Alinea

Alinea at 1723 N Halsted Street in Lincoln Park is chef Grant Achatz's tasting-menu restaurant and one of the most celebrated dining rooms in Chicago, Illinois. The restaurant opened in 2005 and is widely credited with shaping American avant-garde cooking; it is listed here as a two-Michelin-star restaurant. The cuisine is contemporary American with a strong focus on technique, theatre and the sensory side of eating: dishes arrive in custom serviceware, some are eaten with the hands, and several involve aroma, temperature or tableside finishing. Among the dishes that have become emblematic of the restaurant are the edible helium balloon dessert and the tabletop-painted dessert course from earlier menus, although the menu changes regularly and specific courses should not be assumed. Alinea currently offers three experiences: the Kitchen Table, a small, chef-facing format with the closest view of the kitchen; the Gallery, the main dining room experience; and the Salon, a shorter, less formal menu. All are multi-course tasting menus with no a la carte option. Dress is smart casual and the atmosphere is calm and attentive, with staff explaining each course; conversation volume is low and the pacing is long, so diners should plan for a significant part of the evening. The beverage programme includes wine pairings and non-alcoholic pairings, and the restaurant is known for an extensive cellar. Reservations are required and are sold through a ticketing model: the restaurant notes that bookings are made on Tock through October and then through OpenTable from November. Demand is very high, with availability often released weeks or months in advance, so travellers should check the restaurant's website early and be flexible on dates. Prices are at the top of the Chicago market, with tasting menus priced at several hundred dollars per person before drinks, tax and service. The restaurant's Lincoln Park location is a short ride from the Loop and near Lincoln Park itself, which makes it easy to combine with a daytime visit to the Lincoln Park Conservatory or the zoo.