Article originally published on CIProud.com

WASHINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — A new brewery is preparing to set down its roots in the city of Washington.

Tangled Roots Craft Beer & Kitchen will open its doors to the public at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9.

In the meantime, employees are being trained for the big day. Cassi Kelton, the general manager at the Washington location, says she is working to build a sense of inclusion, teamwork and positivity within the team.

As the brewery gets ready, the business is still looking for more members to join its back-of-house staff, including 6 to 10 line cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers.

“Anyone with a talent and passion, head our way, please,” said Kelton.

She continued, “We’ve built a great team here. We’re all from all different walks of life. Tangled into one. That’s what we are at Tangled Roots. We are excited to be a part of the community and all of the events here in the Washington Square.”

Kelton hopes that when people walk into the brewery that they feel at home. She said, “We want everyone to come in and celebrate their day or their week or just their moment with us here.”

The brewery is still putting the finishing touches on both the main floor and upper floor. The building features an outdoor patio on the roof. This patio is expected to seat 94 people. 6 of those spots will be soft seating around a fire pit.

“People can sit up there and have dinner, drinks, weather permitting, of course. We also have a bar that will service that outside.” Kelton added.

Once Tangled Roots opens, the business plans to be part of more city events, such as the Bicentennial parade.

“We are here to support Washington,” Kelton said.

Article originally published on PJStar.com

Tangled Roots Craft Beer and Kitchen will open its sixth location in Washington Square on April 9. Read the original article

Article originally published in the Daily Herald on January 27, 2025

Already a culinary draw, the Arboretum of South Barrington has added another restaurant to its tenant roster.

Tangled Roots Craft Beer & Kitchen opened Jan. 22 in the southwest corner of the Arboretum, 100 W. Higgins Road.

This is the fifth restaurant in the Tangled Roots chain, which launched in Ottawa in 2016. The others are in Vernon Hills, Glenview and Lockport.

“We’re thrilled to bring our newest location to South Barrington,” Tangled Roots CEO Blake Rohrabaugh said in a news release. “This expansion is a testament to the support we’ve received from our community and the passion we have for providing great food, drinks and an unforgettable experience.”

The roughly 4,500 square-foot space previously was home to Eggology Cafe. That restaurant closed in 2023.

“We have completely revamped the space to make it on brand to Tangled Roots,” company marketing director Anna Wright said.

Tangled Roots is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Starters include biscuits with flavored butters, Bavarian pretzels with cheese sauce and mustard, hummus and flatbread and nachos with braised pork shoulder and other toppings.

Moving past those on the menu, customers will find soups, salads, tacos and a variety of burgers and sandwiches. Entrées include chicken schnitzel, Parmesan encrusted cod, fish and chips and filet mignon. Side dishes and desserts are available, too.

A special brunch menu is offered Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Frittatas, pancake-based tacos, biscuits and gravy, Korean barbecue chicken and waffles and more are available.

As its name implies, food is only half the attraction at Tangled Roots. The drink selection includes craft beers from the Tangled Roots Brewing Co. that use local and regional ingredients, including barley grown on the company’s Ottawa farm.

A roughly 4,000-square-foot patio with room for 170 customers and live musical performances is planned for this summer.

Tangled Roots won’t be the only restaurant opening at the Arboretum this year — not by a long shot.

Higgy’s Bar & Grill should open this month, and the Greggory Hearth and Tavern is set to open in February.

Mayor Paula McCombie sounded excited about the new dining options.

“No one has to leave South Barrington to have a great meal and see live entertainment,” she said in an email.

To make a reservation at Tangled Roots or learn more about the restaurant, call (847) 954-7780 or visit tangledrootsbrewingco.com.

Article originally published by the PJ Star on October 6th, 2024

While they have not yet set a specific opening date, the management of Tangled Roots Brewing Company is looking forward to opening its new location on Washington Square “in the near future.”

