"Offering $100,000, instead of the typical $20,000 we give per year, is a very special situation," Councilmember Annette Lidawer said at the July 13 City Council meeting. She was talking about 565 Roger Williams Avenue, an old dry cleaner in the Ravinia District. According to the City, the building has been empty for at least ten years.
On October 5, the City announced the plan for that building. Bean Bar + MEZE will be a café by day and a dinner spot by night, aiming to open in spring or summer 2027. EATACO, a taqueria, is planned for 597 Roger Williams in winter 2027. Faye's Diner, a block east at 473, is set to open February 1, 2027. All three projects are using the City's business incentive programs. Those programs hold back the money until a project is built, so building activity says more about these openings than any announced date.
A Decade Empty at 565
565 Roger Williams already had one restaurant plan fall apart. In late 2024, Community Restaurant Group proposed turning the former dry cleaner into a restaurant seating more than 200 people. Public documents described it as "a balance of whimsy and warmth." On December 15, 2025, the City Council voted 4-3 to give that group, filing as CRG Ravinia, a $150,000 interior grant and a $100,000 exterior grant. At the same meeting, Councilmember Barisa Bruckman said she had not seen any work on the property. She had also heard that the space was being advertised for lease.
That plan never went forward. No work began, so the City never paid out the grants. The City's announcement calls Bean Bar + MEZE a $1.75 million redevelopment. In July, City Manager Ghida Neukirch put the investment at about $1.5 million. The estimated cost of the exterior work alone is $300,000.
How the City's Money Moves
Two programs pay for most of this. The Food & Beverage Establishment Interior Improvement and Expansion Grant covers up to half of eligible costs. It tops out at $150,000 for full-service restaurants and $100,000 for limited-service ones. The Exterior Improvement Grant refunds up to half of a project's cost, up to $20,000. The City pays only after a project is finished, the receipts are submitted and the City Council approves the payment.
The $20,000 exterior limit is why Bean Bar's deal drew attention. Staff suggested combining five years of exterior grants into one $100,000 award. In return, Bean Bar can't apply for another exterior grant for the next five years. The CRG grant approved in December 2025 used the same approach.
Faye's Diner is using the standard version. The City Council approved it for a $150,000 interior grant and an exterior grant of up to $12,773 on August 17. Co-owner Richard Rosenberg told The Record North Shore that Faye's Diner could not open without the grants. The program also reaches restaurants already on the street. Council agendas in January and April 2026 included interior and exterior grant resolutions for the company behind Nico, at 581 Roger Williams.
Three Concepts, Three Parts of the Day
Mayor Nancy Rotering described the goal as a district where people can "shop, dine, connect" from "morning through evening." Each new concept covers a different part of that day.
- Faye's Diner, 473 Roger Williams. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts, with a lunch counter, booths, bi-fold windows and outdoor seating for more than a dozen people. Target opening is February 1, 2027.
- EATACO, 597 Roger Williams. A fast-casual taqueria of about 1,600 square feet serving fusion tacos, craft beer, wine and margaritas to go. It is expanding from Northbrook after seven years there. Target opening is winter 2027.
- Bean Bar + MEZE, 565 Roger Williams. Bean Bar runs as a café in the day, with smoothies, pastries, sandwiches and a focus on gluten-free options. In the evening it becomes MEZE, with dinner, cocktails, a patio and a covered pergola so the outdoor space can be used year-round. Target opening is spring or summer 2027.
Serah and Kadir Cicek own both Bean Bar and EATACO. They opened the first Bean Bar in Northbrook in 2025, where it also offers daytime co-working.
Faye's Diner has local roots. Richard and Faye Rosenberg have run Vintage Rescue on Roger Williams since 2023. They moved the shop one door down to 469 to make room for the diner. Faye Rosenberg said her customers have missed having a diner since Shelton's Diner, at 481 Roger Williams, closed in the 1990s. Darcy Mosconi, who has owned Sandy's Diner at 415 Sheridan Road in Highwood for more than 35 years, will run Faye's Diner and split her time between the two. Faye's will use some menu items from Sandy's and add dinner, salads and acai bowls.
"I'm hoping [Faye's Diner] will be like my place [Sandy's Diner] where I have watched these kids grow up who now have children, and they bring their children to the diner." — Darcy Mosconi, to The Record North Shore
What the Street Holds Right Now
The new places are aimed at times of day the street doesn't fully cover yet. Here is what the City's Ravinia District directory lists today. The page has no date, so treat it as a starting point and not a complete, current list.
Morning and midday: Fluffy Bunny at 545 Roger Williams, which opened in April 2025. Also listed are Astra Coffee Roasters at 477 Roger Williams, The Chunky Scone at 733 St. Johns Avenue and Braeside Market at 55 St. Johns Avenue.
Evening: Abigail's American Bistro at 493, Nico Trattoria & Pizzeria at 581, Happi Sushi at 515–517, Piero's Pizza at 647 and Yana's Speakeasy at 465. Steep Ravine Brewing Company is at 582. A Steep Ravine post shown on the City's district page promotes late-night kitchen hours until 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, plus a live-music series. The post has no date, so check current hours before you go.
In between: BWB Shakes at 586. The Ravinia Neighbors Association's Summer 2026 newsletter advertised a BWB Fish & Chippy pop-up served alongside the regular menu. Field Violin Workshop at 451 is the district's most unusual shop.
The 481 address, once home to Shelton's, is still waiting on its next tenant. Mil Colibris Bakery and Cafe closed there on January 25, 2026. A Highland Park family bought the business and planned to reopen it as Casa Colibris by May. The Ravinia Neighbors Association still lists it as "opening soon."
The Fall Dates on Roger Williams
Three events this fall take place on the same blocks as the coming construction.
- Ravinia Farmers Market, Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Jens Jensen Park on Roger Williams Avenue. The last market of the season is October 28.
- Ravinia District Candy Stroll, October 30, 3:30 to 5 p.m., starting at Jens Jensen Park. The City's participant list includes Casa Colibris, though that doesn't confirm the café has opened.
- Ravinia District Cookie & Cocoa Crawl, December 5, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., along Roger Williams Avenue and at Jens Jensen Park.
The Milestones to Watch
The grants pay out only after the work is done, so construction is the best sign of when each place will open. Faye's Diner started construction the week of August 17. The Rosenbergs expect to finish around Christmas and chose February so the opening wouldn't land during holiday travel. At 565, look for the patio, lounge seating, signage and lighting shown in Bean Bar's plans. At 481, the sign to watch for is a Casa Colibris opening date.
By the Cookie & Cocoa Crawl on December 5, the windows at 473 should show whether Faye's is still on schedule for February.
When commercial streets like Roger Williams Avenue start to change, that change becomes part of how a home nearby is presented and valued. If you'd like to talk about what the coming openings could mean for a Ravinia District home you own or are considering, The Dickstein Group is happy to help. Request a private consultation.
