Dog friendly patio opens at Francesca's Bryn Mawr

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL 60660, 773-506-9261)

Calling all dog owners and K-9 enthusiast!  Bring your four legged friends to Francesca’s Bryn Mawr for the Grand Opening celebration of their new dog-friendly patio Friday, June 1 – Sunday, June 3.  The “Bryn Mawr is going to the Dogs” three-day event will feature a guest appearance from Mr. Chunkers of the U, red-carpet photo ops for your beloved pooch, fun, prizes and much more!   All summer long, dogs and their humans can dine al fresco at Francesca’s Bryn Mawr, just 2 blocks from the lake, in the historic Edgewater community.       

Support your community with Francesca’s Eat and Earn program

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr will be participating in an Eat and Earn June 1-3 in support of PAWS Chicago.  Dine in or carry out and mention PAWS Chicago, to have %15 of your bill donated to the organization. 

PAWS Chicago is the city's largest no-kill  humane organization, focused on solutions to end the killing of homeless pets.  For more information, visit http://www.pawschicago.org/

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr also will participate in an Eat and Earn for the AIDS Foundation Thursday, June 28. For more information, visit http://www.aidschicago.org/

Dog friendly patios at Francesca's Restaurants

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL 60660, 773-506-9261)

Bring your four legged friends to Francesca’s Bryn Mawr for the Grand Opening celebration of their new dog-friendly patio Friday, June 1 – Sunday, June 3.  The “Bryn Mawr is going to the Dogs” three-day event will  feature red-carpet photo ops for your beloved pooch that will be displayed on Francesca’s Facebook page, prizes  and an opportunity for the most “liked” dog to win his or her human  to win a $100 gift certificate!  

 La Sorella di Francesca (18 W Jefferson Ave., Naperville, IL 60540; 630-961-2706)

La Sorella di Francesca’s outdoor patio is now dog-friendly!  Bring your best animal friend to relax with you while you dine on delicious Italian cuisine. 

Brunch at Francesca's Restaurants

Francesca’s Fiore (7407 W. Madison Street, Forest Park, IL 60130, 708-771-3063) has been added to the list of Francesca’s restaurants that are serving brunch.  Delicious brunch menu items include Pollo e Uova, Crispy chicken confit and bacon hash with two eggs any style ($10.99) or Capicolla Spinaci Benedict, Spicy capicolla ham, parmesan, spinach, toasted English muffin with hollandaise and house potatoes ($10.99).  Sweet options include French Toast and Jam, Vanilla bean battered Texas hollybread, topped with red wine grape compote, mascarpone and toasted almonds ($8.99) and Sweet Pancakes ($9.00).

Mia Francesca (3311 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60657; 773-281-3310), the flagship restaurant of the Francesca’s restaurant group, features a brunch menu including Italian breakfast favorites like Baked Uovo Florentina, soft baked egg, fontina cheese and creamed spinach on ciabatta toast and white truffle oil ($10.00) or Torta di Salviata, a fresh sage omelette with parmigiano regiano served with house potatoes ($10.00). Sweet options include Sweet Pancakes ($9.00), Blueberry ricotta pancakes with blueberry-lemon compote ($9.00) or French Toast and Jam. ($9.00). Mia Francesca also offers brunch cocktails like the Good Morning Sunrise with apricot nectar, the Sea Breeze Mimosa with cranberry and pink grapefruit or the Zing Zang Bloody Mary, each for $5.00.

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago, IL 60660; 773-506-9261) now has a brunch menu that features many of the same Italian classics, like the $5.00 Mimosa, with a few items unique to Francesca’s Bryn Mawr, including Savory Pancakes with polenta and bacon on sweet corn pancakes with maple butter, each for $9.00.

Francesca’s Forno (1576 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, IL 60622; 773-770-0184) is offering a brunch options for city dwellers. Brunch cocktails include the Forno Bloody Mary with vodka and the Salty Dog, made with vodka, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice and served in a glass with a salted rim, each for $6.00. The food options include Frutta e Granola, Milk & Honey Café granola with vanilla yogurt and fresh berries ($7.00), Bourbon-Soaked French Toast, challah with bourbon vanilla bean batter, maple crème fraiche and candied walnuts ($9.00) and a classic Breakfast Monte Cristo, made with an English muffin, fontina, crispy pancetta and a fried egg with spicy tomato jam and hash browns ($10.00).

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr is partnering up with Fable Festival

Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago, IL 60640; 773-506-9261)

 A newly established, community-based Fable Festival is taking place May 16 – May 20 in non-traditional spaces throughout Chicago’s Edgewater and Andersonville neighborhoods. The performance festival answers calls to action happening in town hall meetings across Chicago for more focus on neighborhood arts events in the City’s upcoming Cultural Plan.

Performances will take place in empty storefronts, public schools, cafes, restaurants, the Lakefront and bars in an effort to showcase the community and collaborate with businesses to bring more patrons to the Edgewater and Andersonville neighborhoods. This unique event invites over 20 established theater-makers and performance companies to present a weekend of new, short works based on international fairy tales and fables – often accompanied by music, puppets,  food and drink.

Thursday, May 17, 8pm - Hearts and Brains present The Story Story By Lacy Campbell.

Two puppets and two projectors telling three stories, each illustrated by three different visual artists. Assorted crostini and pizza will be provided by Francesca’s throughout the event.

Sunday, May 20, 12-2pm - iO’s Storytown

From superheroes to undersea adventures, Storytown takes you on an interactive, fully improvised adventure, using your suggestions and ideas to create a different story every time. Kids design the setting and help shape the story, and the actors, artists, and musicians bring it to life. Recommended for children 3 and up.  Francesca’s will provide gelato as refreshments for the little ones.

For more information, please visit www.fablefestival.org or call 773-828-9185

Raise a glass to the end of tax season with a Wine dinner event at Francesca’s Bryn Mawr

April 17, 7 p.m. – Francesca’s Bryn Mawr (1039 W Bryn Mawr, Chicago, IL 60660; 773-506-9261)

Uncle Sam’s annual day of reckoning is upon us…. (drum roll please) TAX DAY.  If April 15th is a day to celebrate in your household, chances are you are receiving a tax refund; but if you owe, the tone is surely not so upbeat.  Whether you are drowning your sorrows or toasting to your own financial windfall, we have an event for you.  “Uncle Sam meet Auntie Vino” is a 4-course wine dinner hosted by Francesca’s Bryn Mawr.  Guest speaker, Danny Kleiman, of Heritage Wines takes you through a guided tour of Italian wine varietals paired with an innovative Francesca’s menu.  $48 plus tax & gratuity, reservations required.

The evening begins with Citrus House cured Salmon with shaved fennel and extra virgin olive oil. This is paired with Voveti Prosecco DOC. Following this is English pea filled ravioli, soft poached hen egg, in a parmesan broth with browned butter asparagus, paired with Inama Soave Classico 2010. The next course features Prosciutto wrapped seared ahi tuna with braised pork cheeks, morels, and spring onions. The Endrizzi Teroldego 2009 wine pairs perfectly with this course. The dinner ends with Grilled lamb chop with sweet garlic puree, petit spring vegetables, anise scented lamb au jus. Tenuta Sant’ Antonio Valpolicella Ripasso Monti Garbi 2008 is paired with this course.