A Phoenix Rising on North Avenue: Craft & Carvery Brings Rotisserie Sandwiches, Pizza & Brunch to Wicker Park Just in Time for Summer

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Wicker Park ·

Wicker Park's corner of Hoyne and North avenues has a delicious new reason to visit. Craft & Carvery officially opened its doors at 2101 W. North Ave. on July 1 — and it's already turning heads. The chef-driven all-day café is the latest venture from restaurateur Richard Vallejo and chef Yanitzin Sanchez, the duo behind Botanero on Ashland Avenue. The concept has a story of resilience behind it: Craft & Carvery originally debuted inside the Time Out Market food hall before that space abruptly shuttered in January, sending Vallejo and Sanchez on the hunt for a permanent home of their own.

The new standalone spot is anything but a consolation prize. The expanded menu spotlights rotisserie-cooked meat sandwiches (

3–
6), thin-crust pizzas mostly under $20, a full brunch service, and an espresso bar — all served in a warm, open-kitchen space with seating for about 30 inside and 45 more on a Hoyne Avenue patio. Vallejo describes it as a neighborhood regular's spot, not an 'occasion place,' and prices reflect that welcoming spirit. Note that the restaurant is closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

And the good times in Wicker Park are just getting started. Mark your calendars for July 24–26, when Wicker Park Fest returns to Milwaukee Avenue for its 22nd year, headlined by Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band, surf-punk rockers The Frights, and indie favorites Ovlov — with a lineup curated once again by neighborhood institution Subterranean. There's even a Pet Fest with a dog ice-cream-eating contest. Stop into Craft & Carvery, then start planning your festival weekend — and keep up with all the action at wickerparkbucktown.com!

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/07/01/5-months-after-time-out-markets-closure-craft-carvery-lands-in-wicker-park-now-with-pizza/
2. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/02/ryan-davis-the-roadhouse-band-the-frights-ovlov-headlining-wicker-park-fest-in-july/