A Purple Line train at Davis station, steps from the Davis Street address where Boltwood opened Photo: Ben Schumin / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Three new places to eat, drink and shop for dinner were lined up to debut in Evanston during the third week of June 2014: a farm-to-table restaurant on Davis Street, an artisan butcher shop on Chicago Avenue and a downtown brewpub on Oak Avenue.
Boltwood on Davis Street
Boltwood took over the former LuLu’s space at 804 Davis St. and began taking reservations for a limited soft opening ahead of its public debut. The restaurant was to open to all diners on Tuesday, June 17. Brian Huston, who had cooked at The Publican in Chicago, ran the kitchen. John Kim, owner of Brothers K Coffeehouse, was among the partners. The menu centered on farm-to-table cooking.
Homestead Meats on Chicago Avenue
The same day, Homestead Meats was scheduled to open at 1305 Chicago Ave. Patch had reported earlier in the year that the shop’s owner planned a locally sourced butcher counter, with house specialties such as rosemary bacon, corned beef and smoked chickens, and a pitch to use whole animals. It was pitched as Evanston’s first locally sourced butcher.
Smylie Bros. downtown
Smylie Bros. Brewing Co. planned to open for dinner on Thursday, June 19, at 1615 Oak Ave., just in time for the weekend. The menu pairs Texas-style barbecue and wood-fired pizza with Midwestern comfort food and the house craft beer, and the brewpub also offers growlers to take home. Brunch and lunch were planned for later in the year. Owner Mike Smylie came to cooking after a stint as a commodities trader, according to ABC7 Chicago.
It was billed as Evanston’s second brewpub and the first one downtown. The first, Peckish Pig on Howard Street, was already serving.
Smylie Bros. moved into the space of the former Evanston Market, and the brewpub seats roughly 300 people, according to a regional tourism listing.
Taken together, the three openings added a farm-to-table dinner spot, a butcher counter and a large brewpub to Evanston’s food scene within the span of a few days.
Reporting based on Patch coverage of the Homestead Meats opening, Chicago magazine’s June 2014 listings, and Smylie Bros.’ opening announcement.
Rachel Lindqvist covers community life, the lakefront, dining and the arts for The Evanston Edge.
