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Last summer, Free Rein debuted along Michigan Avenue inside the St. Jane Chicago Hotel giving acclaimed chef Aaron Lirette, formerly of Michelin-starred GreenRiver, a new venue for his talents. While Chicagoans were paying attention to the ground-floor restaurant inside the 96-year-old Carbide & Carbon Building, perhaps they should have paid more heed to the space above. This spring, the St. Jane will debut The Nobel — a rooftop lounge on the building’s 24th floor at 224 N. Michigan Avenue.
It’s a quasi-private space. The lounge’s customers will be mostly those staying inside the hotel’s “tower suites” — the property’s more pricey and exclusive rooms. The Nobel will have limited reservations for the general public, according to a spokesperson.
The lounge will feature a food menu from Lirette with modern takes on potted rillettes, tartines, and pate, according to a short news release. There will be plenty of champagne on hand, as well “interactive” cocktails. It’s unclear what “interactive” means. Perhaps it’s a virtual cocktail, or maybe they’re encouraging customers to play with their drinks’ ingredients.
The hotel’s named after Jane Addams, the iconic Chicagoan who blazed a trail for social workers. She was a co-founder of the ACLU. Addams continues to inspire, as she’s the story behind the Nobel’s name. In 1931, Addams became the first American women to win a Nobel Prize. She was the second woman to win the prize. Marie Curie, a two-time winner, first won in 1903.
Nobel management will have more details as the opening approaches. Despite a mild winter, Chicagoans can agree that a rooftop bar in the summer is something worth daydreaming about. Come back for more information as spring inches closer.
