How To Avoid Grocery Stores, Support Restaurants & Stay Home this Memorial Day Weekend

Local restaurants need your support & business more than large grocery stores right now. Here are a variety of options from local restaurants to make for a fabulous at-home BBQ and celebration next weekend:

Bodega Biscay

• West Town's Bar Biscay transformed into neighborhood corner grocery store, Bodega Biscay, nearly two months ago and is still rolling 
• Order your booze, ingredients, toiletries & more online for pick-up or delivery: https://www.toasttab.com/barbiscay/v3
• Their new BBQ Kit has all you need to kick off the summer on Memorial Day weekend: meats including marinated chicken, hanger steak, beef burger patties, veggie skewers, mashed potatoes & jalapeño poppers, as well as a bag of lump charcoal (self-lighting) and stick lighter
• Open daily noon to 8:30pm 

BLVD 

• West Loop restaurant BLVD offers a variety of steak options daily for pick-up and delivery on UberEats, DoorDash and GrubHub
• Now offering special butcher kits starting next weekend including: raw steaks and asparagus for the grill, creamed potatoes to reheat with dinner, a special finishing salt blend and tips from Chef Johnny Besch.

El Che Meat & Provisions

• Chef & Owner John Manion is kicking off his new business, a meat market operating at the same address as El Che Steakhouse & Bar, by offering his Parrillada as a kit for this Memorial Day weekend, as well as a variety of other steaks to go and a Caipirinha cocktail kit
• The Parrillada kit includes raw cuts & grilling instructions for the NY strip, chorizo, morcilla, tira de asado, sweetbreads and marrow bone, as well as chimichurri, chimichurri rojo, salsa criolla and smoked salt 
• Available for two for $55 or for four for $95
• Order on Toast here: https://www.toasttab.com/el-che-bar/v3

Old Pueblo Cantina

• This Lincoln Park restaurant is an option for Mexican food
• They just added their Cheese Crisps, aka. Sonoran quesadillas, to the takeout menu, as well as new raspberry-passion fruit margarita kits
• Order for pick-up or delivery 

Smyth & The Loyalist 

• The West Loop duo restaurant is offering special takeout experiences via Tock next weekend: a special Smyth Brunch kit with pancake mix, Crostata, asparagus, a hazelnut & honey financier, Sparrow coffee & more
• The Loyalist offers their Dirty Burg meal again for the long weekend
• Order pick-up orders, new dates added each week: 

Sophia Steak 

• Brand new Wilmette restaurant Sophia Steak just opened for the first time, before the dining room was able to debut
• Order ready-to-grill steaks. Four varieties include 8 oz. Aurora Black Angus Filet, Demkota Ranch 10 oz. Flat Iron and 14 oz. Prime NY Strip and a 32 oz. 28-day dry-aged Bone-In Prime Porterhouse, all served with signature Sophia steak sauce.
• Also offering a special at-home BBQ kit for Memorial Day weekend
• Order delivery or pick-up 

The Smith

• The River North American brasserie offers dinner and brunch daily, and just launched new cocktail kits to bring the party to you this weekend, including the Paloma, Negroni, French 75, Moscow Mule & more
• The "Chicago Handshake Kit" proceeds go directly to benefit their out-of-work staff
• Available on UberEats, GrubHub or DoorDash for pick-up or delivery 

Urbanbelly

• Chef Bill Kim's fast-casual spot has dumplings & bowls, and now has a new offering from local pastry artisan Dana Cree: Pretty Cool Ice Cream 
• Currently available in Dreamscile, Hibiscus and Rainbow Chip, with a special collaboration bar between Kim & Cree to come
• Order for pick-up or delivery through Caviar, DoorDash or Ritual: 

The Goddess and Grocer

The Goddess and Grocer is kicking off summer with its Memorial Day Goddess Grill Box this year. Large enough for groups of four, the menu features a variety of bartender batched cocktails, appetizers, sides, ready-to-grill entrees, and extras to choose from. 

Available for $150, orders can be placed for delivery or pickup via goddessandgrocer.com/our-team/grillbox/. All orders need to be purchased by Thursday, May 21 at Noon. Delivery starts at $20 and FREE pick up is available Saturday, May 23 - Sunday, May 24 at the State Street & Bucktown locations and at all locations (State Street, Bucktown, and River North) on Monday, May 25. 