“Tangled Roots is very grateful for the warm welcome from both the City of Washington and the Washington Chamber of Commerce, and residents,” Tangled Roots director of marketing Anna Wright said. “We are thrilled to be a part of such a vibrant and supportive community and truly appreciate the kindness and enthusiasm you’ve shown us. We’re excited to build lasting relationships, share our passion for craft beer and food, and contribute to the growth and success of Washington.”

Tangled Roots Craft Beer & Kitchen will be located at 140 Washington Square, Washington. The company will also operate an events center at 120 Walnut Street and a retail facility at 126 Walnut Street.

In a June story by the Journal Star, Nathan Watson, the CEO of CL Real Estate Development said construction would be completed in the fall and the grand opening slated to take place by the end of the year.

The Washington location will be the fifth for the Ottawa-based Tangled Roots franchise. The company also operates locations in Ottawa, Glenview, Lockport, and Vernon Hills.

Wright added that Washington is a good fit for the restaurant group because of its “commitment to community engagement aligns with the community’s keen sense of local pride,” Wright said. Tangled Roots will provide a unique dining option while creating jobs and supporting local suppliers, Wright said.

“This economic boost can have a positive ripple effect on the community,” Wright said.

Known for a wide range of “farm to foam” beers brewed from locally grown barley, other Tangled Roots Craft Beer and Kitchens offer lunch and dinner menu with a selection of starters, soups, salads, flatbread, sandwiches, and entrees. The Tangled Roots brunch menu features Korean BBQ Chicken and Waffles, brunch burgers, and pancake tacos.

An Ottawa-based company is bringing its “farm-to-foam” craft beer-focused concept to Vernon Hills.

Tangled Roots Brewery & Restaurants’ fourth location, Craft Beer and Kitchen, is scheduled to open Wednesday at Mellody Farm, Milwaukee Avenue and Route 60 in Vernon Hills.

It will occupy the former Next Door American Eatery spot near Slyce pizza at Mellody Farm, a retail center that also features a variety of dining options.

Tangled Roots was founded in 2016 in Ottawa near Starved Rock State Park. The original concept, according to the company, was to blend high quality, chef-crafted menus with authentic, locally grown and brewed craft beers.

Hops and barley are grown on Tangled Roots’ own farm in Illinois and used to brew a range of beer styles, including its signature 100% Farm to Foam ale and Forty1 Eighty8, according to the company.

“Embrace Your Nature” is the motto of Tangled Roots, where each restaurant is distinct and draws inspiration from the town in which it is located. The other sites are The Lone Buffalo in Ottawa; Lock & Mule in Lockport; and Hangar Two in Glenview.

Tangled Roots will offer friendly, down-to-earth service, reflecting its origins as a small-town eatery, according to the company.

“We’ve had a lot of success with our restaurants so far, which have been based in smaller towns,” Blake Rohrabaugh, CEO of hospitality said in a news release. “We’re confident that we have a compelling offering and now were looking forward to sharing it with larger communities like Vernon Hills.”

Anthony “Tony” Fosco, who was raised in Vernon Hills, is the general manager and Eduardo “Eddie” Martinez, who has become instrumental in training for new store openings throughout his career, is the executive chef.

The Vernon Hills menu includes Bavarian pretzels and loaded tater tots as appetizers; bison chili among the soups; a nine-grain ancient grain among the salads; burgers and sandwiches; and, entrees such as chicken schnitzel, filet mignon and citrus salmon.

Explore the regions of Illinois with getaways perfect for exploring the fall color. Enjoy Illinois has picked out four places to explore in each region, all with attractions that are perfect for a fall getaway.

Article originally published on WCBU.org on October 5th, 2023

Developers, financiers and city officials broke ground Thursday morning on the future site of Tangled Roots restaurant and brewpup in Washington.

The $6 million project on the town square was originally planned to open in December of this year. However, fluctuating construction costs and other unexpected issues delayed the timeline. CL Real Estate Development, or CLRED, is now aiming for a November 2024 grand opening.

“We love building things. We love seeing them go up,” said Nathan Watson, CEO of CLRED. “It’s one of the most exciting and fulfilling things that we do in our business.”

