🍽 ON THE PLATE
The L Station Chophouse is open in Old Town. The Patterson family — who built a following with their soul food–inflected gastropub in the Loop — just opened a second concept at 455 W. North Ave, right off the Sedgwick Brown Line stop. This one goes a different direction: Prime and Wagyu steaks, seafood flown in daily, a Miami-meets-Chicago chophouse energy. Buildout just finished in the former Black Barrel Lounge space. The original L Station at 186 N. Wells is a family affair — Le'Roy Patterson's mother manages the room — and this expansion feels like a bet on the neighborhood. Worth a look if you like your steak with a backstory. (@thelstation.chi)
Hattie B's is already expanding. The Nashville hot chicken chain opened in Wrigleyville in late February and is already planning two more Chicago locations — River North at 58 E. Ontario St. and Wicker Park at 1542 N. Damen Ave., both expected to open later this year or by early 2027. The Wicker Park move means Urbanbelly will close its location there. If you haven't been to the Gallagher Way spot yet: the sandwich is legit, the spice levels are real, and the patio is going to be a scene once Cubs season heats up.
📅 MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Spring Egg-Stravaganza at Lincoln Park Zoo this Saturday. The annual Easter egg hunt returns April 4 with carousel and train rides, face painting, photo ops with the Easter Bunny, and mimosas for the adults at Park Place Café. Arrive early. It's free, it's the zoo, and it will be packed. lpzoo.org
Lincoln Park Uncorked: Armitage–Halsted Wine Stroll is May 7. The LPCC's spring wine walk returns — sip your way through shops and restaurants on Armitage and Halsted from 6 to 9 p.m. Curated wine selections and light fare from Lincoln Park eateries. This one sells out. Tickets and details at lincolnparkchamber.com/uncorked. 21+ only.
🌿 GET OUTSIDE
Pause Wellness Studio just filed at 1650 N. Wells. If you've been to one of the Pause locations in LA or Dallas, you know the concept: infrared saunas, cold plunges, float tanks, IV drips, compression therapy — the full recovery-wellness playbook under one roof. The brand describes itself as a "one-stop-wellness" studio for busy schedules, and this Wells Street address puts it squarely in Old Town's fitness corridor. No opening date yet, but the franchise is expanding fast nationally. Watch for construction.
🏗 PERMIT DESK
2724 N. Lehmann Court just got its full building permit. Contemporary Concepts will build a five-story, 19-unit apartment building with zero parking spaces and 20 bike parking spots, designed by Studio Dwell Architects. The ZBA approved a batch of variances including eliminating all required car parking (transit-served location near the Diversey Brown Line), increasing height to about 52 feet, and reducing setbacks on three sides to effectively zero. The unit mix is nine one-beds and ten two-beds with a shared rooftop deck. This is the site just south of the Inn at Lincoln Park, which is being separately converted into 40 apartments by Validus Capital. That whole stretch of Lehmann at Diversey is about to look very different.
See you next Friday — The 60614