3 New Dining and Drinking Experiences

The new bakery is located inside Little Goat Diner

Check out the latest from Chicago’s buzzing food and bev scene.

1. Newly opened in Bucktown, fried chicken destination Boxcar Betty’s lives up to its accolades with a locally sourced menu, made-from-scratch handcut fries and housemade ingredients. The main event? The signature Boxcar sandwich, topped with layers of brined fried chicken breast, peach coleslaw, pimiento cheese, spicy mayo and pickles. Look for sidewalk patio dining this spring. 1856 W. North Ave., boxcarbettys.com/chicago

2. Ready for a deep dive into cocktail history? Join renowned speakeasy The Violet Hour for its recently launched There & Back series, a monthly showcase of tipples from a different time and place (e.g., New York in the 1870s and London in the 1940s). The four prepared cocktails are available to be picked up for drinking at home (or enjoyed on the patio at TVH), accompanied by a video to guide you through the tasting. 1520 N. Damen Ave., theviolethour.com

3. chef Stephanie Izard and pastry chef Faith Taheny launch their sweets shop inside Little Goat Diner in the West Loop. On the menu at Sugargoat are cakes, cookies, cupcakes, pies and pastries, as well as muffins, bagels, scones and croissants for morning pick-me-ups. Taste the Chocolate French Fry pie with a crispy french-fry crumble crust, chocolate malt silk filling and chocolate fry crunch; or opt for a classic with the All the Chocolate cake with chocolate sauce and chocolate buttercream. 820 W. Randolph St., sugargoatsweets.com