Chapel Street Café Brings Australia’s Wine and Culinary Heritage to Chicago this Winter

Opening this winter in Chicago’s downtown area, Chapel Street Café and Restaurant is set to offer a blend of Australian flavors and hospitality. This new venture is a wine bar that celebrates Australian boutique wine producers, with a special focus on Australian fortified wines, including the lesser-known Australian Tokay, now known as Topaque. 

Australian Tokay, crafted from the Muscadelle grape, “Topaque is Australia’s answer to Hungary’s Tokaji, but with a flavor that’s entirely its own,” explains Shawn Uldridge, owner and General Manager of Chapel Street Café and Restaurant. “It’s a fortified wine that starts sweet and sticky in its youth but matures into a complex mix of tar, smoke, and herbal notes after years of aging. It’s the perfect wine to enjoy during the colder months.”

Complementing the wine selection is Chapel Street’s winter menu, which will offer traditional Australian dishes tailored for the season. One dish is the braised Australian Wagyu beef cheek with au jus. “Wagyu beef cheek is a dish you won’t often find on American menus, but in Australian trattorias and brasseries, it’s a winter staple,” Uldridge notes. “The tenderness of the slow-braised beef, combined with the deep, savory notes of the au jus, pairs beautifully with a glass of mature Topaque, making it an ideal choice for a cozy winter meal.”