Caffe Baci Launches Bar Food Menu, Celebrates with New 225@5 Collaboration Series

Caffè Baci, downtown Chicago’s original fast casual contemporary Italian food restaurants, is excited to announce the release of its new bar food menu at its 225 W. Wacker location! Created by Chef Cleetus Friedman, Caffè Baci’s creative chef for its downtown locations, the bar food menu focuses on small-bites and bar snacks perfect for eating while sipping a cocktail or a cold craft beer.

“We are thrilled to implement chef Friedman’s vision for a bar food menu at Caffè Baci,” says proprietor Joseph Di Carlo. “He is one of those chefs that is constantly innovating. Every day, he is coming up with new, creative ideas and this new menu really let’s that shine through.”

The new menu features a range of items such as Whiskey Bacon, Cleetus Heatus Deviled Eggs, Mini Cheddar Cheese Burgers and Shrimp Salad Lettuce Wraps.

“I really wanted to create menu items that would complement the growing cocktail and craft beer list here at Baci,” says Friedman. “It was important to me to pile this menu with as much variety as possible, all while staying true to the ‘bar food’ theme. I love the opportunity to bring my history of food and beverage pairings to an entirely new audience in the Loop.”

To celebrate the release of the new bar food menu, Caffè Baci is launching 225@5, a new take on happy hour featuring local distillers and brewers as they partner with Chef Cleetus for a series of epicurean events by BACI.  225@5 is dedicated to highlighting the new bar menu and allowing guests the opportunity to preview some items to come on the new catering menu.

“The goal of 225@5 is to continue my quest to do food and beverage pairings with the partners I love,” says Chef Friedman. “Utilizing the freshest ingredients, the food pairings will be new and whimsical bites inspired by the beers and cocktails.”

The first 225@5 event will take place on Thursday, May 26 at Caffè Baci’s Wacker Drive location featuring brews from Begyle Brewing and spirits from North Shore Distillery. Tickets are $40 (available here) and include food pairings from Chef Friedman and four drink tickets for guests to enjoy libations from the brewery & distillery partners. Chef Friedman will create new offerings to pair with the featured beverage selections, as well as highlight items on the new bar food menu.

The series schedule:

June 30: Half Acre Beer Company & FEW Spirits

July 28: Off Color Brewing & Death’s Door Spirits

August 25: Dark Horse Brewing Company & Journeyman Distillery

September 29: Stone Brewing & Redemption

**Tickets to all events through September are available here now.