Batter & Berries Comes to Southbridge: Beloved Brunch Icon Headlines Big Ribbon-Cutting at South Loop's 23rd Place

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/South Loop · July 25, 2026

South Loop neighbors, a major community milestone just landed right in your backyard — and it comes with pancakes. Mayor Brandon Johnson and community leaders recently gathered for a ribbon-cutting at 23rd Place at Southbridge, the ambitious mixed-use development that's stitching together the South Loop, Chinatown, and Bronzeville into one connected corridor. The star of the celebration? Beloved Chicago brunch institution Batter & Berries and boutique fitness studio 24Life Training & Fitness, which are now officially open as the first retail tenants at the sprawling 15-acre site. When complete, Southbridge will include more than 850 homes and hundreds of public-housing units — and the city recently approved additional tax-increment financing to keep the momentum going on the next phase of construction.

Meanwhile, Sloop commuters should note that this very weekend (July 25–27), the CTA and CDOT are carrying out major reconstruction work on the State/Lake Station as part of a larger Loop Elevated upgrade project. Washington/Wabash and Adams/Wabash stations are temporarily closed, with Green, Brown, and Orange Line trains rerouting via the Wells and Van Buren branches. It's a short-term inconvenience for a long-term gain — the kind of infrastructure investment that keeps the neighborhood humming for decades to come.

From a landmark brunch spot planting roots at Southbridge to a century-old elevated rail system getting a modern refresh, the South Loop is building its future one ribbon and one rail tie at a time. Have you visited Batter & Berries at 23rd Place yet, or been navigating the CTA reroutes this weekend? Tell us about it on Socialhood!

Sources:
1. http://www.sloopin.com/
2. https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/transit_facilities/news/2026/july/travel-advisory--temporary-weekend-reroutes-of-certain-loop-elev.html