Cupcakes for Cans

This Thursday, the 17th, ‘Southport Gives Back.  Southport Grocery is giving back with ‘Cupcakes for Cans’.  Bring in non-perishable food items for cupcakes – one item gets you one cupcake, limit two per person.  All of Southport will be collecting donations for their charities that day. Southport Grocery’s donations are going to the Lakeview Pantry, where they will go to local families in need.

Bring in your cans for a treat of the tongue and soul.

We want to share with you our favorite local grocery items all though December; come in for a free tasting and meet the makers.

• Dig Dips – Saturday 12/5, 10am-1pm
• Sara’s Candies – Saturday 12/12, 12-2pm
• Sweet Girl – Sunday 12/13, 12-2pm
• Truffle Truffle – Saturday 12/19, 12-2pm
• Terry’s Toffee – Sunday 12/20, 11-1pm

Our Chicago food faves for your…corporate shining star!

Bosses, co-workers, clients – each harder than the next to shop for – luckily we’ve got the perfect handpicked gift basket.

Tell us what they like or set a theme. Need a gift for a real chocoholic? We carry Truffle Truffle, Terry’s Toffee, Vosges, or Sarah’s Candies, La-Dee-Dahs enough to satisfy any sweet tooth. Baker? We’ve got amazing locally created extracts from Neilsen-Massey. Die-hard Chicagoan? From Twisted Spoke Bloody Mary mix to Urban Accents and Chicago Spice house to Gary Poppins, all made in our fair city and able to quell any apatite. If you want that personal touch, come in and handpick your basket.

Tell us how much you’d like to spend (25, 50, $75+). We also offer delivery in Chicago, or shipping anywhere in the lower 48. Have no clue? We carry gift cards at any denomination.

Give a basket with something local and handpicked!

Get Your Stroll On…for wine tasting and more

Southport is ‘a-light’ and ready for the annual ‘Holiday Stroll’ on Friday December 4th – we’re abuzz too. Southport’s Holiday Stroll

Join us for a complimentary tasting of our favorite wines between 6:30 – 9pm, along with hot wine tips from Dan of Cream Wines. To take home, we’re selling two bottles of wine and a signed new copy of ‘BYOB Chicago 3rd Edition,’ wrapped and ready to go, for just $40! You’ll not only get a gift, but for yourself – a coupon for ½ off a bottle of wine with an entree. The author of ‘BYOB Chicago’ will be here too handing out hot BYOB tips.

Our kitchen is staying open till 9pm so come for an order of bread pudding pancakes with your wine.

Give thanks on Thursday…and we’ll ‘Thank You’ with a pancake!

Southport Grocery and Cafe will be closed on Thanksgiving. Though do not fret! We are back open at 7am on Friday. On Saturday and Sunday a ‘Thank You’ from us – one of our famous and delicious bread pudding pancakes with a purchase of an entree in the cafe!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tired of running to the drug store on your way to Thanksgiving and picking up something – just anything? Pick up something early with us this year… here are some ideas.

Tea – a variable cornucopia of teas: from SerendipiTea, Ineeka’s ‘Treleela’ series, to Rishi Tea – all with their own flavors and types; great for after that heavy dinner.

Don’t forget the butter – the butter turkey($5) that is – your hosts are sure to love this cute little guy with their biscuits.

The easiest gift is a gift of wine – and with all of our wines under $20 it couldn’t be any easier. Have a little fun with a bottle of Casteller ($18) – bubbly may not be a traditional start Thanksgiving, but why not? A great red like Wine selectionLa Ville Ferme ($12.50) – an easy drinking red that any ‘white-only wine drinker’ will enjoy. For a steadfast red we have a smooth 4 Sisters Merlot ($18) or a velvety Yearling Pinot Noir ($18). And for whites, our favorites are… a J. Christopher Riesling ($18), crisp light and sweet, and a Mirth’s Chardonnay ($18), robust enough to keep everyone smiling.

So don’t forget the gift.

