexican Kitchen & Bar
11900 Freeman Road, Huntley, (847) 669-8966, casarubi-os.com
Targeted opening date: Jan. 2
Specialties: Casa Rubi-os is a full-service Mexican restaurant and bar serving traditional Mexican specialties. It will be open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. On Fridays through Sundays, the restaurant will serve full American breakfasts as well as Mexican breakfast favorites until 11 a.m., switching to the regular lunch and dinner menu until closing hours.
Details: Longtime Huntley residents Patricia Rubio and her husband, Gus Espejel, who have 25 years of experience in the restaurant business and most recently owned and operated Rubi-os Café in Elgin, are launching this new venture.
Cattleman's Burger and Brew
205 S. Main St., Algonquin, (847) 343-2342
Targeted opening date: Jan. 1
Specialties: Casual dining, with moderate prices for comfort food in a rustic, family-friendly atmosphere. Specialty burgers are made with freshly ground hand-selected meats, hand-packed and charbroiled to order. The menu will offer salads, homemade soups and chili by the cup or bowl. The full bar will feature a variety of beers from local breweries, cocktails, and specialty whiskeys and bourbons.
Details: Tony and Angelic Bellino of Algonquin opened this rustic concept restaurant in 1973 and ran it for about 20 years before closing it. The couple recently bought the building where they will reopen the eatery. The restaurant will feature stained-glass windows and lighting with 100-year-old barnwood interior and bar made out of flooring from old railroad freight cars.
The Hampton Social
The Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington, thehamptonsocial.com
Targeted opening date: Spring/summer 2019
Specialties: East Coast-style seafood and beach-themed cocktails served in a restaurant known for its nautical decor and ivy-covered wall.
Details: Established in 2015, Hampton Social has locations in Burr Ridge and Chicago's River North and Streeterville neighborhoods. The restaurant is set to open two new locations this year in South Barrington and Skokie.
Manna Kitchen
2801 Ogden Ave., Lisle, facebook.com/mannakitchenchicago/
Targeted opening date: Early 2019
Specialties: A plant-based restaurant with international offerings to be helmed by chef Kadek Supartini.
Phat Phat
17 Roselle Road, Schaumburg
Targeted opening date: Spring 2019
Specialties: Chinese restaurant with reasonable portions and prices. Upper floor of building will serve as a mezzanine.
Details: Phat Phat will occupy a century-old building that previously housed the Easy Street Pub in Schaumburg's historic district near Town Square. The restaurant will be the second Chicago-area endeavor by the Indonesia-based Imperial Group, which opened Imperial Lamian - a chic eatery serving upscale, modern Chinese cuisine and artisanal, tea-infused cocktails - at 6 W. Hubbard in Chicago's River North area two years ago.
R. Urban Wine Bar & Cafe
4738 Main St., Lisle, (630) 956-1492, urbanwinelisle.com/
Targeted opening date: Spring 2019 (late March)
Specialties: Wines from around the world and wood-fired pizza
Details: Part of the R. Salerno Restaurant Group, R. Urban's menu will feature gourmet wood-fired pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and other small bites and shareable plates, plus wine pairings and a coffee bar.
Rascal Flatts Bar and Grill
The Arboretum of South Barrington, 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington
Targeted opening date: Later in 2019
Specialties: Italian cuisine with Southern fusion. Menu offerings will include homemade pasta dishes, Sicilian pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, soups, salads, appetizers, smoked brisket, citrus salmon and more. Live entertainment will feature Christian rock and country bands in a 7,000-square-foot stage and bar area with indoor and outdoor seating for about 450 patrons.
Details: This dining and entertainment venue is connected with popular country band Rascal Flatts.
Seoul Taco
206 S. Washington St., Naperville, seoultaco.com/
Targeted opening date: Late January or February
Specialties: Fast-casual Korean-Mexican street food. The menu will include burritos, tacos, gogi bowls and nachos built with Korean-inspired ingredients like gochujang pepper sauce, bulgogi steak and housemade kimchi. There also will be a selection of domestic beers.
Details: This will be Seoul Taco's seventh location in the Midwest and fourth location in Illinois (River North, Hyde Park and Champaign).
Shakou
Downtown Naperville, shakourestaurants.com/ or facebook.com/Shakou5/
Targeted opening date: Spring
Specialties: Trendy modern Asian fusion cuisine under the direction of executive chef Sang Choi. Highlights include inventive fare like the sushi boat appetizer, nigiri, sashimi, hot appetizers like the asparagus beef roll and seven spicy ahi, signature maki such as the Dragon Fire, sushi, beef/pork/chicken/seafood dishes, noodle bowls and more.
Details: This will be Shakou's sixth suburban location.
The Southern Cafe
511 N. Roselle Road, Roselle, thesoutherncafe.com
Targeted opening date: Late January or early February
Specialties: The Nasty Biscuit (buttermilk drop biscuit stuffed with crispy Southern fried chicken breast and topped with cheesy scrambled eggs and country gravy over hash browns), omelets, benny's, shrimp and grits, smothered pork chops, specialty pancakes, crepes, skillets, catfish, chicken fried chicken and much more.
Details: A mix of good old-fashioned Southern home cooking and a dash of culinary genius, the second location (the original is in Crest Hill) of The Southern Cafe will serve breakfast and lunch. Plus, it will offer a full juice bar, a specialty coffee bar and smoothies, and an outdoor patio is set to open in the warmer months.
302 Wheaton
302 W. Front St., Wheaton, 302wheaton.com/
Targeted opening date: Summer 2019
Specialties: Burgers and craft beer
Details: A family-friendly fast-casual roadside taphouse that will offer burgers, beer and a large outdoor patio.
Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza
23-127 W. Main St., West Dundee, woodfirebrickovenpizza.com
Targeted opening date: Mid-February
Specialties: Italian restaurant serving specialty wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, handmade and imported pastas, salads and appetizers. It will be open daily for lunch and dinner.
Details: Owners Joe and Anne D'Astice, operators of Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza in Rockford, bought the former Francesca's Campagna restaurant site with the vacant retail space next door earlier this year with the intention of opening a second location of Woodfire.