Roots Pizza
Lovers of pie crust smothered in cheese, sauce and all their favorite toppings will enjoy hearing of the opening of Roots Pizza in Lincoln Square at 11 a.m. Dec. 19. This will be the second location of the pizza joint that Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner, co-owners of The Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, are opening in Chicago. (The first location opened in May 2011 in West Town at 1924 W. Chicago Ave.)
Roots specializes in a Quad City-style malt pizza crust that uses a dark-roasted brewer’s malt, for a slightly sweeter and nuttier taste than traditional crusts. Guests can choose from a number of pizza options, including The McDowell (seasoned ground beef, Quad Cities mozzarella blend (a low-moisture milk fat cheese), cheddar cheese, diced yellow onions, shredded lettuce and diced pickles); a BLT (Canadian bacon, chopped bacon, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, Roots secret housemade pizza sauce, Quad Cities mozzarella blend and with mayo on the side); specialty pizzas created by chefs in Chicago; or guests can choose to build their own.
Besides pizzas, the restaurant will sell appetizers (such as fried eggplant, fried shrimp and loaded hummus with your choice of spicy roasted red pepper puree, cilantro-lime chimichurri or sun-dried tomato paste served with a choice of crunchy pita chips or carrots, celery and cucumbers); salads (both housemade and build your own options); pastas (fettuccine, ravioli and lasagna); and other options.
The vast menu will include a Midwest-only beer list featuring 22 draft beers and nearly 100 bottles and cans. Breweries will include Revolution, Dark Horse, Half Acre, Greenbush, Moody Tongue and many others. If you’re not a beer drinker, wine, house and classic cocktails, spirits and nonalcoholic beverages are all available. A complete list of all beverages is available on the Roots website.
The Roots Lincoln Square location has 120 seats plus 22 bar seats. During the spring and summer, an outdoor sidewalk patio will be open. Hours of business will be Sundays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. A carryout option will be available at a later date.
Opens 11 a.m. Dec. 19, 2200 W. Lawrence Ave.; www.rootspizza.com; 773-433-5959.
Spotted Monkey
Latin and Asian cuisine? Oh my! On Dec. 8, chef and owner Amy Le opened her third restaurant focusing on Latin-Asian fare. (Her previous two locations were the DuckNRoll food truck and the Saucy Porka restaurant in the Loop.)
Her latest installation will showcase Asian- and Latin-inspired cuisine packed with flavor, taking inspiration from a variety of cultures throughout South America and other Latin and Asian countries.
Dishes will range from banh mi sandwiches, soups, rice bowls and appetizers to her signature bacos (bao-style tacos with choices of pork, shrimp, tofu, chicken or pork). Some of the offerings that reflect her inspiration from Latin and Asian cultures include a picadillo (a cumin-spiced ground-beef and potato stew, sweetened by raisins); phozole (a combination of a Mexican pozole and Vietnamese pho broth); and ropa vieja (slow-cooked beef in a mild chili-citrus sauce, shredded and served on jasmine-coconut rice with kimchi).
The restaurant will seat 30 people, and prices range from $8 to $13. Le said duck will return to her menu, down the line, for the first time since her food truck days. The restaurant will be open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on the weekends.
335 S. Franklin St.; www.spottedmonkeyeatery.com; 773-415-1786.
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Freshii: On Dec. 5, the health-casual food chain opened its 28th Chicagoland location at Navy Pier. Serving a variety of fresh food ingredients, Freshii continues to embark on its mission to sell health-conscious meals that are full of flavor. 600 E. Grand Ave.; www.freshii.com.
Gino’s East Lakeview: Known for its deep-dish pizza delights, the restaurant finally reopened its doors in Lakeview on Nov. 30. The pizzeria is open daily 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., serving everything from traditional thin-crust pizza, deep-dish options, salads, sandwiches, appetizers and other dishes. The Lakeview location has a BYOB option. 2801 N. Lincoln Ave.; www.ginoseast.com More Top Picks Best Canning Labels