Spice Route Storytelling Comes to Lincoln Park Acclaimed Chicago chef Zubair Mohajir will open Muhājir on July 1 at 2630 N. Clark St., a wood-fire restaurant rooted in migration and the historic spice route. One week later, on July 8, the team will debut Bobo, a hidden cocktail bar inside Muhājir inspired by Filipino street market culture. Developed with Chef de Cuisine and Partner Jacob Dela Cruz, Muhājir traces East-to-West culinary connections from Chennai, Tamil Nadu—where Mohajir's family lineage begins—through the Middle East, North Africa, Sicily, Andalusia, and Portugal. The restaurant's name references the Arabic and Urdu word for "migrant" or "immigrant," directly connecting to Mohajir's family name. "For me, Muhājir is about using food as a way to tell stories that are both personal and shared," said Chef Zubair Mohajir. "Migration has shaped the way people cook, eat and gather for centuries. This restaurant is about honoring those journeys, breaking bread together and creating space for honest conversation."
Menu and Signature Dishes The menu centers on live-fire cooking and dishes shaped by the movement of spices, techniques, and traditions across regions. Highlights include a Thaali assortment of dips, papadums, and grilled breads; Grilled Fish on the Half Shell with black lime tea-infused bouillabaisse inspired by Basra; Bicol-Style Mussels with calamansi vinegar and Spanish roll; and Beef Cheek Nihari with black garlic naan. A signature experience will be a tableside duck presentation inspired by a 927-year-old Numidian recipe, developed by Mohajir and Dela Cruz. The dish traces back to the African Moors who ruled the Iberian Peninsula and explores the lasting influence of North African culture on the spice route. Presented on an ornate tray inspired by regional geometric patterns, it serves as both a culinary and storytelling centerpiece. The restaurant will also feature a mobile snack tray offering rotating seasonal bites during service, as well as desserts including Carrot Halo-Halo with carrot ice cream, tapioca, mysore pak, and passion fruit. Wine director Sean Hughes has curated a globally inspired program designed to complement the restaurant's live-fire cooking and spice-driven menu.
Bobo's Late-Night Energy Bobo opens as a cheeky sister bar named as a nod to Dela Cruz's grandfather.
The bar brings high-energy nightlife inspired by Filipino street market culture, with a beverage program led by Richard Beltzer and David Mor. "Bobo is meant to feel alive," said David Mor. "It is immersive, energetic and mischievous, but still deeply rooted in hospitality. We want the drinks to be thoughtful without ever feeling too serious." The cocktail menu highlights Filipino and Southeast Asian ingredients including calamansi, ube, pandan, coconut, rambutan, banana, and lipote. Signature drinks include Shibuya Meltdown, built around roasted banana syrup and toasted rice; Primary Colors, a fruit-driven cocktail inspired by calamansi, lipote, and rambutan; and Polishing Your Halo, a dessert-style drink featuring pandan, coconut, and ube sorbet. Bobo's food menu features late-night bites from Dela Cruz, including complimentary late-night lumpia for guests staying into the evening, as well as Bobo Skewers—marinated dry-aged beef with bonito black garlic tare, truffle, sawsawan chili relish, crispy onions, and smoked pepper sauce, inspired by Dela Cruz's family barbecue traditions.
Operations and Schedule Muhājir and Bobo will operate Wednesday through Sunday, with Muhājir open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Bobo open 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. The dual concept creates two distinct but connected experiences: a thoughtful, fire-driven restaurant rooted in movement and memory, and a bold cocktail bar celebrating nightlife and Filipino flavor.
Why It Matters For Chicago operators, this dual concept demonstrates a growing trend of pairing refined dining with high-energy bar concepts to extend dayparts and capture multiple audience segments under one roof. The emphasis on narrative-driven menus and cultural authenticity—grounded in specific techniques and ingredients rather than marketing language—reflects what discerning diners increasingly expect from premium independent restaurants.
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Written by FBM Publications Editors
