![\"\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/72.png\")
<\/p>\n\u2014HAPPY PRIDE!\u00a0<\/p>\n
And now on to culinary items\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2014Queer pressure:\u00a0Avondale Italian-American restaurant\u00a0Void<\/a>\u00a0poked fun at Chick-fil-A<\/strong>\u00a0(which has an anti-LGBTQ+ history) during a pop-up in an effort to raise money for Brave Space Alliance, a South Side Black- and trans-led community organization,\u00a0The Advocate<\/a>\u00a0noted.<\/p>\n Void sold the sandwiches with nuggets and fries as part of its \u201cChick-Feel-Gay\u201d event. The restaurant pledged to donate 20 percent of the proceeds to Brave Space. The organization said in January that it was \u201cblindsided\u201d by the news a Chick-fil-A location would be opening in the same building as its office. CEO Channyn Lynne Parker told\u00a0Windy City Times\u00a0that \u201cwe respect the right of businesses to operate, but we also have a responsibility to our community to ensure that they feel safe, valued and supported, and Chick-fil-A\u2019s track record creates a level of understandable apprehension among the people Brave Space Alliance serves.\u201d<\/p>\n Chick-fil-A\u2019s profits have continued to fund efforts to block the Equality Act, which would update federal laws to protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination in employment, housing, education, credit and more.<\/p>\n SPOTLIGHT:\u00a0Beard and wonderful\u2014Last week, I mentioned two of\u00a0Chicago\u2019s James Beard winners<\/strong>\u2014but there were more. Just to remind you, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2025 America\u2019s Classics Award presented by HEINZ back in February\u2014and one of the restaurants honored was local iconic spot\u00a0Lem\u2019s Bar-B-Q<\/strong>, which represents the Great Lakes region.<\/p>\n However, there was another winner with a local connection: The film\u00a0Marcella<\/strong>\u2014a movie executive-produced by James Beard Award winner Art Smith that\u2019s about cookbook author Marcella Hazan, who\u2019s considered one of the top authorities on Italian cooking\u2014won in the category of Documentary Visual Media at this year\u2019s James Beard Media Awards. Congrats to everyone involved! (Also, Smith notified me that the same group did\u00a0Love, Charlie, about the late chef Charlie Trotter, that\u2019s currently on Netflix.\u00a0Marcella\u00a0is slated to air on PBS Masterpiece Theater on July 11 and will then also move to Netflix\u2014but don\u2019t confuse it with the three-season series with the same name.)<\/p>\n SPOTLIGHT:\u00a0KAMA Chameleon:\u2014This week\u2019s restaurant spotlight shines on\u00a0Kama<\/strong><\/a>, a Wicker Park spot that focuses on contemporary Indian cuisine. (There\u2019s also a LaGrange location that\u2019s been around for quite some time.)<\/p>\n Visit\u00a0SAVOR with Andrew<\/a>\u00a0to find out why some of Kama\u2019s items might be too hot to handle.<\/p>\n \u2014Pi not?: Another iconic spot is closing, as\u00a0My Pi is shutting down on June 29 (today!)<\/strong>, per Axios.<\/p>\n Its final location is in Bucktown, at 2010 N. Damen Ave. The deep-dish institution spread to up to 21 locations nationwide (and even some in Moscow), but after 44 years in the business, founder Larry Aronson\u2019s son Rich told the outlet, \u201cI\u2019m a little tired.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014\u201cCity\u201d life: River North Italian restaurant\u00a0Nonnina<\/a>\u00a0is offering a twist on the loyalty program with a 12-week program called\u00a0\u201cTiny Tinis & the City\u201d (reflected after \u201cSex & the City\u201d).<\/strong><\/p>\n Each week, Monday through Friday, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m., bring your punch card and get a free tiny martini (aka a \u201cTiny Tini\u201d) with any purchase. Collect 11 weeks of Tiny Tinis and, in week 12, you\u2019ll be rewarded with a regular-size martini, our Mr. Big Martini, on the house.<\/p>\n \u2014Gear shift: As the high-octane energy of the 2025 NASCAR Chicago Street Race returns to Grant Park on July 5\u20136, two local dining destinations\u2014Jake Melnick\u2019s Corner Tap<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0River Roast<\/a>\u2014are shifting into high gear with race-only menu specials as part of an elevated food and beverage experience curated by Levy.<\/p>\n Jake Melnick\u2019s will be offering \u201cThe Wingy City,\u201d which is made with a punchy blend of mustard, horseradish, vinegar and mayo, this special-edition wing is available only at the NASCAR event in Grant Park and at Jake Melnick\u2019s Streeterville location on July 5-6. <\/p>\n River Roast is offering a chopped turkey club sandwich served alongside house-made sea salt potato chips; available only during race weekend (July 5\u20136), this sandwich will be at both the Grant Park track and at River Roast.<\/p>\n \u2014Katz entertainment: Windy City Smokeout, the award-winning outdoor country music and BBQ festival, is hosting\u00a0a pop-up with the iconic Katz\u2019s Delicatessen<\/strong>\u00a0from New York City at\u00a0Bub City in River North<\/a>\u00a0on July 9 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.<\/p>\n Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy the Katz\u2019s Pastrami Sandwich along with pickles, steak frites and their choice of Dr. Brown\u2019s Soda while taking in live country music performances at Bub City. Guests will also have the chance to win passes to Windy City Smokeout, which takes place July 10-13 outside of the United Center.<\/p>\n![\"\u2728\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1751232728_646_72.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n![\"KAMA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/KAMA-sign.-Photo-by-Andrew-Davis.jpg\")
KAMA sign. Photo by Andrew Davis <\/p>\n![\"Nonnina's](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Nonninas-Tiny-Tinis.-PR-photo.jpg\")
Nonnina\u2019s Tiny Tinis. PR photo<\/p>\n![\"Jake](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Jake-Melnicks-Corner-Taps-_The-Wingy-City_-and-other-wings.-PR-photo-2-1.png\")
Jake Melnick\u2019s Corner Tap\u2019s \u201cThe Wingy City\u201d and other wings. PR photo<\/p>\n