ROCKS Bar Group is gearing up to open its first cloud kitchen, which will operate out of The Berto Center at 550 Lake Cook Road in Deerfield. ROCKS Kitchen at Felicity will collaborate with the Felicity School to provide its famous upscale bar food for carryout for the Deerfield community.
“We opened our first place in 2005 and have always tried to stay up with industry trends,” Co-Owner George Manta explained over email with What Now Chicago. “For the past few years, the carry-out and delivery segment of our business have exploded (Even before the pandemic). So, we’ve been looking for the right time and place to see if we could open up a location that capitalizes on that. When the opportunity at the Berto Center and Felicity School came to us, it made perfect sense.”
ROCKS Bar Group operates establishments in Lakeview, River North, and NorthCenter. Manta says he’s excited to grow the business outside of Chicago and break into a new market. “And then the facility itself is set up perfectly for this opportunity and partnership,” he added. “And I’m not going to lie, as a life long Bulls fan the idea of walking through the same doors as MJ, Scottie and Phil seems surreal.”
Manta is looking forward to the collaboration this experience will bring with the students at the Felicity School. “[The school’s] philosophy focuses on the development of the Mind, Body and Spirit for their students. That philosophy spoke to us, and after meeting with some of the kids it cemented the idea that working hand in hand with them seems like a great opportunity for us and them.”
The students will work on social media, inventory, receiving products, prepping, new menu items, and other aspects of the restaurant’s operations, says Manta. Some of the students will have the opportunity to get part-time jobs at the restaurant after school.
As far as the menu goes, Manta says, you can expect a slightly pared down version from the Chicago brick-and-mortars. “We’ve always viewed our menu as a constantly evolving thing, so new items are always inevitable,” he said. “We’re eager to hear what the Deerfield residents are hungry for (pun intended).”
Although an opening date has not been announced, Manta says he’s looking to get the operation up and running very soon. Keep an eye on ROCKS’ social media for updates.
