Game On at Baseball-focused Bars and Restaurants
Baseball season is nearly upon us, one of the key forebears of warmer days to come and increased cravings for stadium-adjacent dining. Regardless of your team loyalty, everyone’s a winner when sports-friendly foods are served in restaurants within a baseball’s pitch of the stadium. In anticipation of the April 5 season opener for Major League Baseball, here’s this year’s report on baseball dining in Chicago.
In Wrigleyville, Stretch Bar & Grill is rolling out a new spring and summer menu just in time for the first pitch of the season. Appropriately, American comfort food is the focal point of the menu, presided over by chef Jim August. Dishes include the Cortland Street Burger with white cheddar, bacon, avocado, crispy onion strings, lettuce, tomato, and mayo;, short rib chili nachos; the Babe sandwich with a Guinness-simmered Sheboygan-style brat, caramelized onions, and whole-grain mustard on a pretzel roll; and the Lou, a plate of buffalo-style chicken with bacon, carrot, celery, Gorgonzola cheese, crispy tortilla strips, and Dijon-ranch dressing.
St. Louis expats, take heed: there’s a new Cardinals-loyal bar just for you. Recently opened Tavern on Little Fort is a welcoming bastion for Midwestern baseball lovers of all kinds, especially those who enjoy baseball-viewing with a side of shrimp and grit fritters, fried Brussels sprouts, pork-packed nachos, lamb burgers, and avocado tortas. In celebration of opening day on April 5, the bar invites guests to attend a tailgate at 3:00 pm and one-way trolley ride to Wrigley Field for the Cubs vs. Cardinals game.
One brand new fixture in Wrigleyville this year is Heating & Cooling, a pizza pub and music venue set to launch on opening day weekend. The bar and restaurant has well established clout behind it too, as owner Adolfo Garcia has already proven his mettle at Pearl Tavern, with Son Of A Butcher on the way in Logan Square. It’s a partnership between Garcia and hospitality group maven Carmen Rossi of Hubbard Inn and Barn & Company. Together, they’re well-versed in hospitality, food, drinks, and crowd-pleasing service. Whole thin-crust pies and pizza by the slice will be on deck at Heating & Cooling, including specialty varieties like the Sour Pig with slow-roasted pulled pork, pickled onion, and sour cream; and the House slice with fresh sausage and capicola, arugula, lemon juice, and olive oil. Craft beers, appetizers, and salads round out the menu. Live music and musical decor is another focal point of the venue, showcasing the work of famed music photographer Paul Natkin.
Stretch Bar & Grill
3485 N. Clark Street, Chicago
(773) 755-3980
Website
The Tavern on Little Fort
4128 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
(773) 360-1869
Website
Heating & Cooling
3530 N. Clark Street, Chicago
(773) 775-8226
Website
