There is a new entry in the Glencoe restaurant scene, with a menu likely appealing to diners looking for a quick and easy meal.
In January, Josh Kulp and Christine Cikowski opened Honey Butter Fried Chicken in the village’s downtown.
“We walked in the space,” Cikowski said. “It was so welcoming, bright and (we) saw its potential. We also walked around the downtown area and it feels like a small town even though it is a village.”
This is their second Honey Butter location as the original still operates in Chicago’s Avondale neighborhood after its 2013 opening.
“We open one every 10 years,” Kulp joked.
Close to two very formal restaurants, Kulp describes his restaurant as having as a “fast casual” menu highlighted by fried chicken pieces such as breast, thighs or drumsticks served with specialty honey butter. There is also a basket of chicken tenders alongside a variety of dipping sauces.
There are soft drinks for children and adults can have what Kulp pronounces as “front porch cocktails” such as a margarita, a gin fizz or a specialty lemonade mixed with bourbon.
“It is the kind of place that anybody can come in here and feel comfortable,” Kulp said.
He estimated a tab of about $15-20 per person, depending on what is ordered.
The restaurant is approximately 4,000 square feet with seating in several places. Kulp notes private parties can be accommodated and he expects to open a back patio when the weather warms up.
After opening in January, Kulp said they have served customers from throughout the North Shore.
“We wanted to be a in a suburb and try out our food and this community felt like the right spot with so many families,” he said. “Clearly there is a demand for this type of food that is casual but not just your typical fast food.”
The proprietors are taking over the Vernon Avenue local space previously occupied by Poppy Social, a pizza restaurant that shut down in June 2022.
“There are no sure things,” Kulp acknowledged. “We’ve been around for 10 years. You just don’t know. All we can do is put out great food and service and if we think we do that, people are going to be drawn to what we do.”
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Pete Kadens, the operator of Poppy Social, is a Honey Butter investor, Kulp said.
Village Manager Phil Kiraly noted there were many inquiries regarding Honey Butter ahead of its opening and expressed optimism about its future in Glencoe.
“I think they have a wonderful business model,” he said. “They are excited to be here and I think the community is frankly excited that they are here.”
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter with Pioneer Press.