The Magic City: Celebrating 130 Years since the Chicago World’s Fair. A walk through the halls and fair grounds of the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 by way of 16 cocktails.

A love letter to Chicago and the explosion of architectural innovations and cultural marvels that drew in over 27 million visitors to our city 130 years ago in the summer of 1893, the second Meadowlark menu explores The World’s Fair that took place in Jackson Park on the South Side of Chicago. A continuation of the bar’s passion for academically-themed menus, Beverage Director Abe Vucekovich and his bar team took a deep dive into research and educational resources at Chicago’s Newberry Library, the Chicago Historical Society, as well as The Smithsonian amongst others to understand the inner workings of “the fair that changed Chicago” before creating 16 unique craft cocktails inspired by the fair’s exhibits and attractions. 

Bound in a hardcover book with Chicago screw posts, The Magic City menu at The Meadowlark includes authentic replications of maps of the fair, and each drink is accompanied by a vintage watercolor painting of the attraction it’s representing. As a group effort between the whole bar team, cocktails were created to pay tribute to many of the historic events that took place throughout the six months the fair was held.