15 Bloody Marys That Prove Chicago Knows Brunch
The Bloody Mary cocktail started simply: tomato juice mixed with vodka. Fernand Petiot, a bartender at New York Bar in Paris claimed he invented the drink in 1921. Others over the years have challenged Petiot, insisting to have invented the classic brunch beverage themselves. No matter! Today, Bloody Marys are nuanced, surprising, and more often than not, over-the-top. For the Bloody Mary enthusiast, these are the top Chicago spots to visit.
1. Cherry Circle Room
Bar, Hotel Restaurant, American, French, Pastries
Located in the historic, chic Chicago Athletic Association, the Cherry Circle Room offers gourmet food and drinks. The restaurant also won a James Beard award for Outstanding Restaurant Design, so you know you’re in for a stylish treat the moment you walk in. Paul McGee, the beverage director at Land and Sea Dept., the design group heading up Cherry Circle Room, approached the cocktail menu with a healthy balance of tradition and innovation. Their Bloody Mary is called a Red Snapper (a name rumored to have been the drink’s first official title). However, instead of featuring vodka as most Bloodies do, this one uses gin and sherry. There’s also tomato, spices, and smoke bomb sea salt for an added burst of flavor. Pair the Red Snapper with the Smoked Sturgeon Benedict for a delicious, and elegant, brunch.
2. Fountainhead
Pub, Pub Grub, American
Fountainhead is a low-key neighborhood tavern known for its carefully selected beer list and amazing rooftop garden. To give you an idea of the beer options, the bottle list has three pages dedicated solely to Belgian and Belgian-style ales, but why drink beer when there’s a fantastic Bloody Mary on the menu? Fountainhead mixes up the perfect combination of intense flavors and textures for their brunch cocktail. Using North Shore vodka (distilled in Green Oaks, Illinois) and a homemade mixture of roasted poblano, spices, roasted tomatillo, and a healthy dose of horseradish, this Bloody Mary is full of rich flavors. Served in a glass rimmed with celery salt for an added kick, patrons also get to munch on olives, pickles, and an enormous kabob with cheese and meat. It’s an appetizer and a cocktail all in one.
3. Uncommon Ground
Bar, Restaurant, American
5. Headquarters Beercade
Bar, Restaurant, American
This bar and restaurant mixes up the typical nightlife scene in Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Patrons can eat delicious pub food (or amazing brunch options on the weekends) while playing one of 65 vintage arcade games. Plus, the Bloody Marys are insane. Along with pickled veggies like green beans and asparagus, the skewer sticking out of the glass includes meat, cheese, and a full White Castle slider. It’s called the Slip ‘n Slider. A word of warning: Don’t stop at the skewer! The basil and garlic-infused vodka mixed with a homemade tomato concoction with lashings of Sriracha and horseradish is just as tasty – if not more so – as that slider.
6. Longman and Eagle
Bar, Restaurant, American
7. Sunda
Restaurant, Asian
In the heart of River North, this Asian fusion restaurant is a hip space with a cross-cultural menu, blending cooking techniques and flavors from all over the continent. The vast menu has dim sum, Asian grill items, poke bowls, and signature sushi. If you order the Sunda Sumo Mary at brunch, be careful not to mistake it for a large table decoration or a family-style dish to share. This 32 oz. monster is topped with just about anything one could imagine on an Asian-fusion menu: thick Applewood bacon, tocino grilled cheese, steamed duck bao, braised pork belly, lumpia (Indonesian spring roll), crab sushi, Chinese broccoli, takuan (pickled, Korean daikon radish), and wok-fired shishito peppers. Too much for you? Opt for the Bloody Mary bar instead, which is a cart rolled up table-side full of tasty garnishes you can pick yourself.
8. Flo
Restaurant, Mexican, American, Vegan, Vegetarian
This artsy space in Noble Square offers diners just about anything they can dream of in terms of New Mexican cuisine. Flo is a hip favorite among locals, serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch. The dishes are large for a great price; there are also many vegan and vegetarian options. Variety is also the name of the Bloody Mary game. Patrons can chose from three different spirits and three different spices to make their ideal beverage. Flo offers vodka, tequila, or a house-infused bacon bourbon – a delicious, salty twist on the classic Bloody Mary. Then, the choice becomes Cholula (a classic Bloody Mary spiked with Cholula hot sauce), Chile Rojo (spiked with New Mexican red chilies), or Chile Verde (spiked with green chilies and jalapeños). With nine unique combinations, diners can never claim boredom during brunch at Flo.
9. Hamburger Mary's
Bar, Restaurant, American
10. The Publican
Market, Restaurant, American
11. Lula Café
Cafe, American
12. The Duck Inn
Bar, Restaurant, American
13. Fat Cat Bar
Bar, Restaurant, American
Near The Green Mill in Uptown, Fat Cat is a casual place to hit up for brunch on the weekend. Yes, there is a regularly rotating draft beer list with 16 unique brews, but since their Bloody Mary won Best Bloody Mary in 2014, it would be silly not to order one. Fat Cat’s Bloody Mary mix is spiced with Sriracha and BBQ sauce. The kicker might be the lardon garnish: A large chunk of fatty bacon glazed in brown sugar and more Sriracha sits on a skewer over a salty rim. Sweet and savory, with a dash of fresh lemon and lime: this Bloody Mary is one for the record books.
14. Tweet
Bar, Restaurant, American, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free
15. Smoke Daddy BBQ
Restaurant, American, BBQ, Vegetarian
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