☀️ It's (almost) patio season!

Inside: The spring-summer Foodball schedule [READER]( [Food & Drink]( I have good news, bad news, and splendid news. Bad news: through no fault of her own [Alisha Norris Jones]( aka [Immortal Milk]( has pulled out of the next (April 3) [Monday Night Foodball]( the Reader’s weekly chef pop-up at Ludlow Liquors in Avondale. Good news: Jones has rescheduled for a Monday in late summer and will be bringing along some very special guests (more on that in July). Meantime, you can still hang at the bar this Monday and order a Banana Hammock from Grace and a Ludlow smashburger with a side of [Copi nuggs from Jaren](. Splendid news: Today is the day I stop teasing it and finally release it: the brand new spring/early summer MNF lineup. It’s still at Ludlow, and the evening is coming when that spacious back patio opens every night to the warm twilit summer breezes and your hungry, high spirits. It’s been a mild winter, right? Sure, the polar ice caps are gonna deluge us all soon enough, but maybe April 10 will be the night it finally happens. That’s when MFN vet Ricky Hanft of [The Wurst]( the destination-worthy Griffith, Indiana, craft butcher shop, returns with his tribute to the Beef Wennington, one of only four McDonald’s hamburgers to be created in honor of champion NBA players. [Guess which]( (more on that tomorrow). Maybe [Milo’s Market]( the long-running, peripatetic Mexican pop-up, or[returning MNF]( vet [Jennifer Kim]( of [Alt Economy]( will bust open the wooden-slat gate. May Day looks good for [Giống Giống]( the Viet-Guatemalan mashup that kicked off [the very first Foodball]( and the week after, we’ll have Puerto Rican munchies from [Moncho Moncheo]( hot off the line from their regular gigs at Honey Butter Fried Chicken. What better day than the day after Mother’s Day to wish Japanese American comfort food pop-up [Mom’s]( a happy fourth birthday? (If that’s too far out, check out their Women’s History Month collab tonight with [@lolo_agogo]( MNF alum]( Koval Distillery at Guild Row.) Earlier this week John Carruthers, DBA [Crust Fund Pizza]( won runner-up on the Food Network’s Chopped. He’s been number one with us since [Pizza and Donut Night]( but now at least you can witness his triumphant revenge on School Pizza Night on May 22. Skip over Memorial Day for [the return]( of regional Indian whisperer [Jasmine Sheth]( the following week, flexing her[Tasting India]( spice line. It's definitely getting hotter mid-June when Long Room stalwart [Bad Johnny’s]( rolls out their wood-burning oven and parks it next to the patio gate on Wellington, to sling Roman-style pies. We’ve been trying to pin down Billy Zureikat, aka [Tripping Billy]( the hardest-working man in pop-ups, for like, ever. We’ve finally got him just two days after the solstice, with a greatest hits menu of his many triumphs. After that, we finish this round with linchpins of the New School of Chicago barbecue [Heffer BBQ]( and their singular central Texican low-and-slow smokecraft. And that’s just the first half of the summer! Remember to watch [this space]( and follow the chefs, [the Reader,]( and [me]( on Instagram to get the very first word on menu drops and ordering protocol. April 10: Beef Wenningtons from the Wurst ([@thewurstmeats]( April 17: Mexican-inspired cuisine from Milo’s Market ([@milosmarket]( April 24: Liquid Funk Fermentation Bistro with Jennifer Kim and Alt Economy ([@alteconomy]( May 1: Grilling with Foodball O.G. Giống Giống ([@gionggiongpops]( May 8: Puerto Rican jibaritos and munchies with Moncho Moncheo ([@monchomoncheo]( May 15: Celebrating four years of Mom’s ([@momschicago]( May 22: School Pizza Night with Chopped alum Crust Fund Pizza ([@nachosandlager]( May 29: Memorial Day (Bye week) June 5: The return of Tasting India and friends ([@tasting_india]( June 12: Roman-style, wood-fired pizza from Bad Johnny’s [(@badjohnnysgoodtimes]( June 19: Tripping Billy’s greatest hits ([@therealbillyz]( June 26: Central Texican barbecue with Heffer BBQ ([@therealhefferbbq]( [With elegant dumplings and meaty mountains of rice, Helmand channels the cradle of Afghan culture]( Wahid Tanha’s Albany Park restaurant reintroduces the city to Afghan fine dining. by [Mike Sula]( | [Read more]( → August 2021 [Thai culture thrives in Bridgeview]( ‘A small market started by the Thai Chamber of Commerce offers a community hub with plenty of authentic cuisine. by [Kayla Huynh]( | [Read more]( → April 2019 [Armed with family recipes, Masa Madre takes on Passover]( The Pilsen bakery blends traditional Jewish and Mexican flavors–this time without flour. by [Aimee Levitt]( | [Read more]( → Best of Chicago is coming soon! On Thursday, April 6, we're excited to release the Best of Chicago issue! Click below to sign up for the Best of Chicago newsletter, and be the first to know of the winners! [SIGN UP FOR THE BOC EMAIL LIST]( [Issue of Mar. 23 – Apr. 5, 2023 Vol. 52, No. 12]( [View/Download Issue (PDF)]( [View this e-mail as a web page]( [@chicago_reader]( [/chicagoreader]( [@chicago_reader]( [Chicago Reader on LinkedIn]( [/chicagoreader]( [chicagoreader.com]( [Forward this e-mail to a friend](. Want to change how you receive these e-mails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. Copyright © 2023 Chicago Reader, All rights reserved. You were subscribed to the receive emails from Chicago Reader Our mailing address is: Chicago Reader, 2930 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 102, Chicago, IL 60616