Mercadito in River North Expanding Further into North Side This Year

After years operating near downtown, the owners are seeking expansion.

Evan Gallagher
Written By Evan Gallagher
Regional Reporter
Stock image from Mercadito (Image credit: Mercadito)

Empanadas and pollo tacos are coming soon to a street corner in Lincoln Park.

The owners of Mercadito in River North recently submitted a liquor license application for a new location at 2421 N Lincoln Avenue in the neighborhood. This is to be their second restaurant and will keep many of the same authentic dishes. An opening date has not been announced, but the owners are aiming for sometime this spring.

“Mercadito Lincoln Park hopes to become a neighborhood staple by offering lively, upscale dining, staying true to the authentic flavors and atmosphere that have made it one of Chicago’s most dynamic culinary destinations,” says a statement on their website.

The original location at 108 W Kinzie Street in River North in 2008. Opened by Will and Derrell McDavid, they have created a space that serves an all-day menu and offers private events. When What Now Chicago reached out, the owners were not available for comment.

Since then, it has served upscale Mexican cuisine, breakfast items and drinks for happy hour. A couple mains include their chile relleno with poblano, lobster, shrimp and oaxaca cheese, and the tampiquena New York steak with a salsa roja quesadilla, corn tortillas and roasted jalapenos. Happy hour margaritas and Tecate beers are popular pairings with their dishes.

The new location will be at the corner of N Lincoln Avenue and N Halsted Street, next to Galit Middle Eastern restaurant. This is also across the street from 3 Asian Sisters Vietnamese and Firefly Burger. The area is considered the center of Lincoln Park.

The initial announcement about the new location came on March 11. For more information and updates on the opening date, visit their Facebook page.

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Regional Reporter
Evan Gallagher is a reporter with a passion for news writing from the local to national level. He graduated from Ohio University's E.W. Scripps School of Journalism with a B.S. in Journalism and certificate in social media. He is currently based in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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