Foodie Fridays: Nando's PERi-PERi Lands In Chicago

Just in time for Father's Day and Summer patio season, Nando's PERi-PERi has opened two locations (a third is coming this Fall) in Chicagoland.


Nando’s PERi-PERi, the South African-Portuguese restaurant known worldwide for its spicy flame-grilled chicken, will donate all sales generated during the soft opening of its new restaurant in Lakeview to a Chicago non-profit. The new Nando’s, at 670 W. Diversey Parkway in Lakeview, will open on Wednesday June 24.

There will be a soft opening held from Sunday to Tuesday, June 21-23,with all customer proceeds to be donated to After School Matters, the Chicago non-profit that offers local public high school teens opportunities to gain critical skills for work, college and beyond.

“After School Matters is doing meaningful work, at a neighborhood level, to help Chicago teens discover their potential and find their future,” said Burton Heiss, CEO of Nando’s PERi-PERi USA. “We are delighted to support them as we grow our footprint in Chicago.”

Nando’s three new locations in Chicago, are located in the West Loop, Lakeview and Lincoln Park neighborhoods of Chicago: 

• WEST LOOP. Nando’s first Chicago restaurant opened in May at 953 W. Randolph Street in the West Loop.
   
• LAKEVIEW. Nando’s second location will open June 24, at 670 W. Diversey Parkway in Lakeview.
   
• LINCOLN PARK/NEW CITY. The third Nando’s opens in September at 1500 N. Clybourn Avenue in the New City development in the Clybourn Corridor section of Lincoln Park.

Nando’s has built an intensely loyal following by providing fresh food in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly service. Every Nando’s is painstakingly designed and completely unique, with earthy textures and bright colors that reflect its sunny African-Portuguese heritage.  With thousands of pieces of original works of art that are a constant reminder of where the restaurant came from, Nando’s has become the largest collector of South African contemporary art in the world.

The new Lakeview restaurant is no exception, with original South African paintings displayed beneath a ceiling made from repurposed wood lath strips, rescued from a Chicago home that was about to be demolished.

In the United States alone, there are more than 600 pieces of original South African art in Nando’s restaurants. Worldwide, more than 8,000 unique pieces of art are on display.  “We could have bought off-the-shelf décor and settled for being just another chain rolling out cloned restaurants,” Heiss said. “But we believe that authentic contemporary South African art can create truly surprising experiences and keep us connected to our roots.”

For more information, please visit www.nandosperiperi.com, follow @NandosUSA on 

Twitter or at Nando’s PERi-PERi USA on Facebook.


Photo credits:  All photos courtesy of Nando's PERi-PERi USA