Stussy’s Diner has transformed a former 24-hour corner restaurant into a new pretty pink destination in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood. “It’s the fusion between retro and modern diner,” said creative director Dahlia Beckett. She’s also a managing partner with Christina Nance and her brother Rico Nance.
He’s perhaps best known for Chemistry steakhouse, LiteHouse Whole Food Grill and Mikkey’s Retro Grill. At Stussy’s Diner, which opened in the closed Bridgeport Restaurant space on Aug. 6, the vintage vibe rolls up to another level on weekends when the host wears roller skates.
“We encourage the guests to bring skates too,” Rico Nance said. “And we encourage the guests to dress up.” The partners wanted to create a space where guests can create memories, he added, with four father-daughter days already planned over the year.
The diner, in fact, is named for his daughter, who’s nicknamed Stussy (pronounced STEW-see). “She was always a super fancy baby,” he said. “She wanted to walk around with high heels as a kid.
” She’s now a senior at Kenwood Academy High School. At her new namesake diner, every other order is the pink strawberry shortcakes, topped with house-made pink whipped cream, served with eggs and bacon or sausage. Another early fan favorite seems to reflect the tastes of the old restaurant’s Mexican owners, and the area’s newer Asian neighbors.
“The birria ramen,” Nance said. It’s served with vegetables and egg, which ca.