The impact on business already has been felt. Businesses like Big Orange-Midtown, which has a Pokestop upstairs, has seen the drawl. More than just visitors, which Big Orange estimated was around 40-50 last Saturday, it is bringing people together who never met around good food.
“We have had so many people come in, it’s been so much fun… We’ve had a group of people on Facebook talking about how they went to Big Orange for the Pokestop and met others doing the same thing,” Amber Brewer, director of Marketing and Communications for Yellow Rocket Concepts tells us. “These are people who had never met each other and ended up all getting a table together and had a blast.”
So grab your phones, your appetite, and a friend if you need, although you are sure to pick up some along the way, and take to the streets for our weekend restaurant crawl to catch some Pokemon
Friday Lunch
Start off over at the Capital Hotel and take your pick of lunch at either Capital Bar and Grill or One Eleven. Be sure to grab some nearby Pokestops like the Old State House before you get going.
After lunch start walking east down Clinton Ave grabbing some Pokestops along the way. Swing in At the Corner for a milkshake while you make your way. The River Market is full of Pokestops and Pokemon to collect.
You can end things here for lunch, or start off the weekend right and head across the river for an early afternoon beer at Flyway Brewing or Diamond Bear.
Friday Night
We head back to the River Market Friday night, start off with a glass of wine at Cache and pick up the Pokestop there. Round the corner and head over to Dizzy’s Bistro for another Pokestop inside and their award winning cheese dip.
Take a walk down third street for dinner and a pint at Dugan’s Pub, be sure to pick up the Pokestop on the way. After that you have your choice of beer or wine at Blue Canoe or Zin Wine Bar in the same block. Pick up the same Pokestop again on your way.
After you have quenched your thirst get ready for a walk (or a short drive). Head down Third Street picking up Pokestops around the East Side of the River Market, around the Clinton Library, at Heifer international, and finally at Rock Town Distillery. Slip in for a sample of their latest bourbon then keep heading down 6th street.
By now you are really thirsty and possibly hungry. Stop in Lost Forty Brewing for a beer (and probably a water by now), and a bread and butter plate. Once you are done there head down to Rebel Kettle and pick up the Pokestop across the street before you slip in for our current favorite local beer, the Summer Jam.
Gear up for another big nighttime walk. Head down 6th street and knock out the million or so Pokestops around the Art Center and McArthur Park while you cut over to 9h street after you cross the freeway. Finish the night with one last round at Stone’s Throw Brewing before you call it a night.
Saturday Morning
Start Saturday early in Hillcrest with breakfast at Leo’s Greek Castle. Grab the Pokestop for Leo’s, then head down the road towards the rest of Hillcrest. Stop in for coffee at River City Coffee or Mylo Coffee Co (or both). While there grab several Pokestops on Kavanaugh and stop in to Hillcrest Artisan Meats for some excellent meat and local made products.
Grab the Pokestop outside Kemuri while you make your way down to Hillcrest Farmer’s Market. Support the local farmers and grab some more coffee from Kincaid’s Coffee while you pick up the two Pokestops at the market.
Head then over to Big Orange Midtown for lunch and maybe a bloody mary using bartender Luigi’s homemade picked veggies. Be sure to grab the Pokestop upstairs before you recharge both your battery and legs for the night crawl.
Saturday Night
Move out to the Heights to kick off the night. Stop in for margarita’s and cheese dip at Baja Grill. On the way out grab the Pokestop down the street at the Heights Arch before heading into Boulevard Bistro for dinner.
Move on down Kavanaugh after dinner picking up a good amount of Pokemon while you slip into Heights Taco and Tamale for a mezcal flight or frozen mojito. Grab an soft serve ice cream here, or keep walking down to Le Pops for a shaved ice.
Keep moving down Kavanaugh grabbing Pokestops at places like Cafe Prego along the way to the Pizzeria at Terry’s for a drink and a Pokestop inside. The night is still young, wrap it all up with a run down Cantrell hill to the Fold which keeps their bar open often past midnight for another drink.
Sunday
Sleep in on Sunday, you probably need it by now, then head over to South Main for some brunch. Take your pick of South on Main or Raduno, both have excellent brunch and bloody mary’s. You could do brunch at one and drinks at the other, or both at both.
Be sure to pick up the 10 or so Pokestops around the area revolving around the many public art projects on your way to Bernice Garden Farmer’s Market for some more local produce and goods. Head around the corner to the Green Corner Store to end your day with some Loblolly ice cream and a Pokestop across the street at the Root.
Congrats, you should have tons of Pokemon and a very full stomach.
