Heads up! This is LAST YEAR’s menu, not 2020’s, presented for your information only. We’ll announce the 2020 menu in 2020.
Friday Dinner
FOR FRIDAY DINNER VIP TICKET-HOLDERS ONLY
Akahoshi Ramen – Mike Satinover
Limited Edition Bacon Ramen – a Baconfest-exclusive sample size bowl of bacon ramen. Bacon dashi, Tonkotsu, soy tare, topped with sous vide bacon, bacon fat aroma oil, scallions, wood-ear mushrooms.
FOR ALL FRIDAY DINNER TICKET-HOLDERS
3 Squares Diner / Jam – Ian Voakes
Croque Monsieur – French toast, bacon, Alpine cheddar, tarragon pistou
About Last Knife – Dan Weiland
Braised Bacon and Pimento Cheese Potato Croquette – with arugula pesto, bacon jam, and powdered bacon
Bangers & Lace – Evanston – Forrest Bedke
Maple Pudding with Bacon Vanilla Cookie
Bar Takito – Daniel Munoz
Pork Belly Arepa – Columbian-style corn arepa with hummus, miso-glazed pork belly and scallion relish
Bliss Culinary Heaven – Tyler Nelson
Pork Belly Tacos – cola-braised pork belly, pickled vegetables, with sweet & spicy aioli
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! – Eric Jorgensen
Dátiles con Tocino – roast dates with bacon & apple vinaigrette
Carnivore Inc – Erik Williams
Bacon Mountain – heap of bacon, beer cheese, toast
City Barbecue – Brian Carney
Lolo’s Pulled Pork Sliders – low and slow smoked pork shoulder topped with creamy coleslaw and Swine Wine sauce
Crīo – Luis Guzman
Cochinita Pibil – Guajillo tortilla, Pibil-style pork belly, mango-pineapple-habanero jam, plantain dust, pickled onions
Current Restaurant – Jonathan Meyer
Applewood Smoked Bacon Dandan – with rice cake and sweet ginger yuzu
Edzo’s Burger Shop – Eddie Lakin
Caramelized Banana & Bacon Milkshake
Farmhouse Chicago
Bacon & Beer Bisque
Gather – Ken Carter
Bacon Potato Puffs – with Bourbon-bacon crema, brown sugar bacon-soy glaze, bonito flakes, Cheeto-bacon dust, cotija and pickled okra
Goose Island Brewhouse – Henry Pariser
Candied Nueske’s Bacon Bread Pudding – with bacon and peanut brittle, bacon creme Anglaise, Bourbon County and bacon caramel
HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen – Thai Dang
Cà phê và sinh tố dừa & Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm Với Bacon – Bacon coffee coconut slushie with crispy bacon on top AND Vietnamese fried wings wrapped in bacon with caramelized fish sauce
Half Day Brewing Company – Bob Zrenner
HDBC Lager Beer-Battered Bacon Avocado Bites
Half Sour – Graham Akroyd
Brioche Bacon Jam Burger Slider – bacon-fat-infused brioche, bacon jam, American cheese, beef
Heritage Restaurant and Caviar Bar – Guy Meikle
5-Spice and Sichuan Peppercorn Pastrami Bacon – bacon-fat bao bun, Korean chile sauerkraut, tobiko Thousand Island
Imperial Lamian – Alan Tan
Crispy Bacon Wonton – fried wontons stuffed with bacon, pork collar, ginger, scallion with Szechuan sauce
Ironside Bar & Galley – Chris De La Cueva
Bacon Breakfast Sausage Patty – with bacon-infused white stone grits and pickled apples and peppers
Italian Village Restaurants – Jose Torres
Bacon-Wrapped BBQ Meatballs
Jordan’s Food of Distinction
Applewood Smoked Bacon-Scented South African Lobster Bisque – with organic baby leeks and chive oil
Kitty O’Sheas – Mario Garcia
Bacon and Chicken Lollipops – zesty BBQ sauce, chives, buttermilk parmesan dip
