A Mediterranean Summer Pop-Up in the West Loop
Most nights, I cook in your home. On August 19, I am inviting you into mine.
I am hosting a Mediterranean summer pop-up at The Publishing House in the West Loop, and it is a little more personal than most of what I do. I grew up in Albania, on the Mediterranean, in direct contact with the people who grew my food. This dinner is my way of cooking the flavors of that upbringing, the French, Spanish, Italian, and North African traditions of the region, through the best of what the Midwest is harvesting right now.
Vendador’s August Pop-up Tasting menu
The night opens at 6:30 with a welcome cocktail, a spirit-free option for those who prefer it, and a round of canapés. At 7:00 we sit down for a seven-course secret tasting menu. I am keeping the courses under wraps on purpose. Part of the joy of a pop-up is arriving with no idea what is coming and letting the evening surprise you, course by course. Optional wine and spirit-free pairings run alongside the meal for anyone who wants them.
Expect the palette of the southern Mediterranean at the height of summer. Olive oil and preserved lemon, vegetables at their peak, seafood, a little North African heat, brightness on every plate. Beyond that, you will have to trust me.
The details
When: Wednesday, August 19, 2026. Welcome cocktail at 6:30 PM, dinner at 7:00 PM.
Where: The Publishing House, 108 N May St, West Loop, Chicago.
Seats: Limited to 14 guests. This is an intimate room, not a banquet.
Tickets: $180 per person, with optional beverage pairings.
Fourteen seats means it will not stay open long. If a summer evening of Mediterranean cooking sounds like your kind of night, .
The Vendador Table
If you cannot make the 19th but love the idea of a chef cooking a menu like this for your own gathering, that is what we do the rest of the year. Here is more on private dining with Vendador. Otherwise, I will see you on the 19th.
Chef Francis Pascal