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Ad Categories: Dining & Drinking

Three Big Piggies Go to Market

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Purple Hearts
Get ready to pig out. Scott Harris (Mia Francesca) and Jimmy Bannos (Heaven on Seven) (plus a third well-known chef who wishes to remain anonymous for now) are at work on The Purple Pig (500 N. Michigan Ave.), a Mediterranean “cheese, wine, and swine” spot. Bannos’s son, Jimmy Bannos, Jr.—a veteran of various Mario Batali places in New York (Esca, Lupa, Del Posto) for the past five years—will be the chef at the 65-seat Mag Mile spot on the ground floor of what some people know as…

Weekend Photos: Dead Celebrity Bike Bar Crawl

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Of all the dead celebrities in all the bars in the world, Chicagoans seem to have a penchant for blondes. Our photographer—who pedaled along on Saturday’s costumed pub crawl, which stopped at at The Long Room, Ravenswood Pub, and the Leadway (5233 N. Damen Ave.), among other local watering holes—points out the preponderance of platinum, from Anna Nicole to Di to Marilyn…

Weekend Photos: Roof at The Wit

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Friday’s gray forecast didn’t keep curious locals from flocking to Roof, the new indoor/outdoor bar on the 27th floor of The Wit Hotel with spectacular views of the Loop. Come happy hour, the place was all smiles—at least as long as the glasses were half full. Our photographer snapped the afterwork crowd living the high life…

Titillated Kilt

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I hadn’t planned on spending my Tuesday night staring at boobs. But I had planned to spend it drinking beer, and after a failed trip to Bronzeville’s newly opened, and seemingly newly closed, Swagger Lounge (5048 S. Prairie Ave.)—the door was boarded up; the lights were off; phone seems to have been disconnected; does anyone know what’s going on here?—I still wanted a pint. And in true Chaser style, I wanted it some place…

Weekend Photos: Theatro

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A riddle wrapped in mystery inside an enigma, the new West Loop club Theatro Ultra Lounge—originally slated to be called Veil, then just Theatro before owners settled on the current name—opened last Friday in the space formerly known as Reserve. Confused? We were, a little. Early adopters, however, seemed more intrigued than befuddled by the Eyes Wide Shut vibe, not to mention the scantily clad hostesses or the spot’s key feature, a “performance box” that hosted dancers, a contortionist, and a ballerina, among other…

A Happy-Hour Hideaway; Plus, Your Weekend To-Do List

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As soon as the temperature tops 65, I become obsessed with rosé. So, after polishing off an 80-degree Wednesday in the Loop, all I wanted was a dry, crisp glass. I pinned my hopes on Saluté, the new wine bar that opened last Thursday in the Gold Coast, and was disappointed: nary a glass or a bottle on the wine list. Luckily, I found a replacement to turn my pout into a happy pucker…

To the Shores of Napoli

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Little Italy, Big Oven
Nella Grassano, Spacca Napoli’s former pizzaiolo, is now working with Scott Harris (Mia Francesca) on a second Nella Pizzeria Napoletana at 1359 West Taylor Street (the old La Vita space)—and the pair haven’t even opened the first one yet. “I have so much trust in her golden fingers,” says Harris, who plans to open…