Where to Eat in Chicago:
Situated in River North, HiFi Hospitality’s Chalet welcomes guests with cozy après-ski vibes and tavern-style comfort food designed for sharing, featuring elevated dishes that evoke a Rocky Mountain feel. Must-try dishes range from salmon tartare and duck confit poutine to grilled peach flatbread and honey braised short ribs. Inspired by the upscale lodges that mountain towns like Aspen are known for, the restaurant boasts natural wood and exposed brick with warm lighting. On the second floor, diners can enjoy hand-crafted libations in a chic lounge space. A 24-seat sidewalk café is also open seasonally.
Dishes at Chalet
At Robert Et Fils, a new destination for fine French cuisine in North Center, chef/owner Rob Shaner puts forth an inventive, ever-changing menu based on the ingredients available daily from local purveyors and the farmers market. Not only does Shaner love adding new dishes to the lineup on a whim, he’s also a fan of fermentation and upcycling. Expect a cozy, dimly lit space adorned with greenery as well as a bustling open kitchen.
The Cocktail Club, the new venture by nightlife aficionado Billy Dec, offers a modern take on Jazz Age entertainment featuring a multi-sensorial design, exceptional craft libations and live performances ranging from drag to choreographed dance. Designed by the all-female team at Chicago-based design firm Project, the club’s luxe interior embraces a 1920s ambiance finished with flickering street lamps, velvet upholstery, rose gold mirrors, feather plumes, large palms and a ceiling of parasols. Guests can enjoy bottle service as they groove to decade-hopping DJ sets with jazz interludes.
The Cocktail Club in Chicago
Where to Stay in Chicago:
The Ritz-Carlton, Chicago has completed the final phase of a $100 million renovation, culminating with an inspired redesign of the guestrooms and suites. Inspired by its iconic Gold Coast address, the brand tapped San Francisco–based design firm Bamo to revitalize its guest rooms, lobby, spa, Club Lounge and dining destinations. A palette of blue and neutral gray hues reflects the seasonal skies and waters of neighboring Lake Michigan, while dark upholstered furnishings pop against the soft gray walls and floor coverings—a nod to the skyscrapers set against lake and horizon. Upgraded bathrooms are decidedly modern, sophisticated and minimalist and feature arctic glacier white vanities and gray linear stone covering the walls and floor.
The lobby at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago
What to Do in Chicago:
Hot off a massive renovation, the Steppenwolf Theatre Company welcomes audiences back to Lincoln Park. The new, state-of-the-art cultural center spanning 50,000 square feet was designed by world-renowned architecture firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture with theater design and acoustics by Charcoalblue. The expanded Steppenwolf campus aims to change the way Chicagoans and visitors experience the company’s productions with a new 400-seat theater in the round, an education center and new eateries.
Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood in Steppenwolf’s production of Bug (Bug: Michael Brosilow)
