Alcohol in the news; New businesses planned for M2 in downtown Champaign

From the News-Gazette

New businesses planned for M2 in downtown Champaign

CHAMPAIGN – Two new businesses – a Mongolian-style restaurant and an Irish pub – are expected to open later this year in the M2 building in downtown Champaign.

Both businesses will be owned by Amit and Ritika Chopra, who also own Green Street Cafe.

Both will be located on the north side of the multiuse, nine-story building, facing Neil and Hill Streets. The restaurant will be in the northeast corner and the pub will be next to it, just north of BankChampaign. The pub will serve traditional Irish bar food. The restaurant will feature create-your-own stir fry.

Traditional Irish bar food? Fish and Chips? I wonder if the bar part will challenge Bentley's as the local Irish Pub?

In other M2 news, the brewery equipment for Destihl Restaurant and BrewWorks, which is planned for the south side of the building, was moved into the building last month. Construction on Destihl is expected to start soon, according to Smith. A building permit has not been filed yet.

When will Destihl open? No one knows.