Art Institute Teams With Mantuano on New Eatery

The Art Institute of Chicago has named James Beard Award-winning chef/cookbook author (The Spiaggia Cookbook, Wine Bar Food) Tony Mantuano executive chef and managing partner of its yet-to-be-named Modern Wing Restaurant. The 140-seat dining facility is scheduled to open next May, in conjunction with the new Renzo Piano-designed building for the museum.

It will be Mantuano's fourth venue in Chicago. He also operates Spiaggia, Cafe Spiaggia and the Private Dining Rooms of Spiaggia. In his new venture, Mantuano will collaborate with the Art Institute's food service provider, Bon Appétit Management Company, on the new space. Currently, the restaurant is scheduled to be open seven days a week for lunch, and discussions are underway to add dinner service for Thursday and Friday.

The Italian-Mediterranean themed restaurant will be located on the third floor of the West Pavilion of the Art Institute’s Modern Wing, giving it spectacular views of Michigan Avenue and Millennium Park. Guests will have access to the restaurant both through the museum and via the Nichols Bridgeway, a pedestrian bridge connecting the third floor of the Modern Wing to the southwest corner of the Great Lawn in Millennium Park.