LINCOLN PARK — If all goes according to plan, Michigan-based brewpub HopCat is aiming to open its first Chicago location — complete with a wide variety of craft beer and "crack fries" — by late summer, according to Chris Knape, vice president of marketing and communications for the restaurant group.
Knape and other HopCat representatives presented plans to open a brewpub in the former Italian eatery Vapiano, 2577 N. Clark St., to neighbors, including members of the Park West Community Association, Tuesday evening in hopes of gaining approval for a zoning change.
The only reason the change is needed is because HopCat wants to build a bigger bar than current zoning allows, Knape said. The bar would be comparable in size to its existing locations.
If the zoning change is approved, the Chicago restaurant will be similar to its existing locations. Patrons can expect American pub food like pizza rolls, wings, mac and cheese and a large selection of burgers, sandwiches and wraps.
HopCat's signature "crack fries," which are French fries lightly battered in beer, will also be on the menu. Named for how addictive they are, the fries made Food Network Magazine's "Top 10 French Fries in America" list.
Beer-wise, the restaurant will always serve a rotating list of 30 beers from both big and small breweries across the state, or what's called the "Local 30." Craft beer from local breweries will be the focus of the restaurant, Knape said.
Since opening its first location in Grand Rapids, Mich. in 2008, HopCat has expanded to seven other cities, including Madison, Wis. and Lincoln, Neb. Knape said coming to Chicago has been on the restaurant group's radar for more than three years.
HopCat is planning to open 30 new restaurants across the Midwest thanks to a $25 million investment, according to reports.
Some neighbors at the meeting voiced concerns over the brewpub's late-night hours (open until midnight on most weekdays and until 2 a.m. on the weekends), saying the restaurant would increase the noise level and traffic on the street. One neighbor said the brewpub "sounded more like Wrigleyville" than Lincoln Park.
But Knape assured neighbors that HopCat is a restaurant with a focus on craft beer — not a late-night bar. He also pledged to work with neighbors and Ald. Michele Smith's 43rd Ward office if any issues arise.
There are no plans for a rooftop patio or live music, Knape said.
Smith, whose ward includes the restaurant, said she believes HopCat can handle the concerns brought up at the meeting, but would not say whether or not she supports the zoning change.
"The no. 1 criteria is how the community feels," she said.
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