THE DELTA

The Delta is a restaurant and cocktail bar in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood that is an ode to the food, beverage, and culture of the Mississippi Delta region. The Mississippi Delta region is widely known for beginning in the lobby of the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, and stretches due south — ending at Catfish Row in Vicksburg, Mississippi.

The Delta specializes in Mississippi Red Hot tamales and craft cocktails. The Mississippi Delta’s rich and often complex history is a focal point of The Delta here in Chicago. Owner Eldridge Williams, a Memphis native, grew up eating Mississippi Red Hot tamales and his father even worked at a tamale factory when he was a child.

“Opening The Delta was my chance to showcase something that’s far bigger than food and beverage,” Williams said. “The Mississippi Delta is a region that was once responsible for most of the country’s cotton supply. A region that impacted and shaped the Civil Rights movement. A region that’s a melting pot of African, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cooking styles. A region that’s known for being the birthplace of the blues.

“At The Delta we want to channel everything from the sweaty juke joints, catfish, and Mississippi red hot tamales while also pulling inspiration from the swanky hotel bars and restaurants in Memphis. We have a responsibility to honor and respect the culture and history of the Mississippi Delta and showcase our interpretation of its true form: from the obvious like authentic Mississippi Red Hot Tamales and its rich music to more subtle nods like cocktail names that invoke history and décor accents that make you feel at home in our home.”

VIDEO DETAILS:

“The Chicago restaurateur owns The Delta and the brand-new Lil Delta in Dr. Murphy’s Food Hall; they are both rooted in Southern cuisine with an emphasis on food from the Mississippi River region. He talks about how Mexican and Chinese immigrants brought tamales and fried rice to this area and how they’ve influenced classic #soulfood. You can catch Audarshia’s LIVE! Culinary Series at 11:06am CDT Wednesday through Friday at @iamaudarshia on Instagram.”