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.

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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

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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

city bbq

Crīo – Luis Guzman
Cochinita Pibil – Guajillo tortilla, Pibil-style pork belly, mango-pineapple-habanero jam, plantain dust, pickled onions

crio

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

edzo

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

taureaux

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 heritage

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

whisk

Wow Bao
Egg, Bacon and Cheddar Bao and BBQ Berkshire Pork Bao

wowbao

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

cooking skills

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

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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

Piece

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!

sheekar

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

Smylie Brothers

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

90 miles

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

bar roma

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

bull dog

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

artizen

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

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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!!

more

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

royal grocer

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.