Memorial Day Goddess Grill Box 

Serves Four People - $150

Bartender Batched Cocktails (choose one)

• Vodka Lemonade with fresh strawberries and basil

• Rum Punch with pineapple, blood orange, and lime

• Bourbon Smash with apple, honey, and lemon 

Appetizers (choose one)

• Spinach and Artichoke Dip with housemade potato chips

• Devilled Egg Spread with toasts

Sides (choose three)

• Broccoli and Nappa Cabbage Slaw

• Chili Lime Grilled Corn on the cob

• Greek Salad with tomato, cucumber, red onion, and feta with a mediterranean dressing

• Goddess Potato Salad with egg, pickles, and Mayo 

• Goddess Kale Salad with roasted tomatoes, pine nuts, parmesan, and white balsamic dressing

• Garden Goddess Salad with spinach, beets, carrots, avocado, tomatoes, cucumber, and quinoa with Goddess dressing

Marinated Mains for the Grill (choose two - all main come uncooked)

• Jerked Chicken Thighs with pineapple salsa

• Skirt Steak with blistered tomatoes

• Korean Style Flank Steak

• Teriyaki Salmon with sweet chili glaze

• Balsamic Portobello Stack with corn polenta

Dessert (choose one)

• Red, White, and Blueberry Cupcakes

• Flag Sugar Cookies

Extras and Flag Cakes

• Extra Cocktail - $35

• Extra Appetizer - $25

• Extra Side Choice - $16

• Extra Salad - $25

• Extra Meat Per Person - $15

• Cupcakes or Cookies - $16

• 10” Goddess Flag Cake - $80

• Red, White & Blue Flower Bouquet - $30

Locations 

BUCKTOWN/WICKER PARK - 1649 North Damen Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States

RIVER NORTH - 901 North Larrabee Street, Chicago, IL, United States

GOLD COAST - 1127 North State Street, Chicago, IL, United States

Girl & the Goat

The Memorial Day Grilling Weekender Meal Kit is now available for pre-order on Girlandthegoatceries.com! The weekend kit is inspired by Chef Stephanie’s home grilling and her restaurant favorites such as Girl & the Goat's Grilled Broccoli. The kit will include a variety of proteins like Kalbi style beef short ribs, pork sausage satays, shrimp and chicken wings! Tasty sides and 2 brunch menus make for a full weekend of cooking. All dinners come with Little Goat Chocolate Chip Cookies and Grilled Pineapple Ice Cream.

Boka

Lee Wolen’s Memorial Day Cookout Kit will serve four guests pulled pork sandwiches, Local Food’s bratwursts, BBQ marinated whole amish chicken, four cheese mac & cheese, potato salad, corn & asparagus salad, coleslaw and bread & butter pickles. Meg’s mixed berry pie with whipped crème fraiche by pastry chef Meg Galus will also be included. Available via Tock now for $125.

Swift & Sons Tavern 

Chef Chris Pandel will be creating a curated grilling kit for the Memorial Day Holiday, including a while marinated BBQ chicken, beef kebabs, spring veggie kebabs, German style potato salad, 7-layer salad, baked beans, coleslaw, broccoli and cherry salad and an angel food cake with macerated berries and marshmallow frosting. The day’s worth of food feeds 4 guests and is available via Tock for $125.

Fannie May Chicagoland 

Fannie May is running 20% off entire purchases from 5/22 – 5/25. Guests can call ahead for curbside pick-up or next day delivery offered at specific Chicagoland locations. To note, this offer is not available on UberEats. 

Please note: for the safety of everyone, customers will not be allowed in store.

Smoke Daddy Wrigleyville

The Wrigleyville restaurant has been temporarily closed since COVID-19 hit, but they are re-opening their doors for a 2-day Memorial Day (weekend) Pop-up featuring BBQ Boxes to-go, filled with Smoke Daddy favorites for just $25/pp.

