SOUTH LOOP — Three new restaurants in the South Loop are offering everything from craft cocktails to oatmeal bowls. Here’s where to go and what to know:
Vitalogy on Dearborn
The South Loop’s newest watering hole opened in early June at 723 S. Dearborn St.
The bar’s name is a nod to Pearl Jam’s classic 1994 album and an early 20th-century health and wellness encyclopedia printed at the printing press once housed there. The name came easy to proprietors Jennifer Wilson and James Shields, who moved to the South Loop from New York and Washington, respectively, and wanted to open a laid-back neighborhood space with small bites and craft cocktails.
Pub fare includes roasted nuts and chickpeas ($6) and a charcuterie board ($16-$28) and drinks like the Maester’s Study ($18) and The Magnificent Miel ($18).
The Maester’s Study, one of several craft cocktails on the menu at Vitalogy on Dearborn in the South Loop. Credit: Provided.
Southern Chicago
Owners Xavier Vance and Troy Vivrett celebrated the grand opening of their highly anticipated eatery, 2000 S. Wabash Ave, last month and are now taking reservations.
The restaurant offers elevated Southern cuisine, from small bites like shrimp and caviar deviled eggs to dishes like the Barrel Aged Maple Fried Chicken. The menu is an homage to the duo’s Tennessee and Mississippi roots.
Opening the Southern has been a labor of love for Vance and Vivrett, who conceived the concept during the early days of the pandemic and had planned to open Labor Day 2023.
Pure Green Juice + Smoothies
The juice chain will soon open another South Loop location, this time at 1212 S. Michigan Ave.
The “handcrafted, made-to-order” smoothies come in a variety of flavors, from Skinny Coco to Blue Banana. Acai bowls, steel-cut oatmeal bowls, Superfood Toasts and cold-pressed juices round out the menu.
Pure Green has 10 other locations in the Chicago area, including Fulton Market and the Gold Coast.
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