—For Pride Month, Big Gay Ice Cream is teaming with pastry chef Leigh Omilinsky—this time from her new home, Cold Storage, 1000 W. Fulton Market, on June 24-30. There will be Pride Pops ( rainbow sherbet popsicles served with a shot of tequila ), but those who can't make it to Cold Storage that week can enjoy a dairy-free Pride Sundae all month long. A portion of the proceeds from these offerings will be donated to Chicago's Howard Brown Health.
—Chipotle is encouraging guests and crew members to "Love What Makes You Real" by purchasing limited-edition merchandise that benefits The Trevor Project and, locally, Chicago House. Shirts/tanks and hats ( example photos below ) are $20 and $17, respectively, with $10.50 from each shirt/tank and $7 from each hat going directly to The Trevor Project. From 10:45 a.m. — 10 p.m. on June 20, 33 percent of sales at every Chicago Chipotle will directly benefit Chicago House.
—ENO Wine Room, 505 N. Michigan Ave., is hosting "Pour Decisions"—a drag-brunch series—throughout June on Sundays at 12-2 p.m. Guests are invited every Sunday to enjoy their choice of beverage ( bottomless mimosas, sangria, wine spritz or beer ) and entree from the new brunch menu created by Executive Chef Craig Couper. In addition, there will be appearances by well-known drag entertainers; Fox E. Kim will host, with weekly performances by Alex Kay and Mikki Miraj and with pop-in performances by several RuPaul's Drag Race alumni. Walk-ins are welcome, though guests are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online for $45 each; visit "'Pour Decisions' Drag Brunch at Eno Wine Room" at BrownPaperTickets.com .
—Tied House has a Summer Crush ( $12 ) cocktail. It features Hangar One vodka, elderflower liqueur, blood orange and lemon—with a fresh-fruit rainbow skewer. A portion of the proceeds from this cocktail will be donated to the American Civil Liberties Union.
—Colectivo is teaming with Center on Halsted to offer rainbow cookies for a cause. On June 27-30, the Colectivo x Center on Halsted Rainbow Cookie will be on sale at Colectivo's Lincoln Park, Logan Square, Andersonville, Evanston and Wicker Park locations, with $1 from each cookie sold benefiting the center. For more, visit colectivocoffee.com/rainbow-shortbread-cookies-benefitting-local-lgbt-organizations/ .
—Revival Food Hall's TOMI Sushi, 125 S. Clark St., created a spicy rainbow roll ( aqua blue rice, tuna, cucumber, jalapeño, pickled radish topped with spicy mayo ) running throughout June ( Pride Month ). Half of all proceeds sold from this roll will be donated to Center on Halsted.
—Beatnik on the River, 180 N. Wacker Dr., has reopened its riverfront terrace. Overlooking the south branch of the Chicago River between Lake and Randolph streets, the 50-seat Morocco-meets-Bali Terrace is decked out with pillow-topped carved-wood daybeds, handmade Indonesian umbrellas, Moorish lanterns and greenery. This season's upgrades include a 14-foot-high covered pergola protecting the entire 1,500-square-foot space for cocktailing and dining, rain or shine. A beautiful 1920s French Art Deco oak bar as well as two Italian 19th-century library cabinets repurposed as communal credenzas provide additional gathering areas. See www.beatnikontheriver.com .
—Frontier will host its summer crawfish boil in its beer garden on Saturday, June 23, 12-3 p.m. Tickets for the event are $35 and include all-you-can-eat crawfish, corn, potatoes and crawfish bread. Guests can enjoy live music while sipping on drink specials like $8 frozen daiquiris and $5 Abitas. Tickets can be purchased online at TheFrontierChicago.com .
—Cafe Cancale, 1576 N. Milwaukee Ave., has become known for its oyster program. It's curated with more than 35 small-batch oyster producers lining the coasts of the United States and Canada. Paired with a martini or 60 coastal and French wines, Chef/Partner Paul Kahan and Chef de Cuisine AJ Walker have shucked and served more than 10,000 oysters in the first month of business alone. In addition, the spot has a $1 happy hour.
—Chef Rick Bayless is partnering with Honey Butter Fried Chicken, 3361 N. Elston Ave., to offer the Oaxacan Fire Chicken Sandwich through June 23. The sandwich features Honey Butter's signature fried-chicken strips in a smoky Chintextle aioli sauce, topped with escabeche slaw and agave. The sandwich is $12, with $1 from each sandwich to benefit Chef Bayless's nonprofit, The Frontera Farmer Foundation.
