Chicagoans can now get a taste of Napa Valley without leaving the city. The Oakville Grill & Cellar—a partnership between wine director Richard Hanauer, chef Maxwell Robbins and restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You—debuted April 24 in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. The restaurant’s menu revolves around the team’s partnerships with farms, ranches and wineries throughout California and the Midwest, alongside a 750-label list of exclusively California wines.
“I was constantly flying west, and always for the same reason: vineyards, vineyards, vineyards,” detailed Hanauer. “After tasting, we would go out to these great restaurants and would realize the food out there was just as interesting as the wine.” Hanauer thought that style of restaurant, combined with Chicago’s warm hospitality, would be successful in the Windy City.
The two-story, 250-seat restaurant features a covered outdoor dining area and a separate terrace, in addition to interior dining rooms that capture a wine-country vibe with wood-beamed ceilings and earthy hues of olive and sandstone. A glass wall, running along the stairway to the second floor, showcases Oakville’s many wine selections. Another hallway displays appellation maps and tributes to California winemaking luminaries such as André Tchelistcheff, Robert Mondavi, Heidi Peterson Barrett and Cathy Corison.
Oak wood–grilled items are featured throughout the menu’s sections, from appetizers and salads to mains and sides. Chilled and raw options—like grass-fed beef carpaccio with green goddess dressing and crispy capers—open the menu alongside “craveables” like charcoal-roasted chicken wings with blue cheese dressing.
The team didn’t take inspiration from specific restaurants so much as they zeroed in on touchstones across their favorite wine-country eateries, explained Hanauer. “It’s much more of an homage to the culture of California,” he said. “We saw a lot of staples and consistencies that we wanted to hit, like really great bread service and single-ranch meat offerings. And then there are times when we have to deviate because we have different produce markets.” Among the Midwest-influenced plates are grilled Sakura Wagyu Farms pork chops with whole-grain mustard jus and braised greens. Other menu highlights include fried chicken with Napa Valley potato salad and a “Napa” Caesar salad with buttermilk from Illinois-based Old Heritage Creamery.
The restaurant has a few options for enjoying wine, the most unique being its “Cellar Door,” a six-seat private area just off the downstairs dining room, slated to open May 16. “From a Chicago perspective, [visiting Napa is] all about going to tastings, and they’re such a great way to relax and enjoy everyone’s company,” said Hanauer. “I wanted to recreate that conviviality.” To that end, the restaurant is partnering with wineries monthly to replicate their tasting menus with pairings. Guests can also sign up for each winery’s mailing list or buy wines to take home. Robert Sinskey will be the first winery in this program.
The wine list, which includes 24 by-the-glass options, spans more than 50 California appellations. “It’s an absolute celebration of California wine,” said Hanauer. “There are time-honored wineries, but we’re also very respectful and encouraged by the novelty in California, and there’s a ton of diversity to the menu.” Well-known wineries like Heitz and Williams Selyem share space with newer names like Memento Mori and Ceritas, as well as other lesser-known wines, wineries or subregions. A reserve list digs deep into blue-chip Napa Cabernet, including multiple vintages from Colgin and Dominus, among others.
SPQR Chef Matthew Accarrino Debuts Mattina in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights
Matthew Accarrino, chef at Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner SPQR in San Francisco, had long pondered what the Pacific Heights neighborhood around the restaurant was missing. He realized there was a lack of coffee shops and all-day cafés, spots where avid cyclists like himself could hang out.
Accarrino’s goal became to “create a community space and put an arm around the neighborhood,” he said, which resulted in the recently opened Mattina, located just around the corner from SPQR.
Where SPQR is a multi-course culinary experience with a story behind each dish, Mattina is a more casual spot where you can pop in for a quick bite or linger with a glass of wine or an espresso after a late lunch. “Dining habits have changed,” Accarrino said, noting that there aren’t a lot of places open for meals between lunch and dinner service. With the new 60-seat restaurant, his hope is to provide just that. “If you don’t have a reservation, hopefully we’ll have a seat for you. There’s ample space for walk-ins, with the café vibe in front and more formal dining further back.”
For Mattina’s design, Accarrino took inspiration from time spent in Santa Fe, N.M., incorporating rounded surfaces and earth-based tones that lend a warm, inviting feel. Grays, light wood elements and touches of green are illuminated by sunlight from the restaurant’s southern exposure. Up front, an espresso cream–colored counter sits at the center, while café tables and benches with barstools look out onto the street. Farther back, caned chandeliers and chairs mingle with gray leather banquettes for more refined seating. A parklet will open soon, bringing outdoor seating.
If you’re up early, Mattina serves up an array of breakfast items like black garlic and cheddar scones and charcoal-grilled biscuits accompanied by a choice of charcuterie, curry chicken salad or house-made jam and cultured butter. Espresso drinks are a mainstay, including a candy-cap mushroom latte made with locally foraged mushrooms.
Accarrino said the menu relies on the same ingredients as SPQR but packages them differently for a more casual experience. Many dishes utilize a charcoal grill, which few other local restaurants have a permit to use. Diners can also expect salads, cicchetti (small snacks), charcoal-grilled spiedini (Italian-style skewers) and fresh pasta, such as a current, seasonal dish of bucatini with spring greens and vegetables. For now, service runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., but the chef expects dinner service to begin in early May.
Accarrino manages the wine program at Mattina as well, as he does at SPQR. The café opened with 60 bottles, largely food-friendly Italian picks, but he plans to grow the list to 100-plus labels, including a handful of Champagnes and local options. Most wines on the list are what Accarrino refers to as “exploratory” offerings, priced less than $100. “Some wines don’t make sense at SPQR, but they do make sense here because they’re causal, fun and delicious,” he said, highlighting a sparkling Nebbiolo from Piedmont’s Malvirà.
Accarrino has also brought in 30 vermouths (mostly from Italy), which will be a focal point during Mattina’s “Aperitivo Hour” between 4 and 6 p.m., alongside small plates and spritzes made tableside via a rolling bar cart.