Sip, Dine, and Celebrate: Kitty's Cosmopolitan Club, Petite Edith, and the Taste of River North Are All Reasons to Love Near North Right Now
By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Near North ·
Near North neighbors, your neighborhood's extraordinary run of exciting new openings shows absolutely no signs of slowing down. Tucked beneath the acclaimed Crying Tiger restaurant at 51 W. Hubbard Street, Kitty's Cosmopolitan Club has officially arrived — and it's unlike anything else in the neighborhood. The new basement cocktail lounge from Chicago hospitality powerhouse Lettuce Entertain You is decked out in plush booths and features a walk-in freezer bar station chilled to a jaw-dropping -16°F for precise cocktail dilution. Expect tableside old fashioneds, wagyu dim sum, and a seafood tower called "The Pearl" — all crafted by James Beard Award-nominated chef Thai Dang of Crying Tiger and chef Bob Broskey of RPM Restaurants.
Meanwhile, just steps away, River North has a charming new neighborhood bistro to call its own. Petite Edith, an 80-seat French-inflected spot from MICHELIN-starred chef Jenner Tomaska and his partner Katrina Bravo of the acclaimed Esmé, brings rustic elegance and a seafood-forward menu to the neighborhood. The space features a wraparound bar and garage doors that swing open for warm weather — perfect timing as spring finally settles over the city.
And if you need one more reason to get excited, mark your summer calendars: the beloved Taste of River North returns July 17–18, 2026, spotlighting the neighborhood's best local restaurants in a can't-miss outdoor celebration. From speakeasy cocktail dens to intimate bistros to a summer food festival, Near North is firing on all cylinders. Have you visited Kitty's or Petite Edith yet? Share your thoughts in the Socialhood comments!
Sources:
1. https://www.theinfatuation.com/chicago/guides/new-chicago-restaurant-openings
2. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/03/27/naia-brings-huge-patio-to-river-north-kittys-cosmopolitan-club-opens-with-ultra-cold-cocktails/
3. https://www.modernluxury.com/new-best-restaurants-in-chicago/
4. https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/festivals-special-events/chicago-festival-event-guide/
5. https://whatnow.com/chicago/restaurants/new-bar-and-speakeasy-to-accompany-crying-tiger-in-river-north/