• People
    • Cover Stories
    • Who To Watch
    • Q&A’s
  • Parties
  • Style & Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Shopping Spy
    • What To Wear
  • Dining
  • Culture
  • Weddings
  • Living
  • Sign up
 
    Home
  • People
    • Cover Stories
    • Who To Watch
    • Q&A’s
  • Parties
  • Style & Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Shopping Spy
    • What To Wear
  • Dining
  • Culture
  • Weddings
  • Living
  • Sign up

Avli Taverna

By Samantha Lande / Dining / December 5, 2018

Grab a date and go Greek at Lincoln Park’s newest hideaway

Louie Alexakis has been dishing authentic Greek food at Avli in Winnetka for over a decade. But when it came to his latest act, opening a restaurant on a quaint corner of Lincoln Park, he was ready to go modern. The result is the newly unveiled Avli Taverna.

“It felt like coming home,” said Alexakis, who also ran Lincoln Park restaurant Ouzeri in the ’90s.

The 50-seat Avli Taverna, a collaboration with partners Fox Chicago sportscaster Lou Canellis and investor William V. Glastris Jr., is refreshingly minimalist with clean lines and birch tabletops. “Many restaurants [in Chicago] do traditional Greek,” he says. “We want to expose people to the creative side of Greece.”

Sure, you can expect classics, like saganaki and gyros. But there are a greater number of surprises. Imagine: orzo brimming with fresh seafood and kasseri cheese. You can also look forward to tableside ouzo pours and an all-Greek wine list and cocktail program designed by Peter Vestinos of Sepia. Breads and pastries are made in house, and a grab-and-go section and brunch menu will launch in spring.

Intrigued? Here’s what else you’ll find at this promising newbie.
Regional Specialties Most Greek restaurants in Chicago focus on one area of Greece. Avli wants to showcase them all, including the island of Crete, known for dishes like kalitsounia ($9), a sweet and savory cheese puff.

Reinvented Traditions The team consulted with Australian chef David Tsirekas (1821, Sydney) to make traditional dishes more contemporary. One idea was to flip iconic baklava on its head but keep the flavors. The result is homemade baklava ice cream ($8) – vanilla with a caramel, nutty center and wisps of phyllo dough.

Ancient Adaptations Tsierkas dug up a mousakka recipe from 1910 that uses whole roasted lamb shoulder instead of typical minced lamb. The result is a complex take on the dish ($19), highlighting the succulent lamb, smoky eggplant, and creamy béchamel.

Thoughtful Cocktails Typical Greek ingredients like dill, yogurt, and figs are paired with familiar spirits. One option, Teach Me to Dance ($12), infuses vodka with wild herb Greek tea and layers in bergamot orange, thyme, honey, and lemon.

1335 W. Wrightwood, 773-857-5577; avli.us

Photo by Kailley Lindman




  • Share On Facebook
  • Tweet It

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


  • Search

  • The Magazine

    The Magazine
  • The Calendar

    The Calendar
  • Featured

    • 11 Ways to Feel Fit and Well NowFebruary 1, 2019
    • Breaking Bold: Spring Break PreviewJanuary 24, 2019
    • Secrets of the party startersDecember 14, 2018
    • Ski & Spa—Stat!November 30, 2018
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2018: Truly GiftedNovember 21, 2018



  • About

    For site questions or advertising inquires, please contact us at: splash@chicagosplash.com.


    WHERE TO FIND US
    CONTACT US | PRIVACY POLICY
    TERMS OF SERVICE

    кредит наличными

  • Recent Posts

    • Q&A: Sebastian ManiscalcoFebruary 14, 2019
    • Ever After: Stephen Rooney & Allison MurphyFebruary 14, 2019
    • Ever After: Jennifer Nelson & Maciej Sarota-RaczekFebruary 14, 2019
  • Cover stories

    • Breaking Bold: Spring Break Preview

      January 24, 2019




Copyright © 2016. Chicago Splash. All Rights Reserved.
Back to top