A brand new Tulum-inspired restaurant named Costera is looking to take the Mexican dining experience to the next level in Fulton Market, located at 850 W. Fulton Market.
The newest restaurant from the Parker Hospitality Group will move into the former home of City Tap and, more recently, Chikatana, becoming the third restaurant in four years. The next-level Mexican restaurant is expected to open in the Spring or Summer of 2023, according to Eater Chicago. Customers can expect the sights and tastes of Tulum, featuring a raw bar and a rich cocktail program that heavily focuses on tequila and mezcal. Costera will also showcase custom rope artwork from artists from Querétaro.
“Tulum has what I call a heartbeat,” Parker tells Eater. “It gets inside you when you go to dinners there. It’s a vibe. It’s a pulse… It’s every element when you sit down at a restaurant that makes you go, ‘Wow. I am feeling this place.’ That’s what Tulum does over and over again. Tulum’s just one of those places for me. I love the culinary scene. I love the vibe. I do not believe that the street and neighborhood has what we’re about to bring and offer with Costera. It’s going to be great.”
Parker Hospitality is responsible for Nisos and the Hampton Socials, the latter found throughout the country. Unlike Nisos, which has its menu created by its big-name chef Avgeria Stapaki, Costera’s menu will come from Parker’s team and his experience traveling and working in the industry. The new “destination dining” experience will have coastal dishes like ceviche, oysters, rock lobsters, barbacoa de pueblo, and whole-roasted fish.
As for the interior, Costera will feature a “simplistic Bohemian design that makes you feel almost at one with your surroundings,” according to Eater. Customers will also enjoy a four-season patio along with outdoor seating. Overall, between the food and the interior, Parker Hospitality CEO Brad Parker hopes to create an environment that takes customers into the world of Mexico. If this concept proves successful, customers can expect this restaurant to pop up in other cities.
“We’re looking for other opportunities of concepts we can develop and open not only in Chicago but across the country,” Parker tells the publication. “As we go to places like Denver, Nashville, and Atlanta, we’re building these operational presences there, but sometimes you can’t open another Hampton Social two or three blocks away.”
