Photo by Afroditi, courtesy of Osaka Nikkei
Since founders, restaurateurs and longtime friends Diego de la Puente and Diego Herrera opened Osaka Nikkei in 2001, the restaurant has garnered global acclaim for its seamless fusion of culinary traditions and unique dining experience. This year, the second U.S. outpost of the lauded Peruvian-Japanese dining concept is arriving in Fulton Market, bringing mouthwatering specialties like wasabi ceviche, braised short rib asado gyüdon, nigiri and crispy tumbo shrimp to Chicagoans. Located on the ground level of a 100-year-old former cargo storage facility, the restaurant will incorporate local ingredients and inventive adaptations that draw inspiration from the Windy City’s restaurant scene. Additionally, the 180-seat space will feature a Kero Bar social seating configuration to highlight a well-endowed craft cocktail program and DJ tunes. Leading up to its debut, the location will host a series of exclusive, pre-opening events, offering locals a preview of the cuisine, cocktail program and atmosphere. 1101 W. Lake St.
Iconic Gold Coast haunt Carmine’s is set to reopen in late 2025 following a multimillion-dollar renovation. A Chicago staple since 1974, the Italian restaurant will further its local legacy with a new look and a revitalized one-floor layout, featuring indoor dining, a new private dining room, indoor and outdoor bars, a sprawling terrace space and a total seating capacity for 366 guests. The eatery will boast an elevated terrace bar overlooking Rush Street, complete with a chic marble bar, high-top seating and a contemporary pergola with overhead lighting. Diners can enjoy the steakhouse specialties and Italian staples that have made the restaurant a fan favorite (signature stuffed mushrooms and premium butcher-cut bone-in ribeye, to name a few) while taking in the sleek, revamped environs. 1043 N. Rush St.
Fulton Market’s culinary mecca, Time Out Market, is preparing to welcome Hooligan, a new dining concept from acclaimed chef Christian Hunter, a Michelin Young Chef Award recipient and James Beard Award finalist. Hunter is set to debut a 50-seat seafood and wine bar by the end of the year, featuring a polished yet playful menu that highlights Midwest ingredients. Offerings include seafood-centric courses, such as dressed oysters with potato, soy and hen-of-the-woods XO sauce, peel-and-eat shrimp with barbecue sauce, bycatch albacore crudo with squash aguachile and pepita oil and smoked whitefish gumbo with chicken, rice, pickled onions and hot sauce. 916 W. Fulton Market
Award-winning bartender Katie Renshaw will soon unveil her first concept, Bar Bambi. Set to join West Town’s buzzy restaurant and bar scene between late 2025 and early 2026, the contemporary cocktail bar will merge modern mixology, innovative ingredients and a whimsical, ethereal atmosphere. Having left her mark on some of the city’s top cocktail destinations, from The Aviary to Moneygun, Renshaw will bring a prestigious pedigree and advanced approaches to the cocktail menu, delivering fresh renditions of classics like a lengthened martini reimagined as a highball and an old fashioned transformed into a clarified whiskey sour, elevated further with molecular techniques, fermentation, clarification and forced carbonation. The beverage program will also encompass spirit-free cocktails, a wine list featuring Champagnes and natural wines, a dedicated section of bubbly, carbonated drinks and an ever-evolving lineup of cocktails. High-end bar snacks will complement the menu, and the experience is enhanced by striking interior details from architecture firm Gensler, featuring eclectic textures, industrial elements and a showstopping electric statement light installation with adjustable tones and colors.
Acclaimed chef Thomas Carlin is set to open a farmer-driven dining concept with a wood-fired kitchen in Evanston. Formerly head butcher at Publican Quality Meats, chef de cuisine of Dove’s Luncheonette and member of the opening team at Galit, chef Carlin brings an accomplished pedigree and a versatile culinary skillset to Burl, his first restaurant venture. Here, he aims to spotlight the close-knit community of local farmers while showcasing unique seasonal ingredients. 2545 Prairie Ave., Evanston
A new concept from the newly-formed Tung & Cheek Hospitality Group of Derrick Tung, William Ravert and Tony Dezutter, is set to debut in January 2026. Positioned as a comfortable yet curated dive bar, the spot will take up residence at 2013 W. Division St. in Wicker Park, and will feature a selection of classic cocktails, plus wines, spirit-free selections and THC-ready-to-drink beverage options. Libations will be paired with between six to eight menu items, including highlights like crispy taters with black walnut aioli and chives, and “Girl Dinner,” consisting of a plate of in-house pickled vegetables, sliced bread with whole mustard and a dirty martini. 2013 W. Division St.
River North mainstay Schneider Deli is headed to Lincoln Park in early 2026, bringing the spot’s signature bites and locally roasted coffee and espresso program featuring Metropolis Coffee to a new, 1,750-square-foot setting. The deli’s second location will feature cult-favorite menu offerings, including hand-sliced pastrami and brisket with hot giardiniera peppers, latkes and matzo ball soup, as well as sandwiches, bagels and more. Helmed by husband-and-wife duo Jake and Ariel Schneider, the eatery has remained a Chicago institution since 2023, serving over 120,000 sandwiches at its 21-seat flagship in the Ohio House Motel. Lincoln Park
Common Decency’s vibrant, elevated older sister, Feverdream, will debut in Logan Square in spring 2026. Located in the former Thank You space, the restaurant will bring sophisticated plating, inspired cocktails and out-of-the-box ingredients into the limelight and onto its guests’ plates. Chef Mark Steuer, alongside his partners Kelsey Kasper and Jason Turley, has furthered Milkhorse Hospitality’s mission of incorporating dietary restriction-friendly menu offerings and providing sustainable employee support—including insurance, employee loyalty benefits and more—at the group’s latest culinary endeavor. 3152 W. Diversey Ave.
Photo courtesy of Matt Reeves
The husband-and-wife duo behind St. Charles’ The Graceful Ordinary, executive chef Chris Curren and Megan Curren, are back with their newest restaurant concept, Vicolo. The European-inspired cafe and pasticceria will feature Italian cuisine, handmade pasta and fresh-baked pastries in a 3,200-square-foot space. During the day, the dining destination will host live music, movie screenings and family-friendly performances. At night, a refined dining experience will be ushered in via craft cocktails and chef-curated menu offerings. 7 S. Broadway, Aurora
See also: The 23 Most Sought-After Reservations In Chicago
Dining and Cooking