Openings

DMK Restaurants has added a hot dog spot to its roster. Goldie’s Hot Dogs (600 E. Grand Ave.) is now open on Navy Pier, right next to two of the restaurant group’s other eateries, Fish Bar and DMK Burger Bar (the source of one of my favorite burgers). It’ll offer Chicago-style dogs (of course), as well as Italian and Polish sausages and brats.

Prosecco (710 N. Wells St., River North) has reopened after an extensive renovation. The Italian restaurant boasts a new bar, a new wine cellar, and a new menu. The makeover celebrates a very special milestone: 10 years of being in business.

Morsels

I’m a little bit obsessed with Farmer’s Fridge (if you’re not, you probably haven’t eaten from one of these salad kiosks). The company just announced that it’s going to source bread from Publican Quality Bread—a big win—and add additional locations inside CVS and Walgreens locations. More great salads for everyone!

If you’re a fan of Girl and the Goat (809 W. Randolph St., West Loop), book your plane tickets, because the uber-popular Chicago restaurant is heading to LA. It’s not opening until 2019, though, so you have time to shop around for the best flights. The outpost will represent Chef Stephanie Izard’s first restaurant outside of Chicago.

Here’s some good news with some bad news. The Blanchard has closed after a very impressive start, but then it underwent some chef changes that were hard to recover from. Kuma’s has also closed its Lincoln Park location. But the classic Diner Grill (1635 W. Irving Park Rd., Lake View) will rise from the ashes after a horrible fire—its owners are just waiting for inspections.

How about a couple of great new happy hour specials? Head to St. Lou’s Assembly (664 W. Lake St., Fulton River District) every weekday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. for $2 “lawn mower” beers you can pair with $5 fried smelts (yum!) and apple ’n’ cheddar hush puppies. BLVD (817 W. Lake St., West Town) has launched a new happy hour with $8 oysters Rockefeller and deviled eggs, plus wines and cocktails. The deal’s on from 5 p.m. to 6.30 p.m., every Sunday through Thursday.

Pastoral is hosting a hell of a cheese party, and you’re invited. On June 22, its Andersonville location hosts “European Invasion: Masters of Cheese." Kicking off at 6:30 p.m., the event features stations with different acclaimed cheeses from Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands; plenty of cheesemakers to learn from; a full wheel of Cravero Parmigiano-Reggiano; and delicious appetizers. A ticket will only cost you $20. Wine pairings, if you want them, are available for an additional $30.