The Countdown

If anything is a moving target, it's the opening date of a soon-to-come bar or restaurant. That's why we have The Countdown to track the latest ETAs.

Want to know what's just opened? Our New on the scene columns keep you in the loop on the newest restaurants and bars.)

Click on a bar or restaurant name below for more details, including addresses and maps

NOVEMBER

Ceres' Table
Week of Nov. 23
Chef Guiseppe Scurato, most recently of Topaz Cafe in Burr Ridge, is opening this seasonal Italian spot in Uptown.

Winston's Cafe
Nov. 27 (soft opening)/Nov. 28 (grand opening)
The former Clark's on Clark space in Andersonville has become a casual WiFi cafe set to go 24 hours within a couple weeks of opening.

Cuna
Late November
Former Sepia chef Kendal Duque has found a new home this Art Deco- and supper club-inspired restaurant and lounge in Lakeview.

Pizzeria Serio
Late November
This Lakeview spot's cooking up a menu of traditional brick-oven pizzas.

Bleeding Heart Bakery
Late November
Roscoe Village's punk rock pastry shop is bringing organic treats downtown with this Block 37 sequel.

Beard Papa's
Late November
This Japanese franchise setting up shop in Block 37 is all about cream puffs. Yes, cream puffs.

Ameer Kabob
Late November
This little Noble Square storefront will serve quick, inexpensive Middle Eastern eats.

Bake
Late November  
Division Street farmers market stand Baked makes the leap to full-service bakery at this Bucktown spot.

Pho and I
Late November
Popular Belmont Avenue Thai BYOB Duck Walk branches out into Vietnamese fare with this Lakeview spinoff.

Purple Pig
Nov. 30
Wine, cheese and lots of pork (house-cured salumi, pig liver pate, pork neckbone rillettes, pig lingua and much more) is on the menu at this Mediterranean-focused Michigan Avenue spot.

Cabalo
Late November or early December
This multi-level bar is aiming to open soon in the former Cat's Meow space.

State Street Pizza Company
November
River North gets another spot to grab a slice.


DECEMBER

Dee's Place
First week of December
Division Street's trendy Wicker Park/Ukrainian Village strip is about to get a down-home dose of soul food.

Second City Subs
Second week of November
The DePaul area's latest sandwich shop is serving deli-style subs and Bobtail ice cream.

Ria and Balsan
Dec. 9
The Gold Coast's chichi new Elysian Hotel will open two new restaurants, one a more casual all-day spot catering to hotel guests, the other a more sophisticated dinner-only destination.

Bernard's Bar
Dec. 9
This second-floor drinking den hidden inside the Elysian Hotel will serve up light bites and sophisticated cocktails.

Mr. Brown's Lounge
Dec. 10
This reggae-inspired lounge named after a Bob Marley song and cooking up Jamaican cuisine takes over the space occupied by longtime Ukrainian Village classic Sak's.

Small Bar
Dec. 11
A sibling to the current locations in Wicker Park and Logan Square is in the works for Lincoln Park.

Revolution Brewing
Early to mid-December
The city's mini-brewing renaissance continues this fall with this Logan Square brewpub from Handlebar co-owner Josh Deth.

J. Wellington's
Early December
Wicker Park gets a late-night BYOB burger joint from the guy behind Northwest Side spot Pinocchio's Pizza and Wings.

Filter
Mid-December
A Wicker Park institution returns, bigger and greener.

Primebar
Mid-December
From the owners of Bar Louie, this Loop bar and eatery will serve from lunch till late night.

Epic
Mid-December
Chef Stephen Wambach (formerly of Laurent Tourondel's BLT Restaurant Group) is bringing American fare with French flair to this bi-level, industrial-chic eatery and lounge in River North.

Deseo Mexican Cantina
Late December
The folks behind La Donna are leaving Andersonville and Italian behind to open this Mexican spot in Edgewater.

Tantrik
Winter
This River West club and entertainment venue, which has dubbed itself "Chicago's first temple of sensuality," aims to open later this fall.

Cumin
Mid-December or early January
Wicker Park's about to get its first spot for Nepalese and Indian favorites.

Orange
December or January
River North gets its shot at frushi and jelly doughnut pancakes with this fifth outpost of the local brunch juggernaut. Orange's first suburban location is set to open in Glenview soon too.

Calabruzzi's Cafe
December or January
This casual Bridgeport spot adds to the neighborhood's options for pizza, pasta and other Italian fare.

Paddy O'Fegan
Winter
This Irish-American pub aims to open in the West Loop before Thanksgiving.

Gemallato's
The family behind Chicago classic Ricobene's is opening this fancier Italian spot (with a banquet hall and a sports bar upstairs) just up the street from their flagship Bridgeport restaurant, hopefully by year's end.

Mambo Grill
This longtime River North favorite, shuttered since spring, will bring Latin eats and beats to a new Wells Street location in early winter.

Bot Bakery
The folks behind The Balanced Kitchen plan to open this kid-focused gluten-free bakery in West Town in late 2009.

