Erick Williams, the James Beard award-winning chef and owner of Virtue restaurant, just opened the only craft cocktail bar in the Hyde Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago.
Cantina Rosa opened Nov. 29, around the corner from his critically acclaimed Southern restaurant, and across the street from Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern, his New Orleans cafeteria.
“It’s a Mexican bar that honors Mexican culture and Mexican spirits,” Williams said about Cantina Rosa, where they focus on agave-based spirits, rums and gins from Mexico.
There are indeed bars in the neighborhood. But they’re in restaurants, including Virtue and Daisy’s, or they’re legendary dive bars, including the Cove Lounge and Woodlawn Tap aka Jimmy’s.
The name of the new cocktail bar honors not one, but two namesakes.
“My grandmother’s name was Rosetta,” Williams said. And his managing partner at Virtue, Jesus Garcia, his mother’s name is Rosa. “So we wanted to pay tribute to two matriarchs in our family.”
The space also celebrates their Hispanic staff, Williams said.
“That team has been really amazing in their ambassadorship as it relates to Black culture,” he added. “I thought it was a natural progression to support our team on this next venture by really lifting a cultural space where they could honor their own culture the same way that they had paid tribute and honored mine.”
Maria Rodriguez, one of their tenured bartenders, is leading the project as a Latina woman who was born in Mexico, Williams said.
Paul McGee, perhaps best known as the mixologist and co-owner of the now-closed Lost Lake tropical bar, was a consultant.
“Paul came in to make sure that we had the most efficient bar that we could possibly have” and that the drinks are balanced while capturing the essence of the tropical nature of Mexico, Williams said. “And tropical cocktails are just a fun way to drink.”
Their Jushu, he said, has emerged as an early fan favorite. Mixed with mezcal, mango, acacia honey and lime, it’s a take on a classic cocktail called the Juschu.
The Rosita — made with Mexican gin, vermouth and banana — is a “very tropical and delicious play on a lighter Negroni, because of the vermouth,” he said, and is served in a cup crafted by the Rebuild Foundation.
A frozen guava colada is offered in a traditional unglazed Mexican pottery mug.
Do note that Williams is not the chef at the new cocktail bar.
“I’m not cooking anything in the kitchen,” Williams said about Cantina Rosa. “I’m not stirring drinks.”
It’s an opportunity to let his team shine and step forward, he said, with their ideas, efforts and ingenuity.
Chef Jesus Martinez from Daisy’s created the food menu at Cantina Rosa with Javier Perez from Mustard Seed Kitchen, the takeout restaurant that Williams also owns in the South Loop.
“There’s delicious, mild guacamole and chips,” Williams said about the snacks at the cocktail bar. “There’s a very spicy tamale and a really gently crisp empanada.”
The tamales Oaxaqueños are filled with chicken and topped with tomatillo salsa and crema.
“This is really a love letter to our Mexican team,” said Williams, who noted the importance of the bar over the food.
“I’m downplaying the food because we’re really focused on highlighting the fastest-growing spirits in the nation right now: tequila and mezcal,” he said. “And so many people love to have a bite or a snack when they drink, but there isn’t a craft cocktail bar within seven miles of my location.”
It feels like an appropriate amenity for the community, he added.
The bar includes the dramatic design by Erin Boone of Boone Interiors, who also designed Elske restaurant.
But first, you need to find Cantina Rosa: look for a lit blade sign bearing the initials C and R outside.
Once inside the rose pink door, you’ll find a host stand and Mexican flora featuring Monstera leaves, bird’s nest fern and acacia wood by horticulture company Bottle & Branch. There’s seating at the long granite bar, a milled wood island, booths and tables. The ceiling is draped in fabric, over arches reminiscent of Mexican architecture, Venetian plaster on the walls and concrete floors.
“It is a really sexy, really transportive space that is for adults, 21 and older,” Williams said. They will be playing a variety of Latin music, including Latin jazz, traditional Mexican dance, reggaeton, classic salsa and Latin soul.
But there’s just one sweet on the food menu at the cocktail bar.
“Mexican wedding cookies,” said Williams, who added that most people really don’t order sweets with cocktails. “But if you’re craving a sweet thing at the end of the night, it’s just nice to have something.”
5230 S. Harper Ave., cantinarosa.com
More new and notable openings, in alphabetical order:
Au Levain Bakery & Cafe
Angel Chavez, previously pastry chef at Bistro Campagne, turned a pandemic side project into his highly anticipated debut store. Au Levain Bakery & Cafe soft opened in the North Center neighborhood Nov. 30. Look for signature sweet and creative croissants and danishes, plus hot chocolate and coffee.
4301 N. Lincoln Ave., aulevainchicago.com
Etc.
Award-winning chef Lamar Moore, last at Bronzeville Winery, just became a co-owner for the first time, at his new American Southern restaurant. Etc. celebrated its first service in the Loop on Dec. 5. Moore is making a beef tartare with chicken cracklings, oxtail with heirloom purple grits and banana pudding brûlée.
404 S. Wells St., etc-chicago.com
Joong Boo Schaumburg Food Hall
The Korean-focused Asian market founded in Avondale opened its Schaumburg location in February, but just celebrated another grand opening. The Joong Boo Schaumburg Food Hall marked the opening of four stalls on Dec. 3. The beloved steaming hot jumbo dumpling buns have already made the move from the city to the suburbs at Joong Boo Wang Mandoo, alongside K Cafe & Eats, K Grill and MiMi Katsu, plus more to come at Bakery Crescent, Nudl Nudl and Tang.
1111 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg; 847-230-0138; joongboomarket.com
Lawrence Fish Market Chinatown
Takashi Iida, chef and owner of Lawrence Fish Market, which has one the best bargains in sushi and sashimi in town, has branched out with more than raw fish. Lawrence Fish Market Chinatown (really still more Armour Square or Bridgeport, because neighborhoods don’t have official boundaries, but constantly evolve) officially started slicing Nov. 17. The new location offers the signature sushi trays, but hot food too, from gyoza to ramen, plus dessert, including a matcha monaka, the wafer ice cream sandwich.
234 W. 31st St., 312-312-2118, lawrencefishchinatown.com
Wurst Behavior
Pierogi Kitchen owners and spouses Gosia Pieniazek and Art Wnorowski must have taken their vows to another level, and said for better and for wurst with their new sausage house and beer garden. Wurst Behavior linked up in the Irving Park neighborhood on Nov. 20. Be on your best behavior and get a daily scratch-made kielbasa on a toasted bun, or make it a brat winter with a loaded bratwurst smothered in sauerkraut, grilled onions, cheddar, bacon and sour cream.
4009 N. Elston Ave., 773-654-3122, wurstbehavior.com
Do you have notable restaurant news in the Chicago area? Email food critic Louisa Kung Liu Chu at lchu@chicagotribune.com.
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