Each $25 Smoke Daddy BBQ Box comes hot-and-ready and includes:

• 1/2 rack ribs
• Smoked chicken
• Pulled pork
• Mac-n-cheese
• Beans
• Coleslaw
• Tall Boy to wash it all down

BBQ lovers can pre-order their Smoke Daddy Box online thru May 24, and pick-up on May 24 or 25 between the hours of 12-4pm. Don't forget to grab some adult beverages to-go and shop their pop-up selection of beer, whiskey, cocktails and more.

PRE-ORDER ONLINE HERE: https://rewards.4srg.com/events

PRE-ORDER DEADLINE: Sunday, May 24 @ noon.

Pick-up at Smoke Daddy Wrigleyville 3636 N Clark May 24 or 25 12-4pm

Allgauer's on the Riverfront

Allgauer's on the Riverfront wants to help families celebrate Memorial Day weekend, and as such they have created special DIY Grilling Kits for a backyard barbecue dinner. Available from May 23-25, the restaurant will be offering patrons a variety of kits, including: 

• Ginger Hoisin Salmon Grill Kit, $20 per person
  • includes grilled asparagus, strawberry & romaine, with orange and basil, ginger hoisin grilled salmon with grilled pineapple relish and grilled Yukon potato skewers and sautéed green beans. 
• Grilled 6oz. Fillet Mignon Grill Kit, $25 per person
  • includes steakhouse wedge salad, grilled 6 o.z. filet mignon with portobello caps, bell peppers and zucchini, as well as potatoes au gratin. 
• Grilled Port Tenderloin Grill Kit, $18.75 per person
  • includes grilled watermelon and avocado salad, grilled pork tenderloin with maple-mustard glaze, grilled honey crisp apples, baby carrots, green onions and couscous.
• Spicy Shrimp & Chicken Grill Kit, $18.75 per person
  • includes cucumber, grape, tomato and fresh mozzarella salad, spicy herb grilled shrimp and chicken breast in a cilantro lime sauce, alongside garlic potato salad and grilled asparagus. 

To order, guests can call between the hours of 3 p.m. - 8 p.m. at 847-664-7999. 

Geja's

Geja’s Café, 340 W Armitage Ave, has created a Geja’s For the Grill package launching just in time for Memorial Day weekend, which includes 8 shish-kabobs with choice of beef, chicken, shrimp, or vegetable; along with choice of three dipping sauces, for $45. Sauce options include Fresh Dill, Horseradish Chive, Thai Chili Garlic, Chimichurri, Teriyaki, Sriracha Aioli, Curry and their salad dressing Dijon Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. 

For an additional $25, guests can also enjoy a Quart of Sangria-To-Go, with all the ingredients you need for a perfect Memorial Day weekend. Kabob kits require a 24 hour notice. Please call Geja’s at 773-281-9101 if you will need within 24 hours. 

Mercadito

Available for purchase directly from Mercadito's website or on Grubhub or Uber Eats, the Memorial Day Weekend Package feeds 3 - 4 people and includes Carne Tacos, Baja Tacos, Chicken Tacos, for 9 total tacos, Traditional Guacamole and Chips and Rice and Beans for $45. Those looking to enjoy beverages with their authentic Mexican cuisine may add a six-pack of beer (Corona Light, Tecate, Pacifico, Cerveza Modelo Negra, or Palm Shade IPA) for $18 or a Don Julio margarita kit for $75. Also available is a limited-time Memorial Day Cocktail Kit Flight, which includes one of each of the restaurant's specialty cocktail kits from their traditional margarita, Pepino el Pyu and more. Guests must be at least 21-years-old to order cocktails and present a valid ID upon pickup or delivery.

Spirit Hub

Memorial Day is right around the corner, and although it may look a little different this year, Chicago will still find a way to honor our veterans and active duty military and spend the day with family and friends from a distance. Local alcohol delivery company Spirit Hub is making it easy to prepare for whatever you have planned with same day, weekend and 2-day Limited Contact delivery windows – keeping you safe while saving you a last-minute trip to the store.

Spirit Hub partners with a number of Veteran-owned distilleries and by purchasing their spirits on Spirit Hub, customers can show their support to these businesses. One example is Steamboat Whiskey founder Nathan Newhall, a former Navy Seal who developed the Warrior Whiskey as a veteran tribute product, and a portion of its sales are donated directly to veteran support organizations across America. For a full list of Spirit Hub’s veteran-owned distilleries, visit the bottom of this page.