Alinea Is Open
After a five-month hiatus, Alinea reopens this week.
Information is sparse right now—almost as difficult to get as a reservation to the famed, Michelin-starred, molecular gastronomy haven. But according to an Instagram post by Grant Achatz, a limited number of tickets will go on sale today at 11 a.m. You can book—or try to—here. Get 'em while you can!
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Alinea closed for renovations in January, and as the Chicago Tribune details, the restaurant reconstructed more than just its menu. They gutted everything, from the entrance hall to the steel staircase.
There will be three tiers of dining: an exclusive service for $385, Gallery seating for $345 and a 12-course tasting menu for $165 that will be available midweek.
As if the buzz around the restaurant's reopening could get even louder, Alinea won this year's James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurant. The award goes to a U.S.-based restaurant that has been open for 10 years, and has exceptional food and drinks programs, atmosphere and service.
"Alinea's JBF win, while it was still remodeling, is unprecedented," chairman of the Restaurant and Chef Awards Subcommittee Phil Vettel says. "Then again, a 10-year-old, world-renowned restaurant sacrificing more than four months of income to engineer a complete interior makeover is pretty unprecedented as well."
As the Tribune says, "Alinea wasn't broken. But [Nick] Kokonas and chef/partner Grant Achatz fixed it anyway." We can't wait to see what's in store.