Modern Luxury Chicago Social Features Eden Reopening

BELOVED DINING DESTINATION EDEN REOPENS IN AN EXPANSIVE NEW AVONDALE SPACE

Here’s something you don’t hear very often: a COVID-era restaurant closure with a happy ending. So it is with Eden, the passion project of events magnate Jodi Fyfe of The Paramount Group and partner/chief culinary officer Devon Quinn. At its pre-pandemic peak, the beloved West Loop restaurant lived up to its name: an inviting oasis of green—as in uberfresh, toothsome seasonal fare, much of it utilizing produce from the on-site greenhouse Quinn built himself, plus local ingredients from farmers and purveyors—along gritty Lake Street.

Now, two years after the pair had to close the restaurant, Eden is back, now in a roomy new 3,800-square-foot space in Avondale. Part of The Paramount Group’s 24,000-square-foot complex, the restaurant boasts two private dining spaces, indoor dining for 100, an outdoor patio for 50 and (of course) an expanded on-site greenhouse, all steps from the North Branch of the Chicago River

“It all comes back to having a location connected to nature,” says Fyfe, explaining the appeal of the new space. “We’re now part of a community and steps away from a walking path that follows the river. … The move [also] gave us an opportunity to reflect on where we were with the restaurant and make things better.” As for Quinn’s menu? The chef aims to keep it simple. “Every chef that I’ve respected or followed through their careers, I’ve seen them simplify their menus,” he explains. “We’re doing the same thing with the Eden menu. Not just with how many ingredients we use, but with how many steps it takes to create a dish without losing its purpose. Refining without losing intention.”

For the upcoming dinner menu (set to debut Sept. 7), that translates into tempting plates like beef tenderloin tartar with castelvetrano olives; herbed ricotta gnocchi with corn truffle and tarragon puree; and wood-grilled berbere spiced carrots, plus a slate of cocktails and mocktails by beverage director Alex Rydzewski; a wine list featuring small, woman- and minority-owned vineyards with bio-friendly and organic options made utilizing eco-conscious practices; and even Eden’s own pilsner beer made in collaboration with Great Central Brewing Company. It all adds up to one of the city’s hottest new dining destinations—and one that Fyfe and Quinn hope will become a little piece of paradise on the northwest side. 2734 W. Roscoe St.