City Works Eatery & Pour House (929 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills) will officially open its doors on Monday, October 14, diners have the opportunity to preview the eatery and pour house with its “First Draft” Soft Opening Charity Event on Saturday, October 12. From 6-9 p.m., guests can be the first to explore Bottleneck Management’s newest restaurant, and enjoy the full food menu and an open bar while supporting Northern Illinois Food Bank. City Works in Vernon Hills is the third City Works location in the Chicagoland area, offering over 90 local, regional, and global craft beers on draft – with roughly 40% of those sourced locally – complemented by classic American cuisine with chef-driven twists. Guests can also enjoy a glass of wine, with over eight varietals of draft wine available, or Bon & Viv spiked seltzer on tap with the option to add any flavor to suit the guests’ preference.

Local artist (Sub)urban Warrior (@sub_urban_warrior) created a mural on the exterior of the restaurant which symbolizes the vibrance and urban energy that both City Works and Mellody Farm express. During the First Draft event, (Sub)urban Warrior will be creating a 5’x6’ painting live at the event to be raffled off at 8:30 pm with all proceeds going to the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

Tickets to the First Draft soft opening event are priced at $45 per person, and can be purchased online here. All of ticket sale proceeds will be donated to Northern Illinois Food Bank, an organization that supports access to nutritious food, advanced feeding programs, and solving hunger in their 13-county service area. Since 2016, Bottleneck Management has raised over $43,000 for non-profit organizations with its “First Draft” soft opening events throughout the country.