Go Drink

Local Hero Hideaway

Italian wine, Tuscan food, and cocktails mingle in Chicago

The saloon era began in the early 1800s — back when a bar was nothing more than a table with shelves behind it and thirsty gold miners in front. During the Civil War — and the era of classic saloons with ornate, carved bars — barkeeps began getting more adventurous with their liquor combinations, and mixed drinks gained popularity. At Coco Pazzo (300 W. Hubbard St., 312.836.9000; cocopazzochicago.com), no one knows the pedigree of the long, rectangular antique bar rescued from a defunct local tavern. But each evening, plenty of cocktails slide across it, and the royal blue and gold stools are packed shoulder to shoulder.

Chicago, Sinatra’s “toddlin’ town,” is home to countless great drinking dens festooned with legends. The bar at Coco Pazzo in the River North neighborhood (not to be confused with the Coco Pazzo Café, a mile east) is more of a hideaway for locals, known for its authentic Tuscan cuisine, Italian wines, and wood-burning oven rather than its gin and tonics. Strike up a conversation at the bar and you could be chatting with an exec from Boeing, traders from Goldman Sachs, artists and architects, Chicago Symphony Orchestra maestro Bernard Haitink, or Mayor Richard M. Daley.

More deals are probably wheeled at the Park Grill, in Millennium Park. But for a friendly mix of business, socializing, and entertaining, Coco Pazzo’s bar is comfortably ideal. And plenty of transactions are either sired or dissected at this bar, with its casual/corporate crowd. Says co-owner Jack Weiss, “We’re designed for comfort.” A woman dressed to the nines, in her finest jewelry, sits next to a young artist in jeans.

Coco Pazzo will serve any item on the lunch, dinner, and dessert menus atop the mahogany bar. Mussels steeped in white wine, wood-roasted king salmon, and prosciutto pizze are just a few of the food options.

In case you are wondering, the name Coco Pazzo is a twist on a Tuscan proverb, and Italian for “crazy chef.” Head bartender Tony Agovic is quite sane, however, and very friendly. He holds court in the high-ceilinged bar, which sits square in front of the open kitchen, with its sweet-smelling wood-burning oven. Walls are cream colored and the floors are Australian cypress. Old wooden timbers and rafters overhead give the space — a former furniture factory — rustic elegance and warmth.

While it seems like every saloon is pushing fruity faux martinis nowadays, Agovic is a traditionalist. A favorite drink at Coco Pazzo’s bar, especially during Chicago summers, is the infamous Bellini. Created at Harry’s Bar in Venice, the authentic version is a puree of white peaches in a champagne flute filled with Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine. Agovic and his team duplicate the recipe exactly. The Carnevali, a lesser-known sibling of the Bellini (made with raspberry puree) is also available.

Coco Pazzo’s cocktails are well-crafted and good-sized pours. But the wine list — a passport-free trip to Tuscany — is the real find. For the adventurer, nearly a dozen wines are available by the glass. A nice, medium-bodied Tuscan white is Terre di Tufi. Agovic recommends that red wine drinkers order the Barbera d’asti, a rich table wine from the Piedmont region. Proprietor Weiss is a fan of “super Tuscans,” which blend different grapes from Tuscany. He calls them “creative, big, bold, and very approachable.”

Coco Pazzo’s cocktails are also distinctive. Once in a while, someone will order a Grasshopper — crème de menthe, crème de cacao, milk, and cream, shaken and served straight-up with a mint sprig. Says Agovic, “If you have to ask how many calories, don’t order one.”

— Chris Barnett

Beer Garden

This month, Continental Sommelier Martin Korson, beer and wine manager for Houston’s Central Market, recommends three beers from small American brewers.

Bear Republic Racer 5 India Pale Ale, $5 (22 oz. dinner bottle)
They say it takes a lot of beer to make wine, so Bear Republic of Healdsburg, Calif., in the middle of wine country, is in the perfect spot. Racer 5 is a rich, full-bodied ale made with American grains, designed to show off the unique floral qualities of two Pacific Northwest hop varieties: Columbus and Cascade.

Indian Brown Ale, $10 (six-pack)
From the opposite coast comes Dogfish Head, based in Delaware. Their Indian Brown is a full, rich ale with flavors of molasses, coffee, ginger, and chocolate and a slightly malty finish. The style is a blend of Scotch ale, India pale ale, and American brown.

Full Moon Pale Rye Ale, $7.50 (six pack)
Real Ale Brewing of Blanco, Texas, consistently hits home runs with its beers. This ale is a tawny red, full of malt and hops, which give it a smooth sweetness of malted rye and barley that is complemented by generous helpings of Willamette and Cascade hops.

— M.K.