—To give guests a first taste of Bar Toma's pizza before reopening, Chef Tony Mantuanois offering free slices at 4-5:30 p.m. on Aug. 19-20 on the patio. ( There's a limit of one slice per person. ) To receive the pizza, guests must follow @BarTomaChicago on Instagram, Twitter ( @BarToma ) or on Facebook. The free pizza week comes in anticipation of Bar Toma's reopening on Friday, Aug. 21, at 110 E. Pearson St., following a month of renovations to the restaurant's interior and the menu.
—On Friday, Aug. 21, Rachel Dennis' Tavern Collective will open its fifth concept in three years and introduce Jackson Tavern, 216 W. Jackson Blvd. The 100-seat tavern will offer food ( such as Southern fried chicken, Tex-Mex poutine and Maine lobster roll ), craft beer, elevated craft cocktails and fine wine. See JacksonTavernChicago.com .
—Stan's Donuts & Coffee is celebrating founder Stan Berman's 86th birthday on Saturday, Aug. 22, with a deal. From open until close at both locations ( 1560 N. Damen Ave. and 259 E. Erie St. ), Stan's will offer its signature glazed donuts for 86 cents each. Additionally, the first 100 guests at both locations will receive an exclusive Stan's 86th Birthday T-shirt as a special gift.
—Counter Culture Coffee has debuted its newest limited-release coffee, Sweet Valley High. Sourced from two cooperatives in Ethiopia, Sweet Valley High is a 50/50 blend of Haru and Idido—resulting in a floral, tea-like coffee with citrus notes and a juicy sweetness ( $17.25/12 oz. box ).
—Deschutes Brewery will bring its pop-up pub to Chicago on Saturday, Aug. 22. This 402-foot custom bar will be pouring beers from 40 taps in Logan Square at Milwaukee and California avenues. At each of its national stops, Deschutes Brewery will be donating 100 percent of proceeds from Street Pub to local nonprofits. In Chicago, Deschutes Brewery has teamed up with the Alliance for the Great Lakes, which protects and restores the Great Lakes. See DeschutesBrewery.com .
—Frontier, 1072 N. Milwaukee Ave., will host its fifth annual oyster shucking contest ( along with a shrimp boil ) on Sunday, Aug. 23, at 3 p.m. ( The boil is 12-3 p.m. ) The contest will feature more than 20 chefs from Chicago restaurants including Sink/Swim, Kinmont, Presidio, Sumi Robata Bar, Rural Society, Joe Fish and others. See TheFrontierChicago.com .
—Bernie's Lunch & Supper has opened at 660 N. Orleans St. The 7,500-square-foot restaurant features rustic, Mediterranean-inspired comfort fare. There's seating for 100 guests in the main dining room; also, there are 80 seats in the second bar, part of the large seasonal rooftop patio that will open later this summer. Happy hour, lunch and weekend brunch service will begin later this summer. See BerniesLunchAndSupper.com .
—Mr. Brown's Lounge, the authentic Jamaican restaurant that recently opened its second location in downtown Chicago, now has its Mista Brown's Original Jerk Sauce available for purchase online at mrbrownslounge.com/shop and at both restaurant locations, including its original West Town location and its newest home in the Loop at 81 E. Wacker Pl. The sauce's "kick" comes from its main ingredient, the Scotch bonnet chili pepper, found primarily in the Caribbean islands. Each bottle is 12 ounces and can be purchased at the restaurant's locations for $5.99.
—Stan's Donuts & Coffee, the California-based doughnut shop brought to Chicago by baker Rich Labriola, will mark the grand opening of its first East Lake View store in October. The new shop, at 2800 N. Clark St., is the third location in Chicago for Stan's Donuts & Coffee.
—Mexican-themed Barcocina, 2901 N. Sheffield Ave., is promoting its non-red meat fare. Items include roasted mushroom tacos, yucca tots ( with adoba sauce and crema ), mahi-mahi tacos and ancho shrimp quesadillas. See BarcocinaChicago.com .
—The Pony, 1638 W. Belmont Ave., will mark its seven-year anniversary on Friday, Aug. 28, with a customer-appreciation party featuring DJs and specials including $1 drafts, $1 pizza slices, $2 Tijuana Margaritas and $2 Front Porch Sour Whiskey Punch. Guests can also enjoy the "Pony Up Lounge" on the bar's second floor featuring a retractable roof. See ThePonyChicago.com .
—On Saturday, Aug. 29, Famous Dave's will introduce the Famous Dave's Amateur BBQ Competition at the seventh annual Glen Ellyn Backyard BBQ benefitting Bridge Communities. All proceeds from the event will support Bridge Communities in its efforts to help transition homeless families in DuPage County to self-sufficiency. More than 60 teams will compete for trophies and bragging rights in three categories: Best Pork Ribs, People's Choice Sauce and Best Dish. Visit www.glenellynbackyardbbq.org .
—Available through Aug. 31, Hard Rock Cafe's ( 63 W. Ontario St. ) limited-time Goose Island Tropical Bacon Burger will be paired with Goose Island IPA. The burger is a half-pound Angus beef patty brushed with Goose Island IPA glaze and topped with chili spiced bacon, grilled pineapple, mango salsa, chipotle puree, arugula and cheddar cheese. Visit HardRock.com/Chicago.
—Chicago's Best Summer WingFest—advertised as "a bigger and better version" of Chicago's Best WingFest—will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, 1-7 p.m., at the Bailey Auditorium, 1340 W. Washington St. Chicago's Best Summer WingFest will feature double the wing-slinging restaurants, live music, carnival games, a vendor market, craft beer and a full bar. Tickets for Chicago's Best Summer WingFest ( $40 ) will go on sale Wed., June 24, at 12 p.m; visit www.WingFest.net .
—The Andersonville Development Corporation ( ADC ) is presenting the 3rd Annual Andersonville City Made Fest, the only all-local street festival that highlights Chicago-made beer, music and products in the historic Andersonville neighborhood. It will be Sept. 12 ( 12-9 p.m. ) and 13 ( 12-7 p.m. ) at 5000-5100 N. Clark St. There is a suggested gate donation of $5. See Andersonville.org .
—The James Beard Foundation ( JBF ) has announced the third consecutive year of the Taste America: "Local Flavor from Coast To Coast" national epicurean tour, which will visit 10 U.S. cities this fall. Spanning six weekends between Sept. 18 and Nov. 7, the program will stop in Boston, Charleston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New Orleans, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle. ( The Chicago stop is Oct. 23-24. ) Tickets are on sale at JBFTasteAmerica.org .
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