Two Hot New Spots Are About to Change the Way Wicker Park Eats This Spring

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Wicker Park · April 5, 2026

Wicker Park's dining scene is heating up fast, and two brand-new arrivals are giving neighbors plenty of reasons to pull up a chair — or join a line — in the weeks ahead.

First, Milwaukee Avenue is getting a bold culinary reinvention. Chef Rodolfo Cuadros, who won widespread praise for his inventive vegan cooking at the now-closed Bloom Plant Based Kitchen, is returning to 1559 N. Milwaukee Ave. with a brand-new concept called Port Union. The new restaurant features a wide-ranging menu that still highlights vegetarian standouts — like a banana blossom cake — while also venturing into crowd-pleasing territory with dishes like pork schnitzel, wagyu meatballs with mushroom gravy, and Thai-influenced beef tartare. A soft opening is slated for April 17, with weekend brunch launching in May. It's the kind of neighborhood-rooted comeback story Wicker Park does best.

Meanwhile, over at Wicker Park Commons, a familiar name is making its neighborhood debut. Chick-fil-A is opening a new location at 1244 N. Ashland Ave., taking over a combined storefront that previously housed a USPS post office branch and a Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins. The restaurant will be operated by Josh Faretta, who also runs the Bucktown Chick-fil-A on Fullerton — and unlike that location, the new Wicker Park spot will not include a drive-thru. Whether you're a devoted fan or a first-timer, spring is shaping up to be a delicious season on the neighborhood's dining corridor. Stop by, explore, and eat local!

Sources:
1. https://www.wttw.com/playlist/2026/03/19/upcoming-restaurants-spring-2026
2. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/01/12/chick-fil-a-is-opening-in-wicker-park-this-spring/