Evanston Corner Bistro welcomed its first customers on Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. The new business is replacing Thomas & Dutch in Hilton Orrington Evanston, which closed earlier this month. Evanston Corner Bistro is owned by LM Restaurant Group, a restaurant management company which owns other restaurants in Chicago and the surrounding areas.
The family-friendly restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, and brunch on the weekends. The menu features “approachable contemporary dishes” in the style of an American bistro, according to Lauren Hammond, LM Restaurant Group’s director of branding & communications.
The bistro also offers a daily mimosa brunch deal, which includes one and a half hours worth of mimosas for $20 per person with the purchase of an entree. Happy hour specials are offered Sunday through Thursday.
According to Hammond, the restaurant will continue to employ some of the Thomas & Dutch staff. Shelly Nigel, Evanston resident and owner of Evanston skincare center Total Radiance by Shelly, said the transition from Thomas & Dutch to Evanston Corner Bistro is running smoothly.
“I went (to Thomas & Dutch) the Saturday before they closed,” Nigel said. “The servers either had something someplace else, or they were staying on. I was really happy to see that.”
Hammond said LM Restaurant Group is committed to providing a good working environment for staff members.
However, Evanston resident Jennifer Grandy said she thinks it might be difficult to open a restaurant under current market conditions.
According to a recent Evanston Economic Development report, the city’s vacancy rate for retail locations is about 12.2%. While vacancies are decreasing steadily from pandemic levels, progress has been slow, the report said.
“During the pandemic, a lot of people left the service industry,” Grandy said. “I feel for a lot of restaurateurs at this point. It’s not an easy business to be in.”
Evanston Corner Bistro’s dining room can seat 100 people and features a large bar. The covered outdoor seating, equipped with heat lamps, can seat an additional 50 people.
Private dining options are also available, with locations on the first and second floor open for private events.
Hammond said Evanston Corner Bistro will also feature locally sourced ingredients, reusable menus, a selection of local beers and to-go items in recyclable or compostable packaging.
“Whenever we open a restaurant in any neighborhood, we really try hard to become good neighbors and a great part of the community,” Hammond said. “We’re really happy to be here in Evanston, and we’re super excited to open and welcome people into the restaurant.”
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Twitter: @madelineking_18
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