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When breakfast and lunch fall in love: Brunch with the next generation of underground dining and food trucks in Chicago

Brunch with the next generation of underground dining and food trucks in Chicago.

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Sunday Dinner Club Bloody Mary with Bang Bang candied bacon and pickled chard stem, Rare Tea Cellar Smoke Bomb salt rim; Bang Bang iced coffee (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

It takes a village to raise the lovechild of a former underground dining club and what was once just a plucky little pie truck.

In breaking food truck news, the Schnitzel King, Cupcakes for Courage, and the Institute for Justice just scored a big win in court today. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Peter Flynn has ruled that they can move forward contesting the 200 foot rule and GPS requirement. They will meet again in 30 days.

Spring peas, market green beans, fried spring onions, breakfast radish, buttermilk dressing, and farm greens (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

This past weekend, Sunday Dinner Club and Bang Bang Pie Shop hosted brunch in a lofty perch above the corner of Elston and Roscoe. They invited me to join three dozen other guests, all from SDC’s email only list. The space is above their highly anticipated Honey Butter Fried Chicken, opening this August if the City of Chicago inspection gods are kind. We were seated at a trio of communal tables.

Bang Bang biscuits and fennel gravy with country fried pork, farm egg, pickled fennel, and herb salad (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

In communal table news, critically acclaimed Elizabeth restaurant (born from chef/owner Iliana Regan’s former underground restaurant One Sister) announced this week they’re swapping out their communal tables for conventional seating. Evidently we don’t like communal tables in Chicago.

Bang Bang rhubarb pie with Sunday Dinner Club sour cream ice cream (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

I missed including in the brunch class photo Sunday Dinner Club partners Jen Mayer and Chris Jennings. Graphic designers of Kitemath by day, they created the keepsake newsprint menus. SDC’s now permanent home showcases an interactive and growing gallery of their stunning menu work.

Yes, meet the new generation of moms and pops in Chicago.

Dave Miller, Megan Miller, Christine Cikowski, Josh Kulp, Michael Ciapciak (WBEZ/Louisa Chu)

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