Vitalogy Bar Brings New Life to Printer’s Row

Vitalogy breathes life into a 142‑year‑old Printer’s Row building with a cozy, community‑oriented bar. Local owners Jennifer Wilson and James Shields spent three years converting the ground floor of the brick building into a neighborhood hangout with reclaimed decor and a hydroponic herb garden. Now the 18‑seat bar is buzzing with weekly specials, cocktail classes, and live music.

The beverage program draws inspiration from around the world and across Chicago. Beer lovers will find Estrella from Spain, Delirium Tremens from Belgium and local brews from Old Irving; wine and nonalcoholic pours are available, and there’s even a small menu of THC/CBD‑infused drinks. Among the 10 signature cocktails is the "Second City Milk Punch" featuring Chicago’s notorious Jeppson’s Malört.

Although Vitalogy wasn’t initially going to serve food, a chef friend insisted on designing a menu. The kitchen uses a compact convection oven and induction burner to turn out small bites like roasted nuts and chickpeas, chicken and steak skewers, and larger plates like beef and vegan cheeseburgers on brioche buns. Dessert options include a cast‑iron skillet chocolate chip cookie, a root beer float and a THC creamsicle soda.

Even the bar’s name has a story: the owners found a 1916 health encyclopedia called "Vitalogy" (also the title of a Pearl Jam album) while researching the building’s past, and they display it on a shelf along with other vintage books. With its mix of history, hospitality and creativity, Vitalogy hopes to become a permanent fixture in Printer’s 

Read the full story: https://chicago.eater.com/openings/161297/vitaology-bar-printers-row-pub-food-happy-hour