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

The Cupcake Gallery
Nov. 7
More cupcakes! (This time, they're in Uptown.)

DMK Burger Bar
Week of Nov. 9
MK's Michael Kornick is behind this Lakeview spot, which will serve "chef-driven burgers and artisanal beer." OK, fine. Twist our arms.

Delightful Pastries
Nov. 9 or 10
Well-loved Jeff Park bakery Delightful Pastries is expanding to Old Town with a spiffed up menu and more substantial cafe fare.

Melanthios Greek Char House
Nov. 9
Wood-roasted meats and more authentic eats from southern Greece make up the menu at this Lakeview spot.

Big Star
Nov. 9
This honky tonk bar in the former Pontiac address will feature whiskeys, tequilas, cheap beer and tacos from a handful of the talented folks behind Danny's Tavern, Blackbird, Avec and the Violet Hour.

Cuna
Nov. 10
Former Sepia chef Kendal Duque has found a new home this Art Deco- and supper club-inspired restaurant and lounge in Lakeview.

Meze
Nov. 12 (soft opening); Nov. 14 (grand opening)
This sofa-filled sangria and tapas lounge has moved in to the former Club Royale address in the West Loop.

Double A
Nov. 12
This small lounge residing below New York import Mercadito has been designed by New York-based firm Seed Inc. and features a cocktail program by New York-based consultants the Tippling Bros. Anyone sense a theme here?

Bolat African Cuisine
Nov. 13 or 14
Remodels are nearing completion at this longrunning Lakeview spot, which will add a seasonal menu that changes every three months to focus on a different region of Africa when it reopens.

Nella Pizzeria Napoletana
Week of Nov. 16
How authentic is this Neapolitan pizza spot in Lincoln Park? They're bringing in 12,000 pounds of volcanic brick from Mt. Vesuvius to build the oven, for starters.

RB Grille
Mid-November
This more refined cousin to River North's Rock Bottom Brewery will open within the brewery building, but with a look and menu that's entirely its own.

Ceres' Table
Mid-November
Chef Guiseppe Scurato, most recently of Topaz Cafe in Burr Ridge, is opening this seasonal Italian spot in Uptown.

Cabalo
Mid- to late November
This multi-level bar is aiming to open soon in the former Cat's Meow space.

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

Ria and Balsan
November
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
November
This second-floor drinking den hidden inside the Elysian Hotel will serve up light bites and sophisticated cocktails.

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

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

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


DECEMBER

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

Small Bar
First week of December
A sibling to the current locations in Wicker Park and Logan Square is in the works for Lincoln Park.

Epic
Early 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.

Filter
Early to mid-December
A Wicker Park institution returns, bigger and greener.

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.

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

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

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

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

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.


JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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. 6, 2009