The building is designed by architect Dirk Lohan, who designed the corporate headquarters for McDonald’s, among other projects.

Watson said Lohan’s design takes special care to gel with the surrounding buildings and overall feeling of the idyllic town square. For example, the first floor features large retail openings like the other shops in the area. The open second floor includes a timber frame that raises the building to the same height as the other two-story buildings on the square.

“This [building] has the challenge of bringing modern architecture into a historical context,” said Watson. “And I think we’ve done an excellent job.”

The construction contract with Global Builders totals about $4.5 million, before additional costs associated with creating and running a customer service business like a restaurant. When completed, the complex also will include six, short-term rental spaces that will have to be approved by the City of Washington at a later date.

Watson estimates annual revenue from the business at $5 million and $6 million. City officials estimate $120,000 annually in sales tax revenue and between $75,000 and $80,000 annually returned to the TIF fund that made the project possible.

Kelly Pohl is a local investor and supporter of the project. She reached out to Tangled Roots and developers after deciding she wanted to make her former flower shop, at the corner of Walnut Street and Washington Square, into the home of a new rooftop bar.

“It’s beyond my wildest dreams,” Pohl said. “Our team has kept us involved from the beginning. They’ve asked our opinions, and just really included us in the whole process. So we really appreciate that.”

Pohl anticipates the new business increasing traffic for other businesses on the square.

The brewpub isn’t the end of CLRED’s plans for the area. The firm also own two buildings a few doors down Walnut Street. Watson said the plan is to convert the former Knights of Columbus building and the closed Prep Freeze Cook into an event center, an outdoor event space and a retail space.

“We’ve always said that once we’re in a community, we’d like to keep on building,” said Watson. “It helps our existing investment, but also, in the challenging environment that we’re in, we need to diversify our revenue sources on the project.”

Article originally published on Central Illinois Proud website on October 5th, 2023

Set to open in November of 2024, the Tangled Roots Brewpub and Restaurant is what Washington officials hope makes the city a destination for those looking for a night out.

A ground-breaking event was held Thursday morning, which brought together several key participants in the development of the project. The hope for city officials, such as Mayor Gary Manier, is that the brewpub boosts the Washington economy.

“I think you’re going to see people from the entire region, Bloomington-Normal and Peoria, maybe as far as the Quad Cities,” Manier continues, “We’ve got a beautiful downtown square and now we’ve got a chance to show it off even more.”

The project is in the $8-9 million range and is spearheaded by CL Real Estate Development. CEO Nathan Watson said the idea for the project dates back to 2019.

He believes Washington is the perfect spot for a development such as this.

“Washington is ripe for a great downtown brewpub and restaurant venue,” Watson continues, “It’s got a great population and the surrounding area is in a similar situation where they’re looking for good places to dine.”

The project has also run into some hiccups along the way. An adjacent building owner could end up in court with the developers again, as they claim crews damaged their building during demolition.

The building owner’s lawyer, Brian Mooty, says his client expected damages to occur, but they thought the developers would fix the issue.

Mooty said his client had tried to enter into an agreement with the developers to stave off possible court action beyond the initial filing of a lawsuit. However, that agreement remains unsigned and the attorney spoke at a recent Washington City Council meeting where he hinted that further legal action might be taken.

Watson says workers will repair damages to adjacent buildings and they remain in communication with those buildings.

In addition to the brewpub and restaurant on the first floor, residential units, and a rooftop beer garden will overlook the downtown square. When completed, the brewpub will be the largest private investment in downtown Washington in at least a century.

After getting some suggestions from John Williams, Jon Hansen visits Ottawa, Illinois, and visits Heritage Harbor, The Lone Buffalo by Tangled Roots Brewing Company, and more.

See the full video

Historic Ottawa is a two-hour drive southwest of the Loop and is Chicago’s sister city.

It’s home to the first Lincoln-Douglas debate, great restaurants, including Tangled Roots Brewing Company’s The Lone Buffalo and so much more.

Read the full article