Openings

What to Eat and Drink at 694 Wine & Spirits and Bridge Bar

694 Wine & Spirits
694 Wine & Spirits Photo: courtesy of Urban Daddy

With all the restaurant openings this week, we’ve kind of ignored two recent openings in the all important world of bars that serve good food. Seeing that it is Friday, we figured it was time to correct that mistake. First up is 694 Wine & Spirits, which was formally Juicy Wine Company. At first glance, the menu seems to be your average high end wine bar. There you’ll see a small selection of olives, charcuterie, cheese, and paninis. But they have one unexpected highlight. Apparently the bar is the only establishment in the Midwest that is licensed to serve salumi from Armandino Batali’s Salumi Restaurant. That prestigious Seattle shop is considered to put out some of the best cured products in the country, and is also famous because it is owned by Mario Batali’s dad.

Second, is Bridge Bar, which opened on Monday above Fulton on the River. It’s menu is a lot bigger with room for raw seafood, salads, sandwiches, flatbreads, and burgers. Much more attention seems also to have been paid to the cocktail menu, which features some selections with a decidedly savory edge. Anyone care for a Bullshot with beef jerky infused vodka, beef bullion, lemon juice, Tabasco, and Worcestershire? Check out its full menu below, along with the menu for 694 Wine & Spirits.

694 Wine & Spirits Menu [JPEG]
Bridge Bar Menu [JPEG]

Bridge Bar, 315 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654; 312-822-0100

694 Wine & Spirits, 694 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622; 312-492-6620

A Classy New Den of Beef Jerky Vodka [Urban Daddy]
That’s the Spirits [Urban Daddy]

What to Eat and Drink at 694 Wine & Spirits and Bridge Bar