Negroni Week (Sept. 18-24) is returning. Restaurants and bars around the world are joining forces to celebrate Negroni Week—a global charity initiative in support of Slow Food, with Campari at its heart, that has raised more than $4 million for charitable causes to date.
Some Chicago restaurants taking part include Coda Di Volpe (3335 N. Southport Ave.), Acanto (18 S. Michigan Ave.), HIDE+SEEK (838 W. Randolph St.), Holu (2101 S. Jefferson St.), The Drop In (415 N. Milwaukee Ave.), Au Cheval (800 W. Randolph St.) and Il Porcellino (59 W. Hubbard St.)
And in case you're wondering, a Negroni is an Italian cocktail typically composed of gin, sweet vermouth and Campari.
QUICK NOTE: Honey Butter Fried Chicken—celebrating its 10th anniversary this weekend—will conclude its patio pop-ups at 3361 N. Elston Ave., on Sunday, Sept. 17, 5-8 p.m.
Tuber's Donuts/Fluft Crust Pizza will be featured; Tuber's is unique in that it sells potato donuts that are fried in clarified butter. Planned treats include Tuber's Raz Basil donuts as well as three Fluft pizzas—Henry'd Bacon Camchi, Reed's-a-roni and Garlicious.
See https://www.honeybutter.com/events.
The pro-LGBTQ+ group Equality Illinois will hold its "Red, Pink & Blue" breakfast fundraiser Tuesday, Sept. 19, at the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Ave.
Speakers will include Carbondale City Councilmember Clare Killman and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis. Tickets are at this link.
Levain Bakery is now open in River North.
The NYC-based chain—known for its monstrous six-ounce cookies but which has SO much more—is now also at 408 N. Clark St.
Now I mentioned how Levain has so much more (which is true, like the baguette with butter and jam inside of it), but my focus is on the fall chocolate chunk cookie, which contains all those autumnal spices—ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves—and well as all the chocolate you could want.
Check out https://levainbakery.com/pages/river-north-chicago.
All September, Logan Square cocktail bar The Whistler, 2421 N. Milwaukee Ave., is celebrating its 15th anniversary.
The Whistler is bringing back some of its most famous drinks, first music acts and other forms of nostalgia.
Drink-wise, there are Whistler classics like the Milk Maid (tequila, coconut, cucumber, lime and salt), Dopesmoker (bourbon, rhum agricole, lapsang souchong and chocolate), Free Rider (151 Rum, Benedictine Fernet Branca, pineapple, lime and mint) and many others. On Sept. 28, there'll be a booklet release party, where owners Billy Helmkamp and Rob Brenner are releasing a pocket-size, recipe guide featuring some of The Whistler's Greatest Hits from its first 15 years.
And on Sept. 29, for the final day of The Whistler's three-day anniversary bash, Billy Kalb and Dustin Drase, the former DJ duo TTTTotally Dudes, are coming out of retirement for a one-night-only performance at The Whistler.
See whistlerchicago.com .
One of the Midwest's biggest tributes to apple season will return to downtown Long Grove when the 32nd annual Apple Fest takes place Sept. 22-24.
The 2023 edition of Apple Fest will feature many apple delicacies, from apple pies and apple donuts to apple sangria and apple wine. In the past, Apple Fest has had chocolate caramel apples, candy-covered apples, apple popcorn, spiced apple lattes, apple tempura, apple cheesecake, apple pie … well, you get the idea.
See www.longgrove.org/festivals/apple-fest/ for more info.
An expanded version of this column is at SAVOR with Andrew, at future3733.substack.com .
