Mendocino Farms has filed a liquor license application for a building at 2256-2258 N Orchard Street in Lincoln Park, a filing that suggests the sandwich chain could be eyeing its fourth Chicago location. No opening has been confirmed, and the company has not made any public statement about the property.
The application was first reported by What Now Chicago, which noted that Mendocino Farms recently submitted the paperwork for the Orchard Street address. The outlet reported that, as of its writing, no public announcement had been made about the possible new location, and that it was still awaiting comment from the company. The site sits at the southwest corner of the W Belden-Lincoln avenues intersection, a short walk from the Fullerton CTA station, according to the same report.
Where the Potential Fourth Location Would Land
The Orchard Street address is in Lincoln Park and sits near SkinQ Facials & Waxing Lincoln Park and directly across the street from Johnny's Beef & Gyros, per the outlet's account. If the restaurant does move forward, it would join Mendocino Farms' existing Chicago footprint, which currently includes locations in The Loop, River North, and Fulton Market, the report notes.
Mendocino Farms, founded in 2005, now operates around 100 cafes across the United States, according to the same report. The chain is known for sandwiches, wraps, salads and soups, with a menu that leans into healthier options, including kids' items like grilled cheese with sliced apples and chicken tenders.
A Chain Still Growing Its Midwest Footprint
The California-born chain's Chicago presence began with its River North debut, which Eater Chicago reported was set to open at 508 N. Clark Street on a Tuesday, August 26, inside a former Potbelly space. At the time, Eater Chicago reported the company also had a Willis Tower location slated for October, with additional openings planned in Fulton Market and the suburbs, pointing to a broader regional expansion push that predates this latest filing.
Whether the Lincoln Park filing turns into an actual restaurant remains an open question. Liquor license applications filed with the city, per the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, are applications for a City retailer's license to sell alcoholic liquor under Chapter 4-60-040(e) of the Municipal Code — a procedural step, not a confirmation that a business will open. For now, Lincoln Park residents curious about a potential new lunch spot near the Fullerton stop will have to wait for Mendocino Farms to say more.