Latinicity – Marcos Flores
Waffle Bacon Burger
Midnight Mac and Cheeserie – Brittany Howell
Bacon Chorizo Midnight Mac – topped with tortilla strips
Murray Bros. Caddyshack
Bacon Pimento Grilled Cheese
Orso’s Restaurant
Polpette di Polenta – spheres of polenta, Nueske’s applewood-smoked pepper bacon, and parmigiano reggiano topped with pomodoro sauce
Roof on theWit Hotel – Nathan Sears
Bacon Baklava – with pickled celery root and bacon remoulade
Simone’s Bar – Rafa Lopez
Rafa’s Empanada – baked empanada stuffed with thick-sliced bacon, roasted red peppers, grilled onions, spinach and goat cheese; served with a mild salsa
Sparrow Coffee Roastery & George Trois – Chris Chacko and Michael Lachowicz
Caramelized Bacon Gougère – served with coffee Grand Marnier bacon truffle
Table, Donkey, and Stick – Justin Moser
Iberico Bacon Tartine – Iberico bacon, bacon potato bread, persimmon bacon butter, smoked pickled onion
Tap House Grill – Bob Zrenner
Pretzel Bacon Bite with Pimento Cheese Spread
Taureaux Tavern – Mike Sheerin
Bacon Corndog – served with the Best Mustard You’ve Ever Had
The Dawson – Jordan Parker
Bacon Tacos with Bacon Mole
The Dearborn – Aaron Cuschieri
Bacon & Blue Crab Potato Croquettes – with Raclette & black truffle fondue, bacon bits and chives
The Duck Inn – Kris Delee and Kevin Hickey
“Totes Kosher Matzo Ball Soup” – bacon matzo ball soup | braised bacon | chicken broth
The Heritage – Rick Ohlemacher
Roasted Bacon – braised bacon with bacon dashi and soy-pickled apple
The Roaming Hog – Eddie Aguilar
Banh Xeo with Glazed Bacon and Fresh Herbs – Vietnamese crepe filled with glazed smoked bacon, mint, Thai basil, and cilantro; served with housemade peanut sauce
Twain – Tim Graham
Bacon Muffaletta – bacon pate, crispy bacon, bacon fat sesame bread, olive and caramelized bacon relish
Velvet Taco – Grant Morgan
Chicken & Waffles Taco with Candied Bacon – crispy tenders, peppercorn gravy, green apple slaw, maple syrup, peppered candied bacon, red chili aioli, chives all on a waffle tortilla
Victory Tap – Joseph Farina
Nueske’s Bacon Focaccia – Nueske’s bacon, roasted onions, shaved pecorino focaccia
Vie – Dan Compton and Frank Hutman
Bacon Salami Toad in the Hole – bacon-fat brioche, bacon salami cotto, mostarda
WHISK – David Rodriguez
Bacon Shrimp and Grits
Wow Bao
Egg, Bacon and Cheddar Bao and BBQ Berkshire Pork Bao
XO Marshmallow – Melissa Humphrey
Spice Up S’more Life – smoked bacon and chipotle marshmallow s’more.
Saturday Lunch
Atwood – David Fingerman
Bacon Panna Cotta – with milk crunch, candied bacon, and almond
Baptiste & Bottle – Emilio Gonzalez
Bacon Mac & Cheese – crispy lardons, charred jalapeno, bacon crumble
Bistro Campagne
Bacon-Wrapped Braised Pork Belly – with pecans, English pea puree, radish, bacon-dusted chicharrones, butterscotch demiglace
BITES asian kitchen + bar – Derek Intapura
Bacon Sushi…What??? – Billionaire’s Bacon (spicy candied bacon) served nigiri-style topped with cheddar cheese
Blue Door Kitchen & Garden – Ian Flowers
Bacon Bird Cake – a twist on our signature Hummingbird Cake: bacon-infused Hummingbird Cake with bacon cream cheese frosting, bacon-pecan toffee, and poached pineapple
Catering by May St – Mario Santiago
