Skip the Flight to Greece... Just Head to LYRA
If you’re any kind of Chicago foodie, you’ve probably heard of LYRA {905 W Fulton Market, Chicago; 312.660.7722} in Fulton Market. It’s the neighborhood’s hottest new spot, thanks of course to its menu of classic Greek dishes (many of them made over an open flame) and Instagram-able desserts. Where it really shines though is with the people. Yes, of course we mean the people at the tables (hi guys and gals!). But we ALSO mean the people who make the magic happen behind the scenes and behind the prep counter.
DineAmic Hospitality, the company behind LYRA, focuses on every single detail when they open a new location, and that always begins with the people who create the culinary magic. That might be a celebrity chef, like Fabio Viviani for their locations including Siena Tavern and Bar Siena. In LYRA’s case, it means a full-blown partnership with the hospitality culture of Greece. From the chefs they work with, to the products and wines sourced, to the environment created, LYRA will have you feeling like you’ve taken a trip to Mykonos after just a short cab ride to Fulton Market.
And those are just the obvious touches you can see when you walk through their doors! David Rekhson, Co-Founder and Principal of Dineamic Hospitality, gave us a small peek at all the planning and detailed work that went into the magic of LYRA and it is a LOT. Don’t take our word for it though! Just see what he has to say… and then go make your reservation STAT ;)
LYRA is such a fun addition to Fulton Market! What first drew you to this location?
We already do business in the area at Bar Siena, Bombobar and Bandit - So clearly we like the neighborhood! We’re such big fans as Fulton Market is a great nexus of corporate and tourism and residential companies, who all bring in different diners. That creates an amazing vibe we’re happy to be a part of! The people who come to the West Loop and Fulton Market truly want to try new places and are into food - they’re searching for an experience like ours. We love all the enthusiasm!
The space and decor is all part of the dining experience. How did you bring the feeling of a Greek vacation to the Windy City?
The ambiance was especially important to us - We have been wanting to open a Greek restaurant for years! I travel to Greece annually with my wife, who is Greek herself, and on one of our trips we met one of our now chefs in Mykonos. We loved their food, but also loved them as people and chefs. We just knew we had to work with them! To make it work, they visited us here in Chicago and we also visited some of their other spots, including one in London.
It was an easy partnership though! Greece is a great atmosphere for a restaurant; the food and ingredients are top notch but the party and welcoming vibe is also important. Mykonos is the perfect example of that ethos so we brought a little bit of the vibe, the food, and the culture to Chicago.
And even though we opened in the dead of winter, we were still able to bring the summery feel, and transcend the weather outside to provide a dining experience that was beautiful and exciting, but still urban to flow well with the neighborhood. It’s authentic Mykonos, right in Chicago.
Tell us more about your Greek hospitality team..
The primary member of this team is our amazing Chef Athinagoras Kostakos. He is one of the partners in our property and helped us recruit other Greek chefs who were comfortable with the cooking techniques we wanted to use.
We have a charcoal oven to produce the charred flavors in our dishes and also have a live all-wood cook line where we cook on the plancha. This provides a really nice flavor profile to meat and seafood, and our cooks are able to make the most of those techniques
It’s not just in the kitchen though! We have front of house staff from Greece as well to really be ambassadors for the culture - whether that's instructing our staff on proper pronunciation or interacting with guests and making sure their experience is the best it can be. Every person counts.
How did you create your menu of authentic dishes?
Aside from the influence and expertise of our Mykonos team, we of course looked to Greektown right here at home - that neighborhood made our location possible by introducing Chicago diners to the cuisine.
I also have a lot of Greek family like I mentioned and cook Greek food a lot at home so it's a cuisine I’m familiar with on a personal level.
We looked at all of that inspiration and worked outwards from there. We wanted a menu where people would be familiar with the dishes while still providing a unique twist. We source the best ingredients possible, which means we source locally from Midwestern partners for fresh products so we can support them, but then we also source pantry and shelf-stable items from Greece too. We want everything to be as authentic and interesting as it can be.
What are some stand out menu items we can't miss?
That's so tough because I truly do love everything on the menu - I wouldn’t put it on there if I didn’t love it. But I’ll try… The Pastistio is such an interesting dish! It’s basically a traditional Greek lasagna, but we braise our short rib for eight hours so it's super tender and we also make our own noodles. We top it with the short rib ragù and cover it with truffle and cheese that's similar to a Greek parmesan. It’s very decadent but not overwhelming. You could definitely get it for the table and share.
And anything out of our charcoal oven is amazing! That includes any grilled seafood. Seafood is always the right choice.
How does the beverage program enhance the flavors of the menu? Let's start with more info on all those Greek wines.
Greece has been growing wine since before any other popular wine region in the world. But they’re so good at growing the wine and enjoying life that they didn’t focus as much on growing their business, which is why it’s undervalued and lesser known. But we want to change that!
Their climate is really consistent and so produces really consistent wine compared to areas like Napa. Greece is just very reliable, especially in the white category, which has very unique minerality and flavor. We really deliberately picked some of the smaller farmers and wineries in Greece to support them. We went all out in that regard and we’re proud of it.
These awesome wines can be enjoyed at your stunning bar! What do you want people to feel when they dine with you?
It’s been a really challenging couple years for everyone so we’re really excited to deliver a night out for people so they can forget about that and just enjoy themselves. A place where they can be with their friends, their family, the food, the wine. It’s about just being together.
Can we host parties or group dinners at LYRA?
Oh yes! LYRA is hosting private and semi-private events for groups of 10 - 250 people. We have two fully private dining rooms - The Kava (36 seated) & The Villa (52 seated). Come celebrate with us! You can see our private dining options here.
Are there any other LYRA secrets we need to know?
There are a few secrets but I’ll tell you just one. We do a music ritual at 11:30PM on Fridays and Saturdays that’s worth the wait. For that very last turn of tables, those 10PM and later reservations for dinner, we have something special. We slowly build the excitement and the music of our live DJ and musicians until 11:30PM and then we dim the lights and bring out sparklers and wave napkins and have lots of fun and dancing! It’s a transition from dinner to a lively supper club experience! So, if you plan on coming on a Friday or Saturday, make your dinner reservations later so you can have the full experience. Those that are willing to stay late get that added bonus!
Do you have fun plans coming up for the warmer weather?
Our biggest plans for the near future are Weekend Brunch, which we plan to launch in early May, and (obviously) patio season! We can’t wait for warmer weather and hosting everyone for Chicago spring and summer.
You can make your reservations at LYRA {905 W Fulton Market, Chicago; 312.660.7722} in Fulton Market NOW!