Secret reminders
Secret supper, Thursday the 19th at 7pm, is fast approaching and there is only about 12 seats left to be filled. The supper is $45 for a four course meal with an optional wine pairing for a bit more.

To reserve your spot: Call 773-665-0100.

Don’t forget to come out a bit early that evening for ‘Southport Lights Up’ from 5-8pm – all of Southport will be turning their holiday lights at 6pm. To get you into the spirit: musicians will play holiday tunes, stores will have great gifts, and some will even have holiday drinks – to make the evening just a bit more jolly.

Yummy pies and more for Thanksgiving
Turkey day is right around the corner and we’re gearing up for our Thanksgiving carry-out menu. For ready-to-eat pies this year we have: Rustic Apple Oatmeal, Maple Pumpkin, or Bourbon Pecan. We also have frozen – just reheat and eat – apple pies, or frozen thaw-and-eat pumpkin pies.

Our grocery will also be bursting with new and tasty items that will have your guests asking for seconds – from our house-made cranberry-red grape sauce, to Urban Accents Sumptuous Stuffing mix, to Golden Fig Gravy Herbs – we’ve got you covered. Don’t forget about our wine and candy selection for great hostess gifts – like the new holiday flavors from Truffle Truffle.

Orders for the Thanksgiving take-away menu are due the 22nd; you can pick up your goodies anytime before 4pm on the 25th of November. We are closed on Thanksgiving day, but will be back to serve your family breakfast on Friday.

A great date night

Start the night with the lighting of Southport’s holiday store-front-lights at 6pm on the 17th – take a walk and pick up some early gifts. The dinner begins at 7pm… Secret Supper that is.

Secret Supper is $45 per person for four courses, with an option for wine pairing at an additional cost. This month there will also be Rishi Tea pairings – our favorite tea purveyor from just north in Milwaukee. Call 773-665-0100 soon to have your table reserved because (as you may know) seats are very limited.

The chill of November has fallen upon us, you’ll want to cozy up with our Secret Supper this month. We can’t tell you what you’ll have just yet – we have to keep something secret – but it’s sure to toast your taste buds and warm you up.

Southport Grocery & Cafe is proud to announce the newest and easiest wayto follow our store’s goings-on. We’ve added an Events Page to our website.

If you visit out Events Page, you could learn about the upcoming Heritage Apple & Cider Tasting on Thursday, September 17, 6 – 8PM, a chance to taste and learn about local
apples, ciders, cheeses and artisanal breads, and support Slow Food Chicago and the
Chicago Rarities Orchard Project.

Our Events Page also mentions our participation in PARK (ing) Day 
Friday, September 18, 9AM – 3PM an annual, one-day global event where metered parking spots are turned into
“PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public parks. See what is done to 3 spots in front of our store.

It Might Look Something Like This In Front Of Southport Grocery & Cafe While our Events Page will keep you updated
on the latest events, it won’t be the first to tell you about the next Secret Supper. This Newsletter enjoys exclusivity rights when announcing that the next Secret Supper will be Thursday, September 24th at 8PM, $45 per person.

We all have a taste for fast things…fast cars, fast service and fast downloads. At Southport Grocery & Cafe we like
to take it slow…with our food.

That’s why we’re supporting Slow Food Chicago, an organization dedicated to creating a world in which everyone can enjoy food that is good, clean and fair…in other words, slow.

On Wednesday Aug. 26th, Slow Food Chicago will be staging an Eat-In at Daley Plaza from 11:30am – 1:00pm. Join us to learn more about child nutrition…bring your lunch or order a box lunch from us or other partnering businesses….call us at 773-665-0100 by noon on Tuesday the 25th.

To learn more about Slow Food, sign a petition supporting The Child Nutrition Act or find out how to order lunch visit:
slowfoodchicago.org

So, come join us next Wednesday at Daley Plaza to support this worthy cause. The food might be “slow,” but we promise you’ll be back to work on time from lunch!