As hundreds of thousands of visitors pour onto the Obama Presidential Center this summer, new businesses are already cropping up near the campus, hoping to catch the wave of the excitement. Just ahead of its opening, Theaster Gates and Heiji Choy Black
unveiled two Korean concepts — a tearoom and a cocktail bar — that will help shape this new chapter on Chicago’s South Side.
Located inside the Stony Island Arts Bank, Yunomi, named after the traditional Korean handleless tea cup, is an arts-themed cocktail bar. Han Cha, which translates to “one” or “passion” and “tea,” is a Korean tea room featuring rare selections, many of them imported to the United States for the first time through a partnership with Spirit Tea.
“This isn’t breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and not a main meal,” said Choy Black, the partner and operator, in reference to Han Chan. “It’s a specific way of gathering and eating together that is more intent on conversation and connecting with people.”
Yunomi and Han Cha join an already robust dining scene anchored by James Beard Award-winning chef Erick Williams’s Virtue, Eater Award winner Cantina Rosa, and Daisy’s Po-Boy Tavern; Jean Banchet Award winner Mahari and Jean Banchet nominee Bronzeville Winery.
The $75 prix fixe menu is served in a bright room that seats 20 and features three courses created in collaboration with What Margie Made pastry chefs Marguerite Singson and Jessica Vazquez, formerly of Momotaro. It is mostly gluten-free and puts emphasis on produce, with flavors rooted in Choy Black’s Korean upbringing. A gochujang hot honey butter accompanies a savory corn muffin and an almond sujeonggwa drop biscuit in the first course. The following course includes a Japanese egg salad and Ottogi curry pimento cheese sandwich. And the last course includes a honeydew-flavored mochi coconut canele and a banana milk s’mores tartlet finished with a miso banana rum coulis. The bites can be paired with any of the nine teas from Thailand (Thai white tea), Taiwan (Taiwanese oolong and black tea), Japan (green tea and matcha), and Korean (black tea) in a pick-your-own-adventure format.
Teas are served in ceramic cups handmade by Gates, a nationally renowned artist whose projects include the Stony Island Arts Bank. “The ceramics are such a special part of the experience of eating and drinking in that space,” Choy Black says. “We were really excited about having guests actually being able to interact and drink and eat from his ceramics.”
The team declined to share the cost of each ceramic piece. A 2020 article by The Economist listed the value of one of his ceramics at $200,000.
The integration of art in hospitality shows up again at Yunomi. Each of the seven cocktails, including one nonalcoholic beverage, are crafted by and named after artists with ties to Gates and Choy Black.
“It’s 100 percent them,” says Choy Black of the drinks developed by the artists themselves. “Most of them were telling me in real time ‘Oh, I had friends over last night and we decided that this was the one.’ It makes me joyful to think of them experimenting and having their own party, trying to figure out their perfect cocktail.”
Edra Soto, whose Bad Bunny chairs are currently on display for the Dancing the Revolution: From Dancehall to Reggaetón exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art, contributed coquito, a rum-based drink synonymous with Puerto Rico. Caroline Kent’s addition is a vodka-based lavender drop and Brendan Fernandes’ Jeté drinks like a very modern martini crossed with a Manhattan. The tequila-based drink is turned electric green by Chartreuse, orange bitters and saffron syrup.
The bar also serves a variety of wines, beer, and spirits.
Located less than two miles south of the Obama Presidential Center, Yunomi and Han Cha stand to become destinations in their own right.
Yunomi is located at 6760 S Stony Island Avenue; open noon to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday; high tea at Han Cha is served from Thursday to Saturday; the tearoom has seatings at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. On Sunday, service is reduced to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
