5 Eateries Opening Downtown, On Howard Street

New restaurants are sprouting up around Evanston, including Found Kitchen and JT's Bar and Grill downtown. Two openings are also planned very soon on Howard Street, too: for Ward Eight, a cocktail bar, and for a new coffee shop called Sol Cafe.

Read on for all of the latest business openings, closings and relocations in our Comings & Goings column, which chronicles the business scene in Evanston.

Found Officially Opens Its Doors on Election Day
Restaurateur Amy Morton and chef Nicole Pederson officially opened the doors to Found Kitchen and Social House at 1631 Chicago Ave. on Election Day, Nov. 6. With an eclectic design inspired by 1920s Paris salons and the Beat poets of the 1950s, Found Kitchen has garnered lots of press, most recently from DailyCandy Chicago, TimeOut Chicago and Chicago Magazine. Earlier this summer, Patch covered the back story behind this creative restaurant from Morton, whose father was Arnie Morton, founder of the Morton’s chain of steakhouses.

Chicago’s Home of Chicken and Waffles Set to Open in December
Chicken and waffles are coming to 2424 W. Dempster St. this December, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. With locations in Bronzeville and Oak Park, the Evanston site will be the only Chicago’s Home of Chicken and Waffles to serve alcohol, Crain’s reports. 

JT’s Bar and Grill Brings Breakfast All Day to Orrington
This new restaurant at 1639 Orrington Ave. serves breakfast all day, as well as college-friendly comfort foods such as wings, pizza, burgers and Mexican fare. Fittingly, JT’s motto is “Just Great Food.”

Ward Eight Set to Open On Howard This December
According to Ward Eight co-owner Anne Carlson says an opening date of Dec. 12 has been set for the cocktail bar and restaurant at 629 Howard St. Back in May, Carlson told Patch that the menu would tentatively include classic drinks like the gimlet, Moscow Mule and Old Fashioned, as well as new creations like the Bergamot, composed of Earl Grey Death’s Door gin, Maraschino cherries, Crème Yvette and lemon bitters. 

Also On Howard, A New Café With ‘Sol’
The baristas at Sol Café are practicing on their espresso bar and ready to open any day at 1615 W. Howard St. According to Sol Café’s Facebook page, the student-run coffee shop will offer “fair trade coffee, homemade baked goods [and] lively atmosphere.” 

Talia Boutique Celebrates Grand Opening On Chicago
Co-owners Asia Cavallo and Agnieszka Lewandowska held an official grand opening for Talia Boutique on Nov. 1. Located at 1526 Chicago Ave., the store sells women’s clothing and accessories, including one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry. “We had been visiting Evanston for years and found the diverse and welcoming community to be a great match for our business,” Cavallo says. “We loved the space and thought it would be a perfect location for our boutique!”

Planet Fitness Will Kick You Into Shape on Main
A branch of the national Planet Fitness franchise opened at 2410 Main St. in Evanston earlier this fall. The club is open and staffed twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and includes massage tanning beds as well as a full schedule of classes. 

Find Herbs & Tea at Safari on Orrington
Owner Joseph Vlad opened Safari Natural Herbs and Tea at 1630 Orrington Ave. in mid-October, according to the Daily Northwestern. Vlad told the Daily he wants the store to be a “natural Walgreens” that will provide people not just with herbal remedies but also with the knowledge they need to use them. 

Unity Nursery School Relocates to Foster
The nonprofit, nonsectarian nursery school has relocated from 2214 Ridge Ave. to 827 Foster Street, according to the city’s Economic Development Office. Unity Nursery School has been serving Evanston’s youngest residents for more than 50 years.  

Cokesbury On Sheridan Road Is Closing in January
The Cokesbury store at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, 2121 Sheridan Rd., is closing its doors Jan. 12. Amy Smith, spokesperson for the national retailer of Christian products said the closure is part of a plan by United Methodist Publishing House, the parent company of Cokesbury, to close all 57 stores across the country.

Ten 27 Cycles Closing After Four Decades, New Bike Shop Moving In
After more than four decades operating as Turin Bicycle and then as Ten 27 Cycles, the independent bike store at 1027 Davis St. in Evanston will close this winter and reopen as part of a national chain. Until then, the store is working to empty its inventory by offering 15 to 40 percent discounts on everything.

McDonald's Withdraws Its Proposal On Gross Point Road
Representatives for McDonald’s withdrew their application for a restaurant at 2500 Gross Point Rd. in Evanston, earlier this week. The fast food chain was applying for a special use permit to build a McDonald’s at the intersection of Gross Point Road and Harrison Street.