Where to Feast During the Fests . . .

(Photo: Bistrot Margot)

Heading to Wells Street Art Festival and/or Andersonville Midsommarfest this weekend?!

Here's where you should be drinking and dining . . .

Stout Barrel House & Galley Opens Thursday

(Photos: Stout Barrel House & Galley)

It's an exciting week for restaurant openings with Cru Café & Wine Bar returning to the Gold Coast, Graham Elliot's G.E.B. debuting in the West Loop, and the former Manor guys transforming that space into Stout Barrel House & Galley.

Here's an exclusive, first look at what to expect on the menu at Stout Barrel House & Galley, when it opens Thursday:

National Seafood Month Off To Great Start

Skuna Bay salmon entrée from Telegraph. (Photo: 312 Dining Diva)

Why?!

Because if you're a salmon fan, you're in for something special now that Skuna Bay is on the menu at some of the top restaurants in the city.

The executive chefs at Ceres' Table, Girl & The Goat, Telegraph and other hot spots are using North America's only craft-raised salmon in exciting ways, and you definitely don't want to miss out during National Seafood Month.

Read all about it at DiningChicago.com.

Do-Rite Donuts 2.0 Pop-Up Shop Debuts May 31

Do-Rite Donuts bacon doughnut (Photo via Time Out Chicago)

New-ish pastry gourmet shop Do-Rite Donuts & Coffee has done so well in its first few months that the owners are already considering a second location.

As a test, they're doing a trial-run, pop-up event 6-10am Thursday at 2 N. Riverside Plaza, which is directly behind Lyric Opera. If all goes well, look for it to happen every Thursday morning around the same time.

What to expect?!

It's Time To Chill . . .

Gelato flavors from Black Dog. (Photo: Black Dog Gelato)

No matter how old you get, one thing that never gets old is ice cream.

But since we're way too advanced in years to chase down the Good Humor guy's truck, it's time to get sophisticated when it comes to everyone's favorite summer treat.

Adam Seger's 'Pop-Up Bar,' $175 Cocktails, More!

Klug Farms' crimson rhubarb will be one of the ingredients in Adam Seger's cocktails this weekend at the pop-up bar at Lush Wine & Spirits. (Photo: Adam Seger)

Make plans Friday and Saturday to spend your evening at Lush Wine & Spirits in University Village, where cocktail king Adam Seger will host its first-ever "pop-up" lounge. He's bringing with him loads of lush fruits and herbs he snapped up at Green City Market, so expect some of the most inventive market-fresh cocktails you've ever tasted.

He's actually dubbed them "drink like you eat" inspired cocktails, and he'll make them with Seedlings strawberries, Smith Farms herbs, Klug Farms rhubarb and Flaming Fury cherries. Look for bourbon, organic gin, artisan tequila, Hum and Bell's Beer to add to the liquid joy. The setup will be omakase style, where guests will have the opportunity to offer input on the ingredients. Cocktails will be $9; or flight of three for $15.

To soak up all that booze, Lush will offer Bahn Mi sandwiches and Green Acres French breakfast radishes with cultured butter and fancy salt. And for those guests who order a bottle of hooch from Lush, Seger will create a signature customized cocktail recipe for them to take home. The event happens 6-10pm Friday and Saturday.

Ohhhhh, but there's so much more going down that you don't want to miss . . .

Southern Mac & Cheese Store Now Offering Gourmet Sandwiches!

(Photo: Southern Mac & Cheese Store)

The latest to get in on the gourmet sandwich trend is Southern Mac & Cheese Store, which launched a new menu of five items this week.

Of note are the Piggly Wiggly (thick sliced ham with Carolina mustard, red cabbage slaw and a pickle on a roll) and the Kentucky Hot Brown (slow-roasted turkey, smoked Gouda, bacon and tomato on Challah).

Each comes with a slice of watermelon or potato salad. Why can't I have both?!

'Why Are African Americans Not Participating in Chicago's Vibrant Dining Scene?'

That was a question a reader posed to me over the weekend, and he went into detail:

"I am a married African-American man in my late 40's who has been in Chicago since the early 1990s. My wife and I have been dining out in the city since moving here. Over past 5 years we have become more adventurous with our dining options, trying many of the new and established mid priced restaurants (i.e. avec, Davanti Enoteca, xoco).