After 10 years of working with his esteemed mentor, chef Shigeyuki Furukawa at Kado no Mise in the North Loop, chef Yo Hasegawa is ready to branch out with a new concept of his own just a few blocks away: Cafe Yoto.

It will be a cafe-style restaurant with counter service and a heavy focus on online orders and take-out, according to consultant Josh Hoyt who spoke to the North Loop Neighborhood Association’s Planning and Zoning Committee on the cafe’s behalf.

The two chefs earlier this year hosted a recurring series of casual Monday night pop-ups at Kado no Mise known as “Yo Monday Cafe,” which proved to be so popular that they decided to make it more permanent with this new cafe inside the Duffey building, 548 N. Washington Ave., where Stalk and Spade used to be.

"We thought it would be a great opportunity to showcase Yo, his amazing food and really classically-trained talents,” Hoyt said.

Along with a variety of Japanese foods, the cafe will serve packaged drinks such as rice lagers, sake one cups, wine splits and all-natural sodas.

Hoyt said they’re hoping to open Cafe Yoto in October. It will join Puralima Cantina in the Duffey building, along with Backstory Coffee and Barcelona Wine Bar, which will officially open later this month. In early 2025, a Dave’s Hot Chicken will also open there, in the space above Puralima.

This story was originally published by the North Loop Neighborhood Association.