Whole Foods Brings Expanded In-store Dining to Chicago

Whole Foods Market plans to expand its in-store dining and bar options beginning with four new stores opening in Chicago.

The upscale grocer's Streeterville location, slated to open on Jan. 28, is the first of seven former Dominick's stores converting to the Whole Foods banner.

The location will be the first to feature an in-store venue offering raw and vegan foods through a partnership with Chicago restaurant Raw. Streeterville will also house a 12-tap barroom, coffee bar and wine room, Ramen station and an apothecary-style Whole Body department.

“We took the time to design and build a brand new store for each community that would offer not just a full-service grocery, but also a place to meet friends and share each other’s company," said Michael Bashaw, Midwest Region president, of the new Chicago stores, which also include locations in Lincoln Park (Feb. 25), the West Loop (March 25) and Edgewater (April 29).

Among the new restaurant-style offerings at the new Chicago locations are a sandwich bar, hot bar and salad bar, made-to-order individual pizzas, walk-up window for coffee, Red Star Bar with 24 taps on draft and a large whiskey selection, pita bread station and Mediterranean fare-chick shwarma and fresh falafel.  Offerings will vary by location.

Whole Foods plans to open two additional Chicago stores by the end of 2016, in Englewood and Hyde Park, as well as suburban locations in Evanston, Willowbrook and Elmhurst, later this year.