Opening
Get ready for some extreme ice cream. JoJo’s Milk Bar (23 W. Hubbard St.) opens for business on February 28. The River North comfort food spot features huge shakes and sundaes with elaborate garnishes and a menu of familiar dishes like pot pie, loaded waffle fries, and hamburgers.
Morsels
Bunny Bakery is coming back. The popular bakery by Iliana Regan, the chef behind Elizabeth and Kitsune, opened a few years ago, but it was short-lived. But last week, Regan launched a Kickstarter to reopen the spot, which operated out of Kitsune. Even more exciting (for a backer with deep pockets) are the rewards, which include chances to reserve the entire space of Kitsune or Bunny for you and a whole posse of your friends.
Capri’s Pizza, one of the oldest pizza spots in the city, burned to the ground on Sunday. The restaurant has been in business for more than 60 years and was destroyed, along with several other buildings, as part of a massive fire. No one was hurt, and the owners told ABC7 that they plan to reopen.
Chef Aaron Lirette, of the former, Michelin-starred restaurant GreenRiver, has left his most recent gig at Free Rein. I profiled the restaurant when it first opened and was pretty excited about it, but critics had somewhat mixed feelings. A new chef has yet to be announced, and Lirette hasn’t said what his next project will be.