Baconfest Chicago announces participants for 2019 ‘pork-a-palooza’

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