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4 Places To Eat or Drink This Weekend

By Tanveer Ali | October 3, 2014 1:48pm
 The Big State (top l.), Big G's by the Slice, Geek Bar Beta (bottom l.) and Piccolo Sogno Due.
The Big State (top l.), Big G's by the Slice, Geek Bar Beta (bottom l.) and Piccolo Sogno Due.
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DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser and Stephanie Lulay; Facebook

CHICAGO — Yes, Hot Doug's is closed. But, our friends, there are so many places in Chicago to get good meals and drinks. Here's where you should go this weekend:

A taste of geekdom

If we could, we'd just fire up our TARDIS and jump to December when the long-awaited Geek Bar is expected to open its nerd-friendly, two-story bar in Lincoln Park.

But bending the space-time continuum remains impossible (as far as we know), so for now we'll be happy with the opening of Geek Bar Beta, a temporary bar taking over the old Storefront Company in Wicker Park.

Geek Bar Beta will have cocktails, small and large plates that will make geeks of all stripes happy.

Marvel Comics fans may want to try the chicken and ginger meatballs, otherwise known as "Infinity Stones." "Doctor Who" fans may want to try the "Allons-y!" cocktail, which features every Chicagoan's favorite alcohol, Malört.

The beta bar is expected to be open until November.

Geek Bar Beta, 1941 W. North Ave.

It's all about the carbs

Piccolo Sogno Due in River North is holding a monthlong celebration of National Pasta Month that it's calling "Pasta-Palooza." For $45 per person, the restaurant is offering the deal for dinner service Sunday through Thursday until the end of the month. The first course is a pasta dish. The second course is a pasta dish. The third is, well, you can take a guess. The meal comes with wine pairings.

Piccolo Sogno Due, 340 N. Clark St. For reservations call, 312-822-0077 or visit OpenTable.

Pasta-topped pizza

In 2012, two childhood friends teamed up to open Big G's Pizza by the Slice in Wrigleyville, which has come to be known for its pies topped in unique ways.

The highest regarded of their concoctions is the Mac 'N Cheese pizza, which is as delicious as it sounds.

Now the duo has opened up its second location. This one's on Taylor Street in University Village, intended to serve the college-age and hungry around University of Illinois-Chicago.

Big G's Pizza by the Slice, 1132 W. Taylor St.

Tacos with a Texas twist

We love tacos, and there's a new place to get some in West Town, a neighborhood with its fair share of cheap and high-quality taquerias. 

The Big State — not to be confused with Big Star — is named in honor of Texas, where 30-year-old chef Eric Saaverda started his career.

The menu, which features $1.99 tacos and $5.99 burritos, features authentic Mexican dishes including The Pastor, a spit-roasted pork shoulder taco, and the Mexican hot dog — topped with pinto beans, bacon, peppers, mayonnaise, hot sauce and drizzles of mustard.

The Big State, 624 N. Ashland Ave.

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