—Maddon's Post, 1119 W. Waveland Ave., is offering brunch—featuring breakfast takes on Italian and Polish classics from Executive Chef Aaron Thebault. The menu has a wide variety of items, including roasted mushroom, buttermilk biscuits, kielbasa and eggs, braised-brisket rigatoni, pierogies and chocolate paczki, among other things. Brunch at Maddon's Post runs on Saturdays and Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-3. p.m.; see MaddonsPost.com .
—Philz Coffee, the San Francisco-based coffee brand with locations nationwide, will open its first outpost in Chicago opening in the Wicker Park neighborhood at 1640 W. Division St. on Saturday, June 22. The new store will offer signature blends and highlight the brand's personalized approach to brewing coffee.
—Caffe Umbria will participate in the seventh annual Negroni Week, June 24-30. From Monday, June 24 through Wed., July 31, all seven Caffè Umbria locations in Chicago, Portland and Seattle will sell 12-ounce bags of the exclusive Negroni Week Blend ( celebrating a century of the drink ) for $15 and five-pound bags for $85. See caffeumbria.com .
—Windy City RibFest will take place July 4-6 in Chicago's Uptown neighborhood on Broadway at Lawrence Avenue, noon-10 p.m. n addition to smoked meats, libations and music, there will be artisans and a kids' area ( art, inflatables, etc. ); visitors will also be able to vote for their favorite ribs. Music acts include Martha Davis & The Motels, Wedding Banned, Linda Clifford and The Voice's Spensha Baker. See WindyCityRibfest.com .
—Travelle Pastry Chef Danielle Marelli will lead a plating workshop at Travelle at The Langham, 330 N. Wabash Ave., on Saturday, July 20, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Participants will learn the art of plate presentation while enjoying a three-course meal ( skillet cinnamon bun; salad du Marche, chicken and waffles, or avocado toast; and strawberries and mascarpone creme ) prepared in combination by Chef de Cuisine Jeff Vucko and Pastry Chef Danielle. Admission is $65 each; call 312-923-7705.
—The 13th annual Veggie Fest will be in Lisle's Danada South Park on Aug. 10-11. Just a few of the recent additions to the international food court include four styles of vegan omelets, buffalo cauliflower wings ( served with vegan ranch dip ), a Buddha bowl with quinoa and a twist on avocado toast. See VeggieFestChicago.org .
—Jeong, 1460 W. Chicago Ave., has a menu that draws inspiration from traditional Korean ingredients from Chef Dave Park's childhood with his grandparents in Korea. However, one of his desserts borrows something from his childhood that is a little less traditional ( and Japanese ): Hi-Chew. Park crafts a sweet stock using Hi-Chews, and incorporates that into making a pillowy mochi, served with a sorbet made with cloudy Korean rice wine Makgeolli as well as grapefruit segments for some added acidity. The whole dessert is topped with a delicate meringue made using omija or "five-flavor" berries that have five distinct tastes ( sour, bitter, sweet, spicy and salty ).
—Throughout the summer, people can stop by Somerset, 1112 N. State St., for Somer Socials each Sunday at 5-7 p.m. The menu will change every Sunday, as Chef Meg Galus serves flavors from her ice-cream cart like Brown Sugar Cookie Dough, Toasted Marshmallow, Mint Chocolate Fudge, Rainbow Sherbet, and Peaches & Cream. Items are $4-$6 each; see www.somersetchicago.com .
—Woven & Bound—inside the Marriott Marquis Chicago, at 2121 S. Prairie Ave.—has unveiled its summer menu. A few of the items on the menu include small bites like sweet-potato fries, Bavarian pretzels and "hurricane" Brussel sprouts; starters like skillet cornbread and lobster mac 'n' cheese; breakfast items such as avocado toast and housemade corned-beef hash; lunch offerings like turkey burgers and fried-chicken sandwiches; and dinner dishes like prime cowgirl ribeye and seared scallops.
—Capitalizing on the diet craze, Warm Belly Bakery is offering the double chocolate walnut keto cookie, for $4 each. Made with an almond flour base, this low-glycemic cookie is also low in sugar and gluten-free, and contains only two grams of net carbs. Warm Belly Bakery is in the West Loop ( 1148 W. Monroe St. ) and Lincoln Park ( 2472 N. Clark St. ).
—Chiya Chai, 2770 N. Milwaukee Ave, is now offering the addition of organic, non-GMO CBD in any chai beverage or cocktail for an additional 50 cents. Chiya Chai offers a chai program with more than 150 different combinations, including traditional masala and cardamom and experimental flavors such as caramel sea salt, cardamom pistachio and coconut creme. Popular cocktails include the Maharaja with gin, cardamom, rosewater, pandanus ( exotic tropical plant ) essence, cinnamon, blueberry juice, fresh lemon juice and triple sec; and the Rum Chai Tea, with Kahlua, white rum, almond milk, rice milk, masala chai blend, vanilla and cinnamon.
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