Violet Hour
This cocktail lounge in the Wicker Park neighborhood is nearly hidden, marked only by a single sconce and a poster-plastered door. Owner Toby Maloney stocks his bar with house-made bitters and infused liquors to mix classic cocktails as well as signature drinks like the Juliet & Romeo with Beefeater gin, mint, cucumber and rose water. There’s also a menu of upscale bar snacks, including brandade fritters and caramelized onion dip made with crème fraiche and served with chips.
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From Food & Wine , MAR 2008
This unmarked spot became Chicago’s cocktail mecca the second it opened this past summer....MORE
From Food & Wine , JUL 2010
Dim lighting, fashionably disheveled bartenders and country music encourage down-and-dirty drinking of highbrow and lowbrow beers. But there are also exceptional cocktails by Violet Hour mixologist...MORE
From the From the May 2008 Food & Wine Go List
Local chefs hang out at this casual spot for chef Keith Endo’s modern Italian cooking and a glass of whatever master sommelier Chuck Furuya has recently discovered, like a 2006 Cavallotto Langhe Bianco from Italy.
We loved: Braised pork with cavatelli.
Insider tip: Many of the best wines aren’t on the list (there are only two Barolos in the book, though there are 70 in the cellar), so get recommendations.
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