Applewood Smoked Bacon Chocolate Jalapeno Flan
Chicago Artizen – Aaron Lindgren
Chocolate-Covered Hempseed and Bacon Brittle – hempseed and Nueske’s bacon, infused with Tahitian Vanilla, caramelized, salted, and enrobed with Guittard milk chocolate
Chicago q – Fila Lopez
Bacon Poblano Cornbread – Q’s signature cheddar poblano cornbread, infused with bacon and topped poblano pepper puree and house-made smoked bacon
Community Tavern – Joey Beato
Thai-spiced Bacon Spring Roll – grilled serrano naam phrik, cucumber relish
Cooking Skills Academy – Miguel Rangel
Promiscuous Pork Belly – 48 hour red braised pork belly
Davanti Enoteca – James Day
Candied Bacon, Medjool Date & Stone Ground Polenta Spoon Bread – bacon whipped lardo + calabrian chili + honeycomb + radish
Drawl Southern Cookhouse & Whiskey – Justin Stadler
Bacon Sausage Corn Dog – Nueske’s bacon ground with pork shoulder, cornbread batter, honey mustard
Fig & Olive – Mathew Mirza
Chocolate Obsession Cake
Firecakes Donuts – Maria Duron
THE BACON DONUT
Flight Club – Jeff Sauer
Korean BBQ Bacon – gochujong glazed bacon with kimchi fried rice
Goose Island Brewhouse – Henry Pariser
Candied Nueske’s Bacon Bread Pudding – with bacon and peanut brittle, bacon creme Anglaise, Bourbon County and bacon caramel
Hearth Restaurant – Michael Elliott
Bacon Hash brown – bacon jam, creme fraiche, smoked cheddar, broccoli salsa verde
Honey Butter Fried Chicken – Christine Cikowski and Josh Kulp
Bacon Buffalo Mac ‘n Cheese – pimento mac ‘n cheese, chicken, honey Buffalo sauce, fried crunchies, scallions and bacon
Kaiser Tiger
Bacon Kugelis – Lithuanian potato casserole with Nueske’s applewood smoked bacon; topped with sour cream and chives
Le Bouchon – Oliver Poilevey
Liege Waffle with Bacon Jam and Maple Sauce
Market House on the Square – Dan Marquis
Smoked Bacon & Elote Fritter – bacon & lime mayo, cotija cheese, smoked chili, chicharrones
N’awlins Edibles Traveling Personal Chef Srvcs – Cheryl Bowman
Crescent City Classic – French bread bathed in cinnamon vanilla custard and baked to a golden brown; drenched in bacon praline caramel sauce
Naansense – Hiran Patel
Pork Belly Ladoo
NoMI – Eric Damidot
Whole Milk Braised Pork Belly – sour cherry BBQ beans, fennel slaw, dehydrated corn
Fried Bacon Hand Pie – strawberry, balsamic vinegar, goat cheese
Osteria Bigolaro – Anthony Gargano
Baby Got Carb – egg yolk, braised Nueske’s cherrywood smoked bacon, parmesan mousse, agrodolce and fried fresh pasta: deconstructed Carbonara
Paddy Long’s
Pork Cracklins – crispy skin-on pork belly deep fried in its own fat and dusted with spice; inspired by Fatty’s Cracklin’s at the New Orleans Jazzfest
Piece Pizzeria
Applewood Smoked Bacon Pizza – paired with Piece’s Roland Oatmeal Stout
Pink Taco – Alex Romero
Shrimp & Jalapeno Bacon Grits – shrimp with bacon jalapeno grits and bacon saffron rouille
Rack House Kitchen & Tavern – Bryant Anderson
The Dusty Porker – bacon burnt end, balsamic bbq sauce, mustard brined pickle, scallion, pork dust
Sheekar Delights – Diane Joseph
Bacon and Bourbon Baklava – freshly baked and chopped Nueske’s bacon is mixed with walnuts, hand-buttered and rolled with paper-thin phyllo sheets, then baked and drizzled with our legendary Bourbon-infused syrup and topped with bacon!
