Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, runs from Dec. 14-22 this year, chasing away the winter chill with nightly candle lighting and hearty meals with an emphasis on fried food. Restaurants and bakeries throughout the Chicago area are making celebrating easier by serving up traditional holiday fare such as latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (fried jelly doughnuts) for dine-in or as part of to-go packages for gatherings at home. Order ahead to get all your favorites and make it a real party by visiting a wild pop-up named for a line in Adam Sandler’s “The Chanukah Song.”
The Loop and Near North Side
Ema
Celebrate Dec. 14-22 with specials including sweet potato latkes with avocado and jalapeno crema and shawarma-spiced roasted chicken. 74 W. Illinois St., 312-527-5586, emarestaurants.com/chicago/happenings/hanukkah-specials
Schneider Deli
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The River North spot offers brisket with sweet mustard jus for four to five ($65), latkes with sour cream and applesauce for eight ($48), challah ($12), and matzo ball soup for five ($20) from Dec. 14-22. 600 N. La Salle Drive, 773-590-1345, schneiderdeli.com
North Side & Northwest Side
Daisies
A $225 meal for four available to pick up Dec. 13 includes braised beef brisket, latkes with sour cream and applesauce, matzo ball soup, challah, chocolate babka and dark chocolate gelt. 2375 N. Milwaukee Ave., 773-697-9443, daisieschicago.com
Fiya
The Andersonville Levantine restaurant offers specials Dec. 14-22 including honey-glazed sufganiyot, brisket, potato kugel and blintzes. 5419 N. Clark St., 773-543-7074, fiyarestaurant.com
Floriole
The Lincoln Park bakery offers a pack of four jelly doughnut morning buns ($30), challah ($16) and cranberry orange olive oil tea cake ($25) Dec. 14-21. 1220 W. Webster Ave., 773-883-1313, floriole.com
The Graystone Tavern
The 8 Crazy Nights pop-up bar running through Jan. 4, features more than 30,000 blue and white lights and ball lanterns hanging from the ceiling, an 8-foot inflatable dreidel, a Hanukkah sweater wall and more festive decor. A special menu offers matzo ball soup ($7), six flavors of latkes ($8-$12), a brisket sandwich ($16) and challah grilled cheese with tomato soup ($12), plus themed cocktails such as the Gelt Martini ($16), a blend of vodka and chocolate liqueur rimmed with gold sugar and garnished with a gelt coin. Revelers can also play dreidel and Connect 4 with Hanukkah gelt. 3441 N. Sheffield Ave., 773-666-5450, 8crazynightschicago.com
Steingold’s of Chicago
A special menu available for pickup and delivery features latkes ($25) plus sufganiyot filled with vanilla custard, strawberry or Nutella ($20-$22). Those looking for a full holiday meal for four to six can choose from brisket with pearl onions, olive oil-poached salmon or whole roasted chicken with za’atar accompanied by noodle kugel, matzo ball soup, braised red cabbage with apples, deviled eggs, challah, latkes and sufganiyot. 3737 N. Southport Ave., steingoldsdeli.com
Summer House Santa Monica
Snack on classic latkes with house-made applesauce and sour cream through Dec. 23. 1954 N. Halsted St., 773-634-4100, summerhouserestaurants.com
Zeitlin’s Delicatessen
Coconut cream, tiramisu and strawberry sufganiyot ($27-$52) and latkes with apple sauce and sour cream ($18-$27) are available by the half-dozen or dozen Dec. 14-22. 2203 N. Clybourn Ave., 312-955-0567, zeitlinsdeli.com
West Side & Near West Side
Aba
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Specials including potato, parmesan and brussels sprout latkes, and braised lamb shank with yogurt whipped potatoes are available for dine-in, carryout or delivery Dec. 14-24. 302 N. Green St., 773-645-1400, abarestaurants.com
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar may have closed but they’re still offering a Hanukkah market at Third Season by The Roof Crop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 14 where you can pick up roasted brisket ($48), potato and apple latkes ($29), matzo ball soup ($25) and noodle kugel ($22). 1516 W. Carroll St., heritage-chicago.com
Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen
The Jewish deli offers potato pancakes ($3.50), mini latkes ($1.95) and sufganiyot stuffed with raspberry, Nutella or vanilla cream ($5). Feed four with a brisket ($110), roasted chicken ($80) or combo meal ($100) that includes coleslaw, mini latkes, applesauce, matzo ball soup and challah. The specials are available for pickup or delivery Dec. 11-22. 1141 S. Jefferson St., 312-939-2855, mannysdeli.com
Suburban and multiple locations
Bennison’s Bakery
Pick up Hanukkah treats including apricot or raspberry sufganiyot ($3.44), sugar cookies decorated with menorahs or dreidels ($4.88) and coconut macaroons ($13) through Dec. 22. 1000 Davis St., Evanston, 847-328-9434, bennisonscakes.com
Di Pescara
Place an order by noon Dec. 11 to pick up servings of matzo ball soup, braised beef brisket with caramelized onions and potato pancakes with applesauce Dec. 14-22. 2124 Northbrook Court, Northbrook, 847-498-4321, di-pescara.com
Firecakes Craft Donuts
Yeast-raised bismarks are stuffed with lemon cream, blood orange-raspberry jelly or chocolate for the chain’s spin on sufganiyot, which are available for $3.25 Dec. 12-22. Multiple locations, firecakesdonuts.com
Hewn
Pick up a frozen four-pack of mixed berry sufganiyot ($20) Dec. 14. Take and bake versions are also available. 1733 Central St., Evanston, 847-869-4396, hewnbread.com
L. Woods Tap & Pine Lodge
Get your potato pancake and matzo ball soup fix for carryout, dine-in, or delivery from Dec. 14-22. 7110 N. Lincoln Ave., Lincolnwood, 847-677-3350, lwoodsrestaurant.com
Mensch’s Deli
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A catering menu offered Dec. 13-15 features latkes ($4 per person), challah ($11), noodle kugel ($10-$20), braised brisket ($45-$75), roasted carrots in a pomegranate honey glaze ($15-$30) and a chocolate babka loaf ($18). 1608 Chicago Ave., Evanston, 847-859-6153 and 668 Vernon Ave., Glencoe, 847-786-4052, menschs-deli.com
Once Upon a Bagel
Sufganiyot filled with raspberry are available throughout December along with trays of mini-and full-sized latkes. 268 E. Deerpath Road, Lake Forest, 224-436-8028 and 1050 Gage St., Winnetka, 847-784-1411, onceupononline.com
Prairie Grass Cafe
Celebrate at home with a $144 package for two featuring slow-braised barbecue brisket, smashed roasted cauliflower, latkes and flourless cake. Add on mashed potatoes ($32) or rugelach ($15) and challah ($14) from Verzênay Patisserie. Orders must be placed by Dec. 10 for pickup between 4-5 p.m. Dec. 14. 601 Skokie Blvd., Northbrook, 847-205-4433, prairiegrasscafe.com
Schmaltz & Vinegar
Build your own latke bar for $16 per person featuring traditional, vegetable or za’atar scallion versions with applesauce and sour cream plus two additional toppings such as creamy onion dip, eggplant caponata and beet caviar. Latkes are also included in a Hanukkah dinner featuring matzo ball soup, brisket, creamed spinach and holiday cookies ($29 per person). schmaltzandvinegar.com
Samantha Nelson is a freelance writer.
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