LINCOLN PARK — Protein Bar, the quinoa-heavy fast-casual restaurant, is preparing to open a Lincoln Park location.
The latest Protein Bar is under construction in a strip mall at 1953 N. Clybourn Ave., and will likely open in the late winter or early spring, according to the building's leasing company.
Protein Bar currently has eight Chicago locations, but is quickly expanding with plans to open 40 restaurants nationally by the end of 2015, according to a Crain's Chicago Business report.
The restaurant's menu focuses on quick and healthy food such as "bar-ritos" that are made with quinoa instead of rice, and whole-wheat wraps taking the place of flour tortillas.
The restaurant will fill a void in the strip mall located along Clybourn at the intersection of Racine, which is pocked with vacancies including the corner space left empty by the closing of Mitchell's.
This summer, Floyd's 99 Barbershop opened in the mall, and there could be more commercial tenants on the way, according to Anthony Campagni of real estate brokerage RKF.
"With Floyd's and Protein Bar we are hoping to attract some cool tenants for the center," Campagni said.
He would not go into details, but said the firm is working with a furniture retailer and other fast-casual restaurants that are interested in moving in.
