Edzo's Burger Shop, the Evanston favorite known for its fresh-ground beef burgers and frustrating 4 p.m. closing time, is planning a second location in Lincoln Park.
Chef/owner Eddie Lakin plans to open another Edzo's at 2218 N. Lincoln Avenue in late fall or early winter. "You know, I just kind of started thinking about [another location] and this opportunity popped up really fast," he said.
Edzo's has a loyal base of local fans, as evident from the enthusiastic tweets (From "omg omg omg" from @RyanLowe53 to "Angels were heard singing" from Restaurant Intelligence Agency founder @EllenMalloy) sent out in response to dining blog Eater breaking the news on June 11. In addition to praise by Chicago-area media, Edzo's has also received national attention, including a mention on Bon Appetit magazine.
Lakin listed a number of reasons why this location is just the right fit for his burger shop: It's near Oz Park and Lincoln Park, and "it's right near both hospitals that are in transition, so there's going to be a lot of construction going on in the next few years," he said. "We do good business with construction workers in Evanston."
The storefront, formerly Kim & Scott's Cafe Twist, is also already configured appropriately for a counter-service restaurant. "We're going to change the aesthetics of the interior and do decor stuff, but we're not going to change any of the actual layout," Lakin said. "It's a pretty tight space, seating-wise," he said, though communal tables and stand-up counters should make space for 40-45 people to eat inside. "It'll be kind of like Al's Beef, the Chicago lean," he said, referring to the practice of eating an Italian beef sandwich while leaning forward to avoid dripping juice. "We're going to encourage people to do the Chicago lean."
Lakin said that he plans to offer largely the same menu and hours of operation at the Lincoln Park shop as the original Evanston shop, which is open 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. "I don't want to be a late-night spot and there're actually quite a lot of bars in the area that already do late-night," he said. "We're going to stay with the same philosophy that works for us up here.
Chef/owner Eddie Lakin plans to open another Edzo's at 2218 N. Lincoln Avenue in late fall or early winter. "You know, I just kind of started thinking about [another location] and this opportunity popped up really fast," he said.
Edzo's has a loyal base of local fans, as evident from the enthusiastic tweets (From "omg omg omg" from @RyanLowe53 to "Angels were heard singing" from Restaurant Intelligence Agency founder @EllenMalloy) sent out in response to dining blog Eater breaking the news on June 11. In addition to praise by Chicago-area media, Edzo's has also received national attention, including a mention on Bon Appetit magazine.
Lakin listed a number of reasons why this location is just the right fit for his burger shop: It's near Oz Park and Lincoln Park, and "it's right near both hospitals that are in transition, so there's going to be a lot of construction going on in the next few years," he said. "We do good business with construction workers in Evanston."
The storefront, formerly Kim & Scott's Cafe Twist, is also already configured appropriately for a counter-service restaurant. "We're going to change the aesthetics of the interior and do decor stuff, but we're not going to change any of the actual layout," Lakin said. "It's a pretty tight space, seating-wise," he said, though communal tables and stand-up counters should make space for 40-45 people to eat inside. "It'll be kind of like Al's Beef, the Chicago lean," he said, referring to the practice of eating an Italian beef sandwich while leaning forward to avoid dripping juice. "We're going to encourage people to do the Chicago lean."
Lakin said that he plans to offer largely the same menu and hours of operation at the Lincoln Park shop as the original Evanston shop, which is open 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. "I don't want to be a late-night spot and there're actually quite a lot of bars in the area that already do late-night," he said. "We're going to stay with the same philosophy that works for us up here.