Showplace Icon Lobby Lounge – Jake Ziegler
Bourbon Bacon Caramel Corn
Smack Dab – Axel Erkenswick
Bacon Grilled Cheese with Smoky Tomato Soup! – sourdough toast, bacon jam, sliced bacon, with tomato soup
Smylie Brothers Brewing Company
Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie – with applewood porter bacon icing
Soul Kantina – Turon Cummings
Candied Bacon Mac & Cheese
Texican – Kim Dalton
Shit Kickin’ Armadillo Eggs – cheddar & cream cheese stuffed jalapenos, encased in house-made green chorizo, wrapped in bacon with bacon country cream gravy and Texas toast
The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant – Alejandro Soto
Apple Pecorino Glazed Belly – braised pork belly, glazed in apple nage served over a pecorino cheese polenta, and fresh pecorino for garnish
The Delta – Michael (Mike) McCants
Bacon BBQ grilled oysters with pickled apple and candied bacon – oysters on the half shell, bacon BBQ sauce, pickled apples and crumbled, candied bacon
The Fat Shallot – Sam Barron
Truffle BLT – crispy bacon, tomato, avocado, arugula and truffle aioli in a brioche slider bun
The Ruin Daily – Carlos Cruz
Beer Cheddar Gougeres – with Bacon Shallot Jam
The Signature Room at the 95th – Cardel Reid
Bourbon Glazed Nueske Bacon Cotton Candy Lollipop
The Swill Inn – Lamar Moore
Pimento Bacon Poppers – pimento cheese-stuffed jalapeños, wrapped in bacon, fried and served with bacon aioli
Travelle at The Langham – Jeff Vucko
Bacon Éclair – injected with honey mustard, bacon fat, cream cheese frosting, topped with peanut and bacon brittle crumble
Uncommon Ground – Aaron Stanton
Pineapple-Bacon Chorizo Tostada – pineapple bacon chorizo served with ground cherry jam and micro greens on a blue corn tostada
Vinci – Paul Loduca
Spaghetti Molisana – spaghetti with caramelized onions in a parmesan broth and bacon
Whirlyball – Larry Donahue
Drunken Pineapple Bacon Ball – BBQ glazed bacon-wrapped bourbon soaked pineapple
World of Whirlpool – Luke Creagan
Nueske’s Bao! – tender cured pork belly, crispy duck bacon, candied bacon dijonnaise, Napa cabbage & smoked ham hock slaw, on a steamed bacon fat bao bun
Wrigley BBQ – Mitch Liebovich
Bacon Bourbon Bread Pudding
Saturday Dinner
312 Chicago – Luca Corazzina
Nueskes Applewood Smoked Shrimp Po’ Boy – beer-braised bacon with rock shrimp, cole slaw, bacon aioli on a hoagie roll
676 Restaurant & Bar – Dominique LeBlanc Beers
Bacon Chowder Oyster Shooter – fresh shucked oyster topped with applewood smoked bacon chower and finished with Bourbon … bottoms up!
90 Miles Cuban Cafe – Alberto Gonzalez
Pansita Cubana! (Cuban Belly!) – toston with yuca mashed with bacon, and pork belly topped with red pickled onion and balsamic glaze
Angry Pig Tavern
Angry Pig Bratwurst – wrapped in jalapeño bacon, caramelized onions, brie, blackberry jam, truffle aioli, crispy shallots, lobster roll
Bar Roma – Fred Ramos
Spicy Pork Belly Meatball
Batter and Berries – Ken L. Polk
Bacon Lovers French Toast & Eggs – bacon-fried brioche, salted caramel sauce
BBQ’d Productions, INC
Bacon Bombs – bacon-wrapped pork belly meatball on crostini
Beavers Donuts
Chocolate Bacon Donuts – chocolate sauce and bacon topped donuts
Bull Dog Ale House – Ivan Gonzalez
Bacon In Heaven – homemade chorizo and Angus patty with roasted brussels sprouts, potatoes, and bacon salad with melted goat cheese, passion fruit bacon jam, garnished with a candied bacon-wrapped date
Candyality – Terese McDonald
Bourbon Bacon Truffle
Cantina Laredo – Damon Workman
Bacon Flan – bacon custard with bacon toffee
CheSa’s Gluten Free Food Truck– Chesaree Rollins
Bacon Shrimp & Grits – smoked shrimp and bacon with cheddar grits; topped with a light sprinkle of parsley
Chicago Artizen– Aaron Lindgren
Chocolate-Covered Hempseed and Bacon Brittle – hempseed and Nueske’s bacon, infused with Tahitian Vanilla, caramelized, salted, and enrobed with Guittard milk chocolate
