There will be dozens of new restaurants and even more returning favorites to check out at the 11th Baconfest Chicago when it runs April 5-6 at the UIC Dorin Forum (725 W. Roosevelt). Some of the best restaurants/chefs and mixologists will be presenting their favorite bacon-themed snacks —baked, fried, smoked, cured, sweet, savory, salty and more — and bacon-themed/infused cocktails at the annual self-described “pork-a-palooza.”
In addition to the noshing, Baconfest will bestow its Golden Rasher Awards (the Oscars of the bacon universe) to participants in recognition of special achievement in the bacon arts.
Plenty of bacon and pork-themed products such as candy, sauces, wines, collectibles and more also will be available for purchase.
Tickets (three sessions are available: 6 to 10 p.m. April 5 and 6, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on April 5): $60 (for bacon tastings only, no drink tickets); $70 (group general admission, minimum 5 tickets purchase); $85 (general admission); and $160 (VIP, one hour early access). All tickets, unless otherwise noted, include 7 drink tickets. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Here’s the list of this year’s participants:
NEW TO BACONFEST 2019:
90 Miles Cuban Cafe
About Last Knife
Blue Door Kitchen & Garden
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
BRGRBELLY
Concrete Cowboy
Copper Fox Gastropub
Crīo
Drawl Southern Cookhouse & Whiskey
Fig & Olive
Flight Club
Gather
Good Measure
Osteria Bigolaro
NoMI
Pink Taco
Simone’s Bar
Soul Kantina
Steingold’s of Chicago
Swill Inn
Taureaux Tavern
Texican
The Broken Barrel Bar
The Fat Shallot
The Feller
The Royal Grocer & Co.
Vinci
2019 RETURNING COMPETITORS:
312 Chicago
676 Restaurant & Bar
Angry Pig Tavern
Atwood
Autre Monde Café & Spirits
Bangers & Lace – Evanston
Baptiste & Bottle
Bar Roma
Bar Takito
Batter and Berries
BBQ’d Productions, INC
Bistro Campagne
Bliss Culinary Heaven
Candyality
Cantina Laredo
Carnivale Restaurant
Carnivore Inc
CheSa’s Gluten Free Food Truck
Chicago q
City Barbecue
Community Tavern
Cooking Skills Academy
Current Restaurant
Davanti Enoteca
Earl’s Drive Thru BBQ
Edzo’s Burger Shop
Farmhouse Chicago
Firecakes Donuts
Flo & Santos
Flo Cafe & Bar
Fred’s Garage
HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen
Half Day Brewing Company
Half Sour
Hearth Restaurant
Heritage Restaurant and Caviar Bar
Honey Butter Fried Chicken
Imperial Lamian
Italian Village Restaurants
Jam
Jordan’s Food of Distinction
Kaiser Tiger
Kimski
Kitty O’Sheas
Latinicity
Le Bouchon
Links Taproom
Low & Slow BBQ
Market House on the Square
McWethy’s Sports Bar (formerly McQ’s Bar & Grill)
Michael Jordan’s Restaurant
Michael Jordan’s Steak House Chicago
Midnight Mac and Cheeserie
More Cupcakes
N’awlins Edibles Traveling Personal Chef Srvcs
Orso’s Restaurant
Paddy Long’s
Piece Pizzeria
Pinstripes
porkchop
Public House
Rack House Kitchen & Tavern
Roanoke Restaurant
Sheekar Delights
Showplace Icon Lobby Lounge
Smack Dab
Smylie Brothers Brewing Company
Son Of A Butcher
Sparrow Coffee Roastery
State & Lake Chicago Tavern
Steadfast – Ender Oktayuren
Stone Fox – Greg Hageli
Table, Donkey, and Stick
Tap House Grill
“The Ashburn – Loews Chicago O’Hare”
The Dawson
The Dearborn
The Delta
The Duck Inn
The Florentine
The Grill on the Alley
The Heritage
The Radler
The Roaming Hog
The Ruin Daily
The Signature Room at the 95th
Three Floyds Brewpub
Travelle at The Langham
Uncommon Ground
Velvet Taco
Victory Tap
Vie
Whirlyball
WHISK
Wood Fire Counter
World of Whirlpool
Wow Bao
Wrigley BBQ
XO Marshmallow
Yolk