Upcoming Michigan Avenue Rooftop Bar to Feature Food From Acclaimed Chef

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.