Brews and Bubbles in Oak Park
Let’s put the cheers in cheering! If you are looking to pop some corks during the big game, next weekend provides the ideal opportunity to pick up rosy hued bubbles from Anfora Wine Merchants, 128 S. Marion St.
Owner Adrian Weisell recommended a duo of sparkling roses to bring a Valentine’s Day color palate to your glass. He suggested a Mariotti ‘Set e Mez’ Rose from Emilia-Romagna, Italy — a fruity, cherry-colored bottle-fermented sparkler. Drinkers should expect a whiff of raspberry before diving into Weisell’s second recommendation — sourced from Lombardy, Cesarini Sforza Trento Brut Rosé has a light pink hue and delicate flavor profile. Fun fact — fried chicken and dry sparkling wine are a practically perfect paring.
Pair either or both sparkling wines with some hyperlocal brews from One Lake Brewing, 1 Lake St., to satisfy the football fans in your house. Snag a crowler or two of OLB Lager Beer to bring an all-American feeling to your game day celebration. It is easy to love this dry, light and easy-drinking lager. Commonwealth is another popular choice for the local beer lover — this toasty and well-balanced beer is One Lake’s nod to American-made beers from Appalachia. And wings and beer are always a good idea — OLB serves up some mighty fine wings, too!
Wings and Roses in Brookfield
Embrace tradition on Grand Boulevard in Brookfield and visit neighboring shops to make the most of both game day and Valentine’s Day. Ranking second only to pizza, football fans typically consume more than a billion chicken wings on Super Bowl Sunday making them one of the most popular game day snacks. Folks in Brookfield can pop into Paisan’s Pizzeria, 3720 Grand Blvd., to pick up an array of traditional or boneless chicken wings to enjoy during the big game. Pisan’s award-winning wings come tossed with a choice of sauces including dragon, chipotle BBQ and garlic parmesan.
With gameday snacks covered it is time add a little romance — thankfully all you’ll need to do is make your way down the block to pick up some roses to go with those wings. More than 150 million roses were sold in the days surrounding Valentine’s Day last year and the folks at Christopher Mark Fine Flowers, 3742 Grand Blvd., are ready to whip up an arrangement for the love in your life — preordering is encouraged. This will be the final Valentine’s Day for the longtime Brookfield floral shop — owner, Christopher Mark is retiring at the end of February to focus on his health and loved ones. Order a dozen roses to go with those wings to show some someone special in your life how much you care.
Burgers and Bonbons in Forest Park
Burgers have been beloved gameday fare for decades, but this year a traditional burger should have a little Valentine’s flair. Fat Duck Tavern, 7218 Madison St. in Forest Park, offers a signature burger brimming with French inspired ingredients. Cupid would approve of the addition of romantic and melty Brie cheese and caramelized onions to the bacon topped Duckfat Burger. Order enough to feed the fans gathered at your house for the Big Game and be sure to skip across the street to snag some chocolates from La Maison de Bonbon. The boutique chocolate shop, located at 7353 Madison St., is a tiny jewel box of a store with room for just a few shoppers at a time. In addition to the silky-smooth original French Crème confections, they have been whipping up since 1921, La Maison de Bonbon also offers traditional dark or milk chocolate assortments boasting pink, red and white decorations for Valentine’s Day.
