New on the Scene: June

American bistro Perennial stormed the Lincoln Park scene in June.

Hub 51
Welcome to Lettuce Entertain You, the Next Generation. R.J. and Jerrod Melman, sons of Chicago mega-restaurateur Richard Melman, opened their own restaurant in River North in late June. The urban, industrial space features a broad menu covering everything from seafood and sushi to tacos and burgers. Dishes include ahi tuna poke, filet mignon tacos on house-made tortillas, hand-dipped ice cream bars and a killer carrot cake. Read our First Look here.

Perennial
Rob Katz and Kevin Boehm, the duo behind Boka and Landmark, are also behind this American bistro in Lincoln Park's new Park View Hotel. The space boasts floor-to-ceiling windows, natural stone and walnut and a circular banquette seating area fitted with an illuminated planter holding ceiling-high white birch tree trunks. Major patio action promises a total see-and-be-scenery draw for Lincoln Parkers this summer. Giuseppe Tentori does double-duty as the executive chef here and at Boka; his seasonal menu features dishes such as a peekytoe crab salad and farm-raised rainbow trout with sweet pea emulsion.

Baladoche
This Edgewater cafe, an offshoot of the original Lakeview Baladoche, opened quietly in mid-June. Like the Lakeview location, this spot specializes in zucker waffles (a.k.a. Liege waffles). What makes these waffles different from the more common Brussels-style waffles? They're prepped with sugar pearls in the dough so you don’t need to douse 'em with butter and syrup--they’re sweet enough to eat solo. Plus, they’re portable. There’s also a selection of gelato and sorbet, plus a lineup of caffeinated beverages. Look for added amenities such as a walk-up carryout window and outdoor seating by late August, as well as expanded hours in time for fall semester at nearby Loyola University.

Cipollina
Carol Watson closed her Milk & Honey Bake Shop in Wicker Park, gave the space a quickie makeover, and opened Cipollina, a carryout-focused Italian deli and espresso bar in late June. (She collaborated with John Manion, former chef/co-owner of Mas, on the project.) The pastry case now holds deli meats and cheeses, the shelves are stocked with Italian groceries, and the compact menu lists panini and gourmet sub sandwiches. Morning commuters heading to the nearby Damen "L" stop can snag grab-and-go breakfast fare too, including Watson's popular house-made Milk & Honey granola. FYI: It’s business as usual at the original Milk & Honey Cafe on Division Street.

Rollapalooza
In case the name didn’t give it away: This cute Boystown BYOB, which opened in June, specializes in rolls—specifically, sushi rolls. The lineup, about 50 strong, includes familiar maki such as spider, California, Philadelphia and rainbow, plus a signature roll loaded with avocado, cucumber, spicy crab, salmon, cream cheese, octopus, onion, tuna, radish sprouts and tobiko, with spicy sauce on top (whew!). Not a roll lover? Go for straight for the chirashi sushi instead. Find more new sushi options here.

C-House
Marcus Samuelsson, the James Beard Foundation award-winning chef, cookbook author and TV host, launched this seafood house in Streeterville’s new Affinia Chicago hotel in June. Though Samuelsson is best known for his Scandinavian cuisine at New York's Aquavit, the menu here is American with a focus on seafood, plus a handful of carnivorous offerings such as a dry-aged rib-eye. The sleek, wood-paneled interior feels clean and modern, with sepia-toned photos of the sea adding just a touch of nostalgia.

Ajasteak
Steak or sushi? Well, why not both? At this splashy Asian steakhouse in River North's Dana Hotel, Kobe beef lovers (read: big spenders) can indulge in the ultra-premium Japanese steak (as well as American cousin Waygu), and sushi snobs get a selection of top-notch maki and sashimi.

Texas de Brazil
River North gets Rio at this downtown extension of Schaumburg's popular Brazilian-style churrascaria. The enormous space holds up to 500 guests, spans two floors, and has two bars, multiple private dining rooms and a two-story wine cellar complete with … drumroll, please … "aerial wine artists," young women affixed to a trapeze-like system who retrieve bottles. Hungry? There’s a 75-item salad bar, a sushi bar and all the skewered meat you can dream of—all for $47.99. We predict tourists. Lots and lots of tourists.

Pinocchio's Pizza & Wings
That 36-year-old Glenview staple, Pinocchio's Pizza & Pub, launched this urban fast-food sibling in the Northwest Side 'hood of Kilbourn Park on June 23. This incarnation is beerless, but there are lots of big, juicy wings with three styles of slatherable sauce to make up for it. Second-generation owner Roy Aryyan (who took over from his pop, Roy, a couple of years back) says the new location and the wide delivery area will help Pinocchio's serve a more diverse and densely populated area.

Bionda To Go
Joe Farina keeps his Cafe Bionda phenomenon rolling along at this 30-seat fast food operation in the Financial District. The daytime-only spot features some of same dishes as the South Loop and Wicker Park locations, including, of course, Mama's Meatballs--only here they're in sandwich form (Joe's Mama's Meatball Bomber). In addition to sandwiches, you'll find other lunchables such as made-to-order salads and pastas.

Freshii
Need a healthy Loop option? The excuses stop here: This new quick-casual spot in the 311 S. Wacker Drive building promises to make eating a healthy lunch as easy as 1-2-3. Customize your meal by choosing a style (salad, wrap, basmati rice bowl or something they call "soup't," basically an Asian-style broth with rice or noodles), then pile on the veggies and choose a dressing or sauce.

Tamalli
Carlos Reyna has elevated fresh-ground corn tortillas to an art form at Humboldt Park’s Maiz, so we can’t wait to see what he's doing with the tamale at his new BYOB in Logan Square. Look for about 10 tamales with fillings such as chicken, pork, beef and chorizo (you can get ’em wrapped in a banana leaf or a corn husk) plus other Mexican faves. The storefront space has seating for about 20 and sports a similar look to Maiz, with pastel hues and Mexican art on the walls.

Check out the city's most recent openings here.

Got a tip on a new or soon-to-open restaurant? E-mail us: kpratt@tribune.com