The Brief
NAIA, a 12,000-square-foot Mediterranean restaurant and event venue, is expected to open this spring at 300 N. LaSalle St. along the Chicago Riverwalk.
The restaurant will be led by Top Chef winner Athinagoras Kostakos.
The indoor-outdoor space will include a raw bar, riverfront patio seating and event space for up to 500 guests.
CHICAGO – A new large-scale restaurant is set to open along the Chicago Riverwalk this spring.
What we know
NAIA, a 12,000 square-foot pan-Mediterranean restaurant is planned at 300 N. LaSalle. The indoor-outdoor venue will stretch nearly a full river-level city block between LaSalle and Wells streets.
The restaurant will feature about 150 feet of river frontage, with seating for roughly 250 guests indoors and another 150 outside.
Plans include a raw seafood bar, cocktail bar and event space capable of hosting gatherings from 30 to 500 people.
Dig deeper
The restaurant’s culinary program will be led by internationally known chef Athinagoras Kostakos, known for Mediterranean cuisine and for winning Top Chef Greece.
According to the company, NAIA’s menu will draw from multiple Mediterranean regions, including Southern France, Spain, Italy, and Greece, along with Levantine cuisines from Israel, Lebanon and Turkey.
The restaurant plans to offer seafood focused dishes, grilled meats, mezze plates, salads, house-made pastas and flatbreads designed for shared dining.
What they’re saying
Kostakos said the concept reflects the range of cuisines found across the Mediterranean.
“I’ve worked in restaurants across the Mediterranean, learning the unique flavors of each region,” he said. “NAIA brings those influences together in one place celebrating the diversity and energy of the Mediterranean on the Chicago River.”
What’s next
NAIA is expected to open later this spring on the Chicago Riverwalk.
Developers say the restaurant will operate daily with breakfast, brunch, lunch, happy hour and dinner service.
The Source
This article contains details from a Heron Agency press release.
Dining and Cooking