Chicago Chop House – Martin Martinez
Bacon Mac n Cheese
Concrete Cowboy – Esteban Garcia
Bacon Cannoli – applewood smoked Nueske’s bacon, mascarpone, Sno Caps
Copper Fox Gastropub – Cortney Pierce
Fancy Bacon – slow roasted pork belly, charred corn grits, poblano hollandaise
Earl’s BBQ – Art Wnorowski
Double Smoked Bacon Tacos – salsa verde, bourbon-pickled jalapeños
El Tapeo – Matthew Cappellini
Cerdo y Semola – peppered pork belly, Manchego grits, braised red cabbage, piquillo pepper jam
Fire Thyme – Jamie Bisioulis
Bourbon Brown Sugar Bacon Cupcakes – with Licor 43 + Luxardo cherry buttercream
Flo and Santos – Lupita Garcia
Salsiccia di Pancetta – jalapeno bacon kielbasa wrapped with applewood bacon served with French bread, microgreens, and a drizzle of aioli Calabrese
Flo Cafe & Bar – Leonard Sanchez
Bacon Carnitas – crispy bacon slaw, Hatch green chile aioli
Fred’s Garage – Geo Tapia
Bacon’d Egg Rolls – bacon & spicy cabbage egg rolls, BBQ ginger sauce
Good Measure – Matthew Troost
Thinking Fieri – applewood smoked bacon brandade-loaded baked potato things, bacon-jalapeno ranch, bacon fat fried potato skin crispies
Goose Island Brewhouse – Henry Pariser
Candied Nueske’s Bacon Bread Pudding – with bacon and peanut brittle, bacon creme Anglaise, Bourbon County and bacon caramel
Kimski – Anthony Baier
Bacon and Sauerkraut Pierogi
McWethy’s Sports Bar (formerly McQ’s Bar & Grill) – Dan Casey
Bacon Braised Brisket Tacos – bacon salsa, cilantro, chopped onion, chef-made tortillas
Michael Jordan’s Restaurant – Gary Baca
Jump Higher Salad with Peppered Bacon and Maple-Glazed Bacon
Michael Jordan’s Steak House Chicago – Craig Couper
Bacon-Stout Caramel Chocolate Cake – moist bittersweet chocolate cake, topped with slow cooked bacon-stout caramel
More – Patty Rothman
Bacon Maple mini cupcakes – maple bacon cake frosted with brown sugar maple buttercream topped with house made bacon brittle – Yum!!
Morton’s The Steakhouse – The Original Location – Tim Soldat
Mini Carrot Muffin – mini carrot muffin topped with maple cream cheese frosting, candied Nueske’s bacon & pecans
Pinstripes – David Ho
Ricotta Bacon Gnocchi
Porkchop – Jovanis Bourgoub
Bacon Cake
Public House – Jeremy Tannehill
Elvis Ice Cream Sandwich – bacon banana gelato, chocolate and banana chips, dipped in peanut butter bacon fondue!
Son Of A Butcher – Rick Rodriguez
BBQ Bacon Meatball Pops
Split-Rail – Zoe Schor
Bacon Hominy Stew
Steadfast – Ender Oktayuren
Nueske’s Bacon Poke – bacon sticky rice, pulled bacon, fermented chili and bacon hot sauce, bacon Kewpie
Steingold’s of Chicago – Aaron Steingold
Belly vs Belly – pastrami spiced Nueske’s bacon, thick cut, topped with mix of fried and fermented, pickled vegetables, and candied salmon belly bacon topped with pickled Fresno chiles and fermented salmon katsuoboshi
The Broken Barrel Bar – Bryant Anderson
The Bacons Maiden – bacon and chocolate braised short ribs, cheese stuffed peppadew pepper, lemon-truffle, micro cilantro, sex panther
The Florentine – Zachery Walrath
Handmade Bacon Filled Tortellini – ramp and pecorino crema, pickled ramps, English peas, Nueskes bacon breadcrumbs
The Grill on the Alley – Geordan Stenson
Maple Bacon Pecan Pie – bacon sable dough crust, maple and bacon pecan pie filling, rosemary meringue and candied bacon chip
The Royal Grocer & Co. – Lisa Doshier
Egg in a Basket – bacon laced deviled egg nestled into a bacon gougere, topped with a ranch potato chip
Three Floyds Brewpub – Pat Niebling
Okonomiyaki – pulled bacon, unagi sauce, bacon bonito
VU Rooftop – Nolan Narut
Charred Nueske’s Bacon Hash Benedict – with sunny quail egg, spiced Hollandaise, togarashi, puffed rice
Wood Fire Counter – Kevin Whittier
Bacon Wrapped Pork Belly
Yolk
K.F.B. (Kentucky Fried Bacon) – panko-crusted bacon with a bourbon glaze and blueberry BBQ sauce.