DOWNTOWN — Babygold Barbecue, a favorite of suburban Berwyn and part of the famed Fitzgerald’s Nightclub campus, has brought its American-style barbecue Downtown with a location inside the Old Post Office building.
As the latest addition to the historical building’s From Here On food hall, 433 W. Van Buren St., Babygold offers an array of smoked meats, salads and sides in the form of bowls, sandwiches and platters.
Babygold made a surprise announcement Sunday on its social media channels that it was opening in the food hall the following day with a revamped menu of lunch-friendly options featuring lean proteins and veggies.
“You can have healthy, delicious barbecue at lunchtime without needing a midday nap,” owner Will Duncan told Block Club.
Cue The ‘Cue
Babygold is known for its Cajun and Creole-influenced barbecue.
With its new location catering to office workers inside the Old Post Office building, Babygold’s menu is designed for people looking to avoid the afternoon slump. Lean proteins like smoked turkey and shrimp and vegetables such as cauliflower make for lighter entrees, anchored by sides like kale Caesar salad and house-pickled veggies.
However, the restaurant’s flagship meats like chopped beef brisket and pulled pork — along with more indulgent sides like mac ‘n’ cheese, meaty beans and bacony greens — are still available.
Diners can choose a protein and opt to have it as a sandwich, platter-style with two sides, or a bowl. The new bowl option starts with a base of salad, mac ‘n’ cheese or red beans and rice, followed by a protein and garnishes like sauces and pickled veggies.
If you’re unsure what to order, Duncan recommends one of the Solid Gold options, which are go-to meals the Babygold and Fitzgerald’s crew have turned to over the years.
The Better Half Bowl, a tribute to Jess King, Babygold’s co-owner and Duncan’s wife, consists of smoked shrimp, kale Caesar salad, rice cucumber salad, “magic dust” and “all the sauces.” It’s been a staple meal of King’s while working in the restaurant during the day.
Ambitious diners might consider the $45 #Berwynstyle platter: brisket, pulled pork, a turkey hot link, mac ‘n’ cheese, greens, beans and slaw. It serves up to two people.
A unique feature of the Babygold stall is its happy hour 4-6 p.m. featuring char-grilled oysters ($3 each), smoked shrimp cocktail ($12), and pimento cheese dip with Ritz crackers ($10). The deal was designed to attract workers who may want to stop for a snack or a drink before heading home, Duncan said. While Babygold and other vendors can’t sell alcohol, the food hall has a bar called Snorkelbox.
If diners want a daytime drink, Babygold’s resident cocktail expert Isaac D. Lyons has created a fruit and herb-inspired non-alcoholic margarita, complete with a salted rim.
“It’s good for lunchtime and pairs so well with barbecue,” Duncan said.
‘Overwhelmingly Satisfying’
Babygold’s original location opened in 2021 on the grounds of the iconic Fitzgerald’s Nightclub in Berwyn, which Duncan and King bought in 2020.
The nearly block-long property includes Babygold Barbecue, Fitzgerald’s Nightclub and The Sidebar. Babygold’s food is served throughout.
Before Babygold and Fitzgerald’s, Duncan was a partner and food and beverage director for Chicago spots like Thalia Hall, Dusek’s, Longman & Eagle and The Promontory. He later became a partner at 16 on Center, the hospitality group behind those businesses and other spots, including Empty Bottle, Revival Food Hall, the Salt Shed and From Here On, the food hall in the Old Post Office building.
The timing of Babygold’s second location coincided with chef and Culinary Director Steve Domanik’s growing desire to do more with the restaurant, Duncan said. Domanik’s passion motivated Duncan to explore ways the company could reach its long-term goals of expanding into catering and satellite locations, Duncan said.
“I really wanted to engage with that and kind of honor his excitement for expansion and really just go for it,” he said.
Duncan reached out to his former 16 on Center colleagues and discovered there was an opening in From Here On that needed to be filled as quickly as possible.
With Domanik and offsite barbecue manager Molly Hanrahan at the helm of the new location, Duncan hopes Babygold’s lunch-focused version of its menu will draw new customers from within the halls of the former post office.
“It’s just almost overwhelmingly satisfying and exciting,” Duncan said. “We truly love what we do. … It’s a lot, but we’re certainly happy and proud of it.”
Babygold Barbecue at From Here On is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays and Fridays and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday.
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