Brunch Bites: Tippling Hall and Chop Shop

In this week's batch of brunch bites, Tippling Hall and Chop Shop both add weekend brunch programs to their repertoire. 

Tippling Hall
(Fried chicken and waffles at Tippling Hall)

It seems like every week a new restaurant or two instates brunch service. It's almost a mandatory requirement nowadays in Chicago. This week, we strike gold with two full-fledged new brunch programs from two hot dining destinations. First is River North's eclectic new watering hole, late night haunt, and globally inspired dining destination, Tippling Hall, a juggernaut of a concept from the folks behind Mercadito. Nestled in the nexus of hangover city River North, Tippling Hall is ideally situated to soothe those booze wounds with an indulgent brunch menu courtesy of Guillermo Tellez, now available on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. In line with the international comfort food template, the menu includes "build your own" frittatas and Benedicts, huckleberry-flecked cinnamon bread French toast, fried chicken with jalapeno-cheddar-corn waffle, country fried steak, apple cider doughnuts, and lots more. Tippling Hall also offers a nice "Brunch Special," which entails one pastry, one entree, and one mimosa for $27. Draft cocktails, Bloody Marys, wine, and coffee round out the menu. 

Hot on the heels of appointing a new chef de cuisine — hi, John Formica! — Chop Shop has also just rolled out a new brunch menu, debuting December 13 and running every Saturday and Sunday thereafter. The new brunch program is Formica's baby, highlighting his penchant for fresh, quality, seasonal cookery, and it looks to be one of the most exciting new brunch menus in Chicago. Get ready to hug your soul with dishes like bacon-cheddar-biscuits utilizing bacon from the on-site butcher case, adorned with bourbon butter; lobster polenta cake Benedict with crab fat pickled hollandaise sauce; banger-stuffed portabello with egg and crispy potatoes; lemon-blueberry pancakes with maple-bourbon syrup; and smoked salmon pastrami with yogurt cheese spread. Chop Shop is also offering a raw bar selection, charcuterie, bar snacks, and more. 

- Matt Kirouac

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