Sports Corner
This Wrigleyville favorite prepares to relaunch with a slick new look and plenty of TVs.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH

Wolcott's
First week in January
A comfort food-slinging tavern near the corner of -- surprise! -- Montrose and Wolcott.

260 Lounge
January
This sports bar from the folks behind Ricobene's aims to open soon above in-the-works eatery Gemallato's.

Lockdown
Jan. 15
A concert-inspired, vaguely prison-themed bar and grill moves into West Town.

Leo's Coney Island of Chicago
January
This Detroit favorite just might win over some Chicago-style dog fans with its classic Coney-sauced version.

Floriole
January
A Green City Market favorite is setting up shop in Lincoln Park.

Cook Au Vin
January
Vincent Colombet, who operates catering operation and cooking class venue Cook Au Vin, is opening this Parisian-style cafe. (The name of the cafe may change before opening; the catering side, which still will be called Cook Au Vin, remains open on Elston Avenue.)

Lava reconcept
Mid- to late January
Lava closes Dec. 18 to morph into a yet-to-be-named cocktail lounge.

Dos Diablos
Late January or early February
This Mexican eatery and cantina is moving into the old Cabaret address in River North.

Simply Thalia
January or February
River West pan-Asian spot Thalia Spice is setting up shop in Block 37. 

Nella Pizzeria Napoletana
February
Getting ahead of themselves? Nah, just confident. Even before their first pizzeria opens in Lincoln Park (see October openings), the folks behind this Naples-style spot are getting started on this Little Italy sibling.

Beauty Bar
February
In the former Sonotheque space, Chicago gets its own outpost of this retro salon-style bar, which originated in New York City and now has locations around the country.

Harry Caray's Tavern
March 1
A bar and grill similar to HC's in Wrigleyville is planned for Navy Pier later this year. 

Grand River sibling
March
The owners of Grand River have taken over the Ashland and plan to keep it open through the end of 2009 before closing to renovate and relaunch with a new name by late winter/early spring.

The Drunken Goat
Early March
"Top Chef" Season 4 winner Stephanie Izard is teaming up with the guys from Boka Restaurant Group to open this West Loop spot.

Sprinkles Cupcakes
March
This posh Beverly Hills-based boutique is bringing its fancy-pants cupcakes to the Gold Coast.

El Llano
March
The folks behind North Center's El Llano are spinning off this Colombian sibling in Irving Park. 

The Balanced Kitchen
Originally a Sauganash spot, this vegan, gluten-free and sustainably-minded restaurant will reopen in Avondale's new Green Exchange building in early 2010. 

Benny's Prime Chop House
Prime steaks, seafood and an elegant old-school atmosphere are coming to the former Jazz Record Mart space in winter 2010.


FUTURE

Lao You Ju
Tony Hu, the force behind Lao Sze Chuan, plans to open this tapas-style Chinese spot in Chinatown by spring 2010.

Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe
Hyde Park gourmet grocery Zaleski & Horvath MarketCafe is set to spin off a second location on 57th Street in May 2010.

New Four Corners Tavern concept
The force behind neighborhood bars Kirkwood, Schoolyard, WestEnd and Brownstone has laid claim on this Old Town building as the future site of its next bar, opening sometime in 2010.

Berry Chill
Lakeview's next in line for a fro-yo fix from this local chain; look for a Merchandise Mart location to open soon too.

Draft Tavern & Grill
Lincoln Park's Mix has closed to make way for this new beer-focused concept.

Prost
This pub is currently remodeling and aiming to reopen later this year.

Life's Too Short
Renovations are ongoing to reopen this riverside bar.

Madpoison Ultra Lounge
The West Loop "iBar," where you can order your drink via a giant touch screen, has faced delays and is currently on hold indefinitely.

Grand River sibling
You heard it here first: The owners of this Lakeview sports bar are working on a bigger second location that'll carry the same Michigan State allegience but a new name.

The Gage spinoff
The Gage's Billy Lawless and co. are planning a yet-to-be-named 70-seat spot right next door to The Gage.

Feast
Restaurateur-caterer about town Debbie Sharpe plans to expand her growing empire with this third Feast location, adjacent to a new Goddess and Grocer.

New venture from Twilight Traffic Control
The local nightlife group behind Stone Lotus and Bull & Bear has another concept in the works. Though the location hasn't officially been nailed down yet, partner Luke Stoioff told us a "a creative pub concept" is next on the group's agenda. Stoioff also tells us the group is looking to open a second location of Bull & Bear in a city outside of Chicago, plus expand the current Bull & Bear to include a second floor.

Hashbrowns
Spring or summer 2010
University Village loves Hashbrowns, but will Pilsen love 'em too? We'll have to wait until next year to find out.

John Barleycorn
Summer 2010
This hometown bar is planning a massive two-floor River North location with a 7,000-square-foot rooftop deck.

M. Kathleen Pratt is the Metromix dining producer. kpratt@tribune.com.
Lisa Arnett is the Metromix nightlife and shopping producer. lmarnett@tribune.com.
Additional reporting by Erin Osmon.

Updated Nov. 24, 2009