Monday, August 8
Taste some tequila during a paired dinner at Mercadito (108 W. Kinzie St., River North, 312-329-9555). Five courses of Jalisco-inspired cuisine will be matched to cocktails made with Clase Azul tequila. The $85 meal is available from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight—make a reservation by calling the restaurant.
If collaborative dinners are more your thing, Lula Cafe (2357 N. Kedzie Blvd., Logan Square, 773-489-9554) has a pretty enticing one tonight. The West Winds Dinner will be a team effort between Lula’s Sarah Rinkavage and Kelly Helgesen and Jessica Largey, late of Manresa in California. Reserve the five-course, $70 meal by calling the restaurant.
Take part in a coffee cupping at the Ipsento Roasting Lab (1955 N. Western Ave., Bucktown), where the coffee experts will be sampling some test brews from 6 to 7 p.m. Get $10 tickets here.
Tuesday, August 9
Can’t wait to check out forthcoming West Loop spot The Lunatic, The Lover & The Poet (736 W. Randolph St.)? Two staffers—beverage director Steve Corrow and head chef Erik Freeberg—will be popping up at CH Distillery (564 W. Randolph St., West Loop, 312-707-8780) to offer some cocktails and seasonal bites from 6 to 10 p.m.
Wednesday, August 10
Soak up the waning days of rosé season during a sampling event at Staytion Market & Bar (Renaissance Downtown, 1 W. Wacker Dr., Loop, 312-372-7200). From 5 to 8 p.m., the bar will have samples of summer-appropriate wines from Thienot.