Alinea

Chicago, US

• No.37 The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2019

Dining as avant-garde performance art is the central tenet at Alinea, a pioneering restaurant in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighbourhood that set a new bar for American modernist cuisine when it opened in 2005. A meal here is an interactive show, with guests playing as much of a role as the restaurant staff. Dishes are designed to surprise and delight – with the famous edible, helium-filled, floating balloon a particular favourite. Chef Grant Achatz is the magician behind it all. He revamped the entire restaurant to celebrate its 10th birthday, reopening in 2017 with a new look and three distinct tasting experiences: one in the Gallery, one in the Salon, and one at the Kitchen Table. Today Alinea remains a 50 Best regular and has been celebrated worldwide for its consistently on-point, innovative approach to molecular gastronomy.

Key Information

• Tasting menu from $325
• Dinner: Mon – Sun
• Visit Alinea's Website

Location

1723 North Halsted Street, Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL 60614