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When The Hop & Vine announced it'd close after an eight-year run, those familiar with its epic back-patio sanctuary let out a collective lament, but good news: Backyard Social is now open in the same venue; it's owned by three former Hop & Vine employees; the patio has been preserved; and the food offerings have expanded. "We're keeping the neighborhood vibe," co-owner and former Hop & Vine chef Latima Chambers tells Eater. "The bottle shop is gone, but the beverage program is otherwise the same."
Located at 1914 N Killingsworth, Backyard Social opened September 1, and for now, it's operating daily from 5 p.m. to midnight, with plans to expand with lunch hours down the road. The food, overseen by Emory Brun (Besaw's, Hop & Vine) will be mostly share plates, and Backyard Social's Instagram post below reveals things like a hanger steak with chimichurri, shrimp skewers with cucumber and ginger salsa, and cotija-stuffed poblanos, not to mention the return of a particular menu item from The Hop & Vine days: the backyard burger.
"We wanted to make a high-end-restaurant fast food burger," says Chambers, "so we changed the cheese to American and serve it with house dill pickles on a Grand Central brioche bun."
Backyard Social will also have a private events space called The Wild and Free Room that'll provide overflow seating on night's it's not rented. Overseeing it all is former Hop & Vine general manager and Backyard Social co-owner Danielle Healey.
Speaking of its namesake, Chambers says, "No other backyard patio really exists in the neighborhood like this. It's a nice and private space enclosed in bamboo with a cherry tree. It's a little sanctuary, even though you're in the city."
