Openings

What to Eat at Cafe 676, Opening Today on Michigan Avenue

Photo: Courtesy Omni Chicago Hotel

Moms and daughters loaded down with American Girl bags, glassy-eyed devotees coming from their latest pilgrimage to the Apple shrine … if that’s the people-watching you’re interested in, there’s a new spot for you. Cafe 676 is a sidewalk cafe right on north Michigan Avenue in front of the Omni Chicago Hotel, which will offer “Modern Midwest American Cuisine” starting today and running through November, with a menu similar to its year-round, indoor counterpart, 676 Restaurant and Bar.

The sidewalk seating might afford good people-watching, but the restaurant’s best view might be many stories up, home of Cafe 676 chef Daven Wardynski’s rooftop garden, part of his plan to be “midwest and local wherever possible.” A veteran of TRU, Wardynski has all the right names on his menu, from farms beloved by local chefs such as Slagel, Spence, Klug, and Seedling to regional products such as Nueske bacon, La Quercia prosciutto and Capriole cheese. Maybe if you ask nicely, Wardynski will take you up to see his garden. Check out the menu below.

Snacks

Snacks Offered With Grilled 100-Year Old Sourdough Flatbread

Robiola (Reichert’s Dairy Air - Knoxville, IA) - Mild, Rich Goat Cheese / Sour Strawberry Preserve 4

Apple Smoke Cheddar (Carr Valley - La Valle, WI) - Paprika, Firm Cow Cheese / Grilled Apple 4

Julianna (Capriole Farmstead - Greenville, IN) - Intense, Hearty Goat Cheese / Meyer Lemon Jam 4

Bohemian Blue (Hidden Springs - Westby, WI) - Dry, Sweet Sheep Cheese / Pickled Watermelon 4

Michigan White Bean Spread - Navy Beans / Garlic / Lemon / Parsley / Olive Oil 4

Olive & Cucumber Relish - Cucumber / Olive / Red Onion / Hidden Spring’s Feta 4

Heirloom Tomato Confit - Dried Tomato / Basil / Rosemary / Tomato Vinegar / Olive Oil 4

Grilled Eggplant Preserve - Red Onion / Golden Raisin / Basil / Tomato / Balsamic Vinegar 4

Broths & Greens
Tomato & Michigan White Bean Soup - Truffle / Shiitake / Goat Cheese Crouton 7
Spence Farm Sweet Corn Soup - Grilled Corn Succotash / Chef’s Roof-Top Crop Basil 7
Caesar Salad - Asiago Crouton / Wisconsin Parmesan / Nueske’s Bacon / Lemon Caesar 7
Michigan Apple Salad - Arugula / Apple / Wisconsin Parmesan / 676 Prairie Honey Vin 7
676 Green Salad - Capriole Goat Cheese / Candied Almond / True Blue Farm Blueberry Vin 7
Strawberry Salad - Arugula / Charred Roof-Top Crop Scallion / Hidden Spring Feta / Strawberry Vin 7
Cobb Salad - Avocado / Bacon / Tomato / Chicken / Cheddar / Slagel Egg / Buttermilk Dressing 10
Black & Blue Salad - Blackened Beef / Tomato / Red Onion / Goose Island Beer-Blue Cheese Vin 11
Summertime Cobb - Freshwater Char / Melon / Cucumber / Radish / Feta / Watermelon Vin 12
Great Lakes Niçoise Salad - Grilled Walleye / Tomato / Green Bean / Potato / Egg / Olive Vin 12

676 Specialty Entrees
Sandwiches Offered With Choice of Market Fruit / Hand-Cut Wisconsin Potato Chips / 676 “Gazpacho”
Lake Superior Whitefish Salad Melt - Herb Mayo / Artichoke / Roasted Tomato / Gouda / Croissant 9
“PB & J” Waffle Panini - House Peanut Butter / Mick Klug Farm’s Raspberry Jam / Buttermilk Waffle 9
Michigan White Bean Burger - Lemon-Goat Cheese / Cucumber / Sprouts / Sea Salt Roll 10
Miller Farm Chicken Salad Sandwich - Roof-Top Basil / La Quercia Prosciutto / Tomato Focaccia 10
Slagel Farm Fresh Egg Quiche - Charred Scallion / Capriole Goat Cheese / Sweet Corn Salad 11
Garden Gate Farm Turkey Wrap - Wild Arugula / Fennel / Apple / 676 Honey Mustard / Wheat Wrap 11
Grilled Walleye Sandwich - House Pickle / Spicy Tomato / Snow Pea-Cucumber Slaw / Onion Roll 12
Cold Smoked Freshwater Char - Zingerman’s Cream Cheese / Local Greens / Garlic Bagel 12
The “Un-Burger” Burger - Chicago Strip Steak / L.T.O. / Pickle Chip / Smoke Mayo / Pretzel Roll 12

Sweets
Vine Ripened Local Melon - Devonshire Cream / Lemon-Basil Scone 6
Market Fruit Sorbet - Local Seasonal Fruit / Chef Hand-Picked / Pistachio Cookie 6
Smore Pudding - Milk Chocolate Pudding / Graham Cracker Crumb / Malt Marshmallow 6
Fresh Raspberry “Tart” - Seedling Farm Raspberry / Lemon Curd / Vanilla Ice Cream 6
Espresso Pot de Creme - Hazelnut Whipped Cream / Chocolate Cookie 6
676 Prairie Honey Ice Cream - Honey Caramel / Cinnamon & Sugar Crunch 6

Libations
Chef-Squeezed Lemonade (select one) - Traditional / Watermelon-Basil 5
Tea Forte Tea Over Ice (select one) - Vanilla / Darjeeling / Raspberry / Cinnamon / Earl Grey 5
Seedling Farm Peach Smoothie - “Red Haven” Peach / Yogurt / Peach Nectar / Ginger / Lemon 5
True Blue Farm Blueberry Smoothie - Blue Crop Blueberry / Banana / Wild Blueberry Juice & Sorbet 5
Heritage Farm Carrot Smoothie - Young Carrot / Carrot Juice / Soy Milk / Golden Raisin / Lemon 5
Michigan Cherry Smoothie - Tart Cherry / Cherry Juice / Almond Milk / 676 Prairie Honey 5
What to Eat at Cafe 676, Opening Today on Michigan Avenue