When chef Adam Siegel opens his restaurant this spring in the 7Seventy7 Building (777 N. Van Buren St.), it will mark some firsts.
The fine dining Lupi & Iris is the debut restaurant from the former executive chef of The Bartolotta Restaurants and 2008 James Beard Best Chef: Midwest award winner. Siegel and business partner, commercial real estate developer Michael DeMichele, are opening the city’s only dining establishment inspired by and focusing on the cuisines of the French and Italian Riviera. It will also be the biggest restaurant opening, I’d reckon, in the last few years. And Siegel could not be happier.
“I feel great,” he says. “I’m truly excited and have waited a long time for this.”
Early May is the targeted opening date, with dinner service being the first to be rolled out, followed sometime after with lunch, and then Saturday-Sunday brunch service. With the name, the partners pay homage to two inspiring people – Siegel’s late father-in-law Ron Lupi and DiMichele’s grandmother, Iris.
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The 10,500-square-foot space, as described, sounds impressive. Besides the sizable main dining room, there will be an outdoor patio, U-shaped bar, elevated lounge (a place to be seen,” says Siegel), eight-seat chef’s counter and an 80-seat private dining room that will have its own restrooms and private kitchen. The main kitchen will be open concept, and diners will be able to see the chefs – including Siegel – at work. “I’m going to be there all the time,” says Siegel, who sounds like he’s already there all the time, overseeing the various phases of construction.
I hope to get more details about the menu, but Siegel mentioned potential offerings like handmade pastas, bouillabaisse for two, paella, fresh wood-roasted fish, marinated steak with a French persillade sauce. High-quality ingredients, simple preparations. “I like to focus on simplicity and [cooking that’s] technique driven,” says Siegel.
Of the interior, Siegel says it will be inspired “a little” by the Mediterranean but also “feel like we’re part of the building, which is contemporary.” Expect wood, leather and extensive millwork to dominate. And “75% of the wall space is windows,” he adds, so expect a great deal of natural light. Siegel calls it fine dining “but not stuffy.” The adjectives uses are “professional” and “cosmopolitan.”
Adds Siegel, “I was fortunate enough to learn about design from [former boss/late restaurateur] Joe Bartolotta, but [working with DiMichele] is another level.”
In addition to the restaurant, the partners will also operate a coffeehouse called Andiamo (Italian for “Let’s go”), located in the lobby of the parking garage, which will offer grab-and-go soups and sandwiches, among other foods.
