City Provisions, a Chicago catering firm, recently expanded to open a retail shop selling handmade delicatessen items, fresh meat, rustic pastries, craft beer, spirits, wine, cheese and a few quirky grocery items.
The focus of the shop is food and spirits made by small producers, but the real excitement is in the delicatessen, where chef Cleetus Friedman revitalizes the Jewish deli with high-quality, updated versions of classic deli standards, and adds pork to the selection. Look for fresh takes on such Jewish deli standards as egg, tuna and shrimp salads, and potato latkes and knishes. Other enticing salads include quinoa, rosemary potato and roasted beet with caramelized onion and sunflower seeds. Salads are priced $6.25-$10 per pound.
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The deli fare isn’t limited to Jewish deli items. Every Wednesday, the shop receives a whole hog, which is then turned into pork liver pate, lardo (lard), cicciolli (an Italian-style terrine) and smoked ears and kidneys for dog snacks. You can buy deli meat by the pound ($9-$10) or as sandwiches ($8-$10) that come with house-made potato chips.
The fresh meat counter has an impressive selection of meats and poultry ($6 per pound and up), including fresh duck, lamb, pork, chicken and beef.
Hours: 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday; 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday; 1818 W. Wilson Ave.; 773-293-2489; cityprovisions.com