With both customers and critics alike praising the The Growling Rabbit’s food, their popularity has grown tremendously. After five years at their current location at 6981 N. Sheridan Road in Rogers Park, the restaurant is preparing for a big move to the former St. Andrew’s Inn and its next-door old business office in Edgewater.

The new storefront at 5938-40 N. Broadway, will give the restaurant much needed space to continue to grow the thriving business. The Growling Rabbit owner Laura Soncrant, who is working with Ginderske Construction to build-out the interior space, is hoping to be open as soon as late Fall or early Winter.

Originally, Soncrant was hoping to open this past summer because her Rogers Park lease was up at the end of July, 2016. With a few unexpected delays, the current landlord kindly gave the restaurant a few extra months past the end of the lease in order to continue operation.

With the space ready to start taking shape, Soncrant is pleased with process so far. She said, “We went with a certified architect which made the permit process easier and I have an amazing contractor who has got my back. That really does make a big difference.”

One of the big changes in store for customers will be a full service bar. They plan on mixing up unique specialty cocktails, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

The larger space will also include a much larger kitchen. Soncrant explained, “Even though we are five years established, we currently work in a cramped kitchen with only a six burner stove to prepare food everyday. Now we are going to have a full kitchen and it’s going to be like shangri-la with all the new working space.”

Though you can expect all the brunch options on the current menu, the new full-sized kitchen will allow The Growling Rabbit to reintroduce their supper menu. This will include their popular gluten-free meat loaf, a full line of burgers to accompany the current bombwhich selections and vegetarian/vegan cuisine.

In addition, new breakfast items will be introduced. “I am super excited to finally offer pancakes because we will have a griddle,’ said Soncrant. “We are currently perfecting a special new pancake recipe.”

The Growling Rabbit will most likely close somewhere around the Thanksgiving Holiday for a few weeks to allow for the transition into the new space. Once open, the restaurant’s kitchen should be open between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. They will also take part in the new Amazon Prime food delivery service which just started on the north side of Chicago.