In a city ever-changing with culinary trends and tastes, Chicago bids farewell to several beloved restaurants. Among the closures, North Center's Sticky Rice is set to close its doors after two decades of serving traditional northern Thai flavors. Sticky Rice's Instagram post included a message to customers thanking them for their support and signaling hope for a future opportunity to serve them once again.
The closure comes amidst a wave of recent restaurant shutters throughout the city. September was a particularly slow month that contributed to seeing several establishments shutter, ranging from new ventures to community favorites. As reported by Eater Chicago, the lineup of closures included 016 Restaurant, a purveyor of Serbian cuisine, and Dimo’s Cafe, an establishment looking to expand its pizza brand. Both restaurants faced insurmountable challenges, with the former citing "present problems and circumstances" as a contributing factor to their closure.
Additional closures in the area included Gemini Grill in River North, known for its variety and a spinoff of the popular Lincoln Park's Gemini. A representative from Ballyhoo Hospitality indicated that the last day of service was October 16, with plans already in the works for a new restaurant to take its place next year. Honey Butter Fried Chicken also closed its Glencoe location shortly after its debut, with rising costs and a mismatch to the location being major factors leading to its end, as they revealed in a newsletter, Eater Chicago shared.
While North Center's Sticky Rice prepares to lower its shutters for the last time on October 20, patrons are expressing their disappointment over the loss of a neighborhood gem. "Terribly sad to see you go!" one fan commented on the Instagram post announcing the closure. Fans won't have to entirely forgo their Sticky Rice favorites, however, as hinted in a follow-up social media post by the owners suggesting that some menu items from Sticky Rice will be available at the Sweet Rice location. This shifts some light toward a future where Sticky Rice might continue to live on in some form, amidst the current trend of closures throughout the city.
