Hattie B’s Sets Wicker Park Opening Date + Paulie Gee’s Collab

Hattie B's Hot Chicken, the family-owned restaurant offering Southern and spicy fried chicken, will officially open its doors in Wicker Park on Wednesday, October 28.

Located at 1542 N. Damen Ave., Hattie B's is expanding its local footprint following its debut at Gallagher Way earlier this year on February 26. 

To celebrate its arrival, the Nashville-based brand is partnering with local staple Paulie Gee's Wicker Park for a limited-time collaborative pizza. Available exclusively at Paulie Gee's Wicker Park from October 16 through October 31, the collaboration offers the neighborhood a first taste of Hattie B's hot chicken just down the block from its upcoming restaurant. 

A portion of the sales from the Hattie B's x Paulie Gee's Wicker Park Pizza Collab will be donated to No Kid Hungry. 

The 20-inch pie combines each restaurant's signature components and will be offered by the slice ($5) or as a whole pie ($37), which can be ordered via third-party delivery. To support a great cause, fifty cents from each slice and $5 from each whole pie sold will benefit No Kid Hungry. 

"Hattie B's brings serious heat, and we knew our New York-style crust could give their amazing chicken a great home. We wanted a pizza that lets the chicken shine, with the crunch and chew you want from a great slice. It's a little Nashville, a little Wicker Park, and something we're really excited to share," said Tony Dezutter, executive chef and co-owner of Paulie Gee's Wicker Park. 

Built on a base of Hattie B's barbecue-inspired HattieQ sauce, the pizza is layered with garlic, mozzarella, hot chicken tender bites and double-smoked bacon, alongside a traditional "meat-and-three" mix of Southern greens, sweet corn and black-eyed pea succotash. After baking, the pie is finished with thinly sliced green onions, an extra drizzle of HattieQ sauce, and a hot-brushed crust.

Brian Morris, Hattie B's executive chef and vice president of culinary, L&D, met Dezutter at this summer's Windy City Smokeout, where they discussed the possibility of partnering ahead of Hattie B's Wicker Park opening. 

“Chicagoans have always shown us a lot of love, and Wicker Park is a special spot for us. It was the first place in the city we brought Hattie B's to, back when we did a pop-up at Dove's Luncheonette in 2019,” Morris said. 

“We were blown away by the lines wrapped around the block, and that's when the spark was lit to find a permanent home here," Morris continued. "To finally open our own doors in Wicker Park is a beautiful, full-circle moment for us, and we couldn't think of a better way to mark the occasion than by teaming up with our neighbors at Paulie Gee's.”