A Taste of Tippling Hall

Mercadito Hospitality is the Energizer Bunny of restaurant groups, tirelessly fine-tuning and executive new dining and drinking concepts throughout Chicago and across the country. With such a strong presence locally, it’s easy to see why the company calls Chicago home, given its stable of Mercadito, Tavernita, Little Market Brasserie, and Mercadito offshoots like the just opened Mercadito Taqueria in the Loop and the soon-to-launch Mercadito Counter in River North. But first, a peek at one of the group’s most ambitious projects to date, an uber late night dining and drinking destination in River North: Tippling Hall.

The space is so named for Mercadito Hospitality partners and beverage industry impresarios the Tippling Bros., aka Paul Tanguay and Tad Carducci. The concept is to showcase libations alongside a globally inspired, drinking-friendly food menu. Chef/partner Guillero Tellez figuratively travels the globe with a mix of street food and comfort food, amassing an eclectic menu like no other.

The food menu is divvied into a variety of categories, starting with snacks and appetizers such as beer cheese fondue, flash fried shishito peppers, duck confit empanadas, and Moroccan-spiced mussels. Sandwiches include a pork carnitas torta and a banh mi made with roasted pork, pate, cucumber, pickled carrots, cilantro, and mint. There’s larger entrees such as vaca frita, a stir-fry of shredded beef, yucca, and garlic mojo; lamb short ribs with spicy Vietnamese BBQ sauce, and cabbage slaw; and grilled hamachi with edamame, ginger relish, and fingerling potato. And speaking of potatoes, there’s a lot of spuds represented on the menu, in the form of twice-baked potatoes, potato-mushroom gratin, and potato pancakes.

Look for Tippling Hall to premiere sometime this summer.

Tippling Hall
646 N. Franklin Street, Chicago
Website