The Big Game
Our favorite wings, the best breweries, new openings and closings, and upcoming events
Morning, it’s Burbs Explored, your trusted guide for exploring and living well in the Chicago suburbs. Good news, Woodstock Willie predicted an early spring this past weekend. Let’s hope he is right!
This week, we’re covering two game day essentials for the Super Bowl this weekend - wings and beer! We also share two interesting pop-up dinners, several new openings and closings across the suburbs, and a great lineup of events happening in February.
Weekly Spotlight: Wings

Wings from Cortland’s Garage (Arlington Heights)
With the Super Bowl this weekend, we are highlighting a few of our favorite places to get wings across the Chicago suburbs. Whether you are picking up for a party or looking for somewhere to watch the game, check out the places below.
Bub City (Rosemont)
Buffalo Joe’s (Evanston)
Chicago Culinary Kitchen (Palatine)
Cortland’s Garage (Arlington Heights)
Crosstown Pub & Grill (Naperville & Batavia)
Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket (Willowbrook)
Franks for the Memories (Mundelein)
Fuller House (Hinsdale)
Pierce Tavern (Downers Grove)
Pit & Tap (Wilmette)
What are your favorite wings? Reply to this email and let us know!
News & Updates
Vicolo, the highly anticipated new restaurant from The Graceful Ordinary team, will be doing an exclusive preview pop-up dinner at Dove’s Chicago on February 20th (link)
Fire + Wine opened their second location in Park Ridge this week (link)
Naperville’s Block 59 announced several new restaurants that will be opening this year including Shake Shack, Stan’s Donuts, Piccolo Buco, and more (link)
Sweathouz, the fast-growing sauna and cold plunge studio chain is coming to Naperville (link)
The English Room at Deer Path Inn is launching a guest chef dinner series, One Night Reign, with the first dinner on February 19th featuring Max Robbins, Culinary Director of Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants (link)
Jurassic Gardens at Volo Auto Museum re-opened this past weekend after being closed in January for several upgrades and improvements (link)
The Radio Flyer flagship store in Woodfield Mall has closed (link)
Ten Ninety Brewing in Glenview has closed (link)
Featured Guide
Sticking with our Super Bowl theme this week, we are sharing our guide to the best breweries across the Chicago suburbs. As you make plans for the big game, remember to support your local breweries by picking up some beer or watching the game at a tap room. Not a beer drinker? Several of the breweries on our list make tasty hard seltzers and non-alcoholic beers as well!
Heads up, our guides are a work in progress and definitely missing a ton of great places. Let us know what places we should check out and add to the list. Submit your favorite local spots here.
Upcoming Events
NORTH SHORE
FeBREWary Hops & Hike | Feb 7 (Glenview)
Miss Katie Sings at Towne & Oak | Feb 8 (Winnetka)
Tala Coffee Class 101: Roastery Tour & Cupping | Feb 8 (Libertyville)
Finding Nemo Kids Musical | Feb 8-22 (Highland Park)
George Trois Valentine POP UP Dinner | Feb 14 (Winnetka)
Elawa Farm Valentine’s Day Dinner | Feb 14 (Lake Forest)
Winter Chilly Fest | Feb 15 (Skokie)
Aboyer Cigar Dinner | Feb 19 (Winnetka)
Deer Path Inn Max Robbins Winter Truffle Dinner | Feb 19 (Lake Forest)
Tala Coffee Class 102: Brewing Basics | Feb 21 (Libertyville)
Let’s Wine About Winter 2025 | Feb 22 (Libertyville)
Elawa Farm Winter Fest | Feb 22 (Lake Forest)
Double Clutch Brewing Charity Chili Contest | Feb 22 (Evanston)
North Shore Restaurant Month | March 2025 (multiple towns)
NORTHWEST SUBURBS
Lake County Flavor Festival | Today-Feb 28 (multiple towns)
Disney On Ice | Feb 6-9 (Rosemont)
Kate Marker Open House | Feb 7-8 (Barrington)
Lake Barrington Cocoa Crawl | Feb 8 (Lake Barrington)
Roaring Table Beer Dinner | Feb 8 (Grayslake)
Long Grove Cocoa Crawl | Feb 8 (Long Grove)
Lago Galentine’s Dinner | Feb 11 (Lake Zurich)
Superhero & Princess Party | Feb 12 (South Barrington)
Passero Wine Dinner | Feb 13 (Arlington Heights)
OVO by Cirque Du Soleil | Feb 13-16 (Hoffman Estates)
Patina Wine Bar Galentine’s Day Brunch | Feb 16 (Mount Prospect)
Monster Jam | Feb 28-March 2 (Rosemont)
Chicago Northwest Restaurant Week | Feb 28-March 9 (multiple towns)
WESTERN SUBURBS
St. Charles Restaurant Week | Today-Feb 7 (St. Charles)
Oak Park Bite the Burbs | Today-Feb 8 (Oak Park)
Alter Brewing Valentine’s Flower Workshop | Feb 6 (Downers Grove)
Sunset Knoll Winter Fest | Feb 8 (Lombard)
Goldfinger Brewery Dark Lager Day | Feb 8 (Downers Grove)
Common Good Omakase Cocktail Experience | Feb 9 (Glen Ellyn)
One Lake Brewing Bonsai & Brew | Feb 9 (Oak Park)
Maize + Mash Cocktail and Whiskey Dinner | Feb 11 (Glen Ellyn)
Common Good Couples Cocktail Class | Feb 14 (Glen Ellyn)
Preservation Valentine’s Wine Dinner | Feb 14 (Geneva)
Kō-zē Wine Cheers to 4 years | Feb 15 (Glen Ellyn)
Vegan in the Burbs | Feb 16 (Naperville)
Publican Quality Bread Dinner Series | Feb 21 (Oak Park)
Pour Destino Ram’s Gate Wine Dinner | Feb 26 (Hinsdale)
Elmhurst Restaurant Week | Feb 21-March 2 (Elmhurst)
Glen Ellyn Restaurant Week | Feb 21-March 2 (Glen Ellyn)
Naperville Winter Wine Walk | March 2 (Naperville)
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