PERFECT FOR

Escaping the Chicago winter

START WITH

The Sicilian Swizzle, a bitter orange cocktail at the intersection of Italian and tropical

Joe Briglio and Lily Wang know a thing or two about creating a bar with a strong sense of place. Their first spot, Nine Bar in Chinatown, topped our list in 2023, and now they’re back with Cara Cara Club, a collaboration between them and Wade Hall McElroy and Jeff Donahue of Ludlow Liquors. The bar taps into an escapist feel, with a menu that cleverly combines Italian aperitivo and tropical influences. Bar manager Olven Yu delivers on that premise: Sipping the Sicilian Swizzle releases the same endorphins as booking a ticket to Palermo in February, while a perfected blend of European and American bitters makes Cara Cara’s mezcal Negroni my favorite version of that drink. The bar opens early on weekends, and the space is breezy by day, then transitions into dark and inviting by night. Both ambiences are just right for hunkering down over cocktails in the cold season. 2545 N. Kedzie Blvd.