Foodie Fridays: Nellcôte Brings A 'Taste Of The Good Life' To Chicago

National hospitality collective ELEMENT, which consists of Executive Chef Jared Van Camp (Old Town Social) and nightlife forces Chris Freeman (Four Corners Tavern Group) and Chris Dexter (Whiskey), announce the opening of Nellcôte at 833 W. Randolph, an iconic space that formerly housed the renowned eatery, Marché.

Located in Chicago’s white-hot Randolph Street Corridor, the new concept is designed to deliver all the hallmarks of ornate luxury—white Italian marble, art nouveau wrought iron gates, extravagant woodwork, cartouche crown molding, crystal chandeliers and Parisian herringbone wood floors.

Although the destination will offer a defiant return to glamour as a sexy, high-energy nightspot—it will also be devoid of velvet rope exclusivity and the exorbitant price points that traditionally accompany such highbrow pretense.

The name “Nellcôte” was inspired by Villa Nellcôte, an ornate 16-room mansion on the waterfront of Villefranche-sur-Mer in the Côte d'Azur (French Riviera) region of southern France. This villa was the setting for one of the most infamous house parties of all time, as well as where the Rolling Stones recorded “Exile on Main Street” during the summer of 1971.

The concept is meant to capture this particular cultural zeitgeist, where the young Rolling Stones partied and dined in Villa Nellcôte with the who’s who of early 70s Bohemia—a veritable checklist of rock ‘n’ royalty including artists, style icons, deviants, socialites and creative misfits.

Nellcôte will offer their take on classic luxury. while celebrating the best components of the current handcrafted era—affordable prices, local product and artisanal quality.

Chef Jared Van Camp will craft an “obsessively house made” and locally focused bill of fare—it’s his impertinent take on refined dining. Taking influence from France, Italy and Spain, ingredients and products will be sourced exclusively from the Midwest.

Guests will be treated to an authentic locavore experience; humble dishes that are simple and approachable, both in concept and price point (everything is $15 or less), yet executed at the highest level, artfully composed on the plate, and striving to hold their own against the city’s finest white linen dining destinations.

With a custom made stone mill, a fresh pasta extruder and a wood burning oven imported from Italy, the menu is comprised of Neapolitan-style pies crisped to perfection, over a dozen fresh-from-scratch-daily pastas made using strictly local heritage wheat, and a variety of meat and seafood dishes.

Nellcôte’s kitchen will literally include a station on the line that is fully devoted to the art of the cocktail, and stocked with a full bar’s worth of spirits, bitters, cordials, syrups, preserves and other mixers all house-made. 

High caliber kitchen professionals will utilize the same care, consistency and technical expertise on classic cocktails as they do on a plated dish. This philosophy is grounded on the fact that the kitchen exists to be proficient at perfecting complex recipes, with equal parts speed and finesse. 

The signature cocktail list will revolve daily with nothing chiming in over $10, and will be featured alongside the food items on the menu. 

Diners can rest assured, the familiar bartender will still offer traditional bar staples including craft beers, wines, and conventional cocktail favorites. 

Nellcôte is slated to open to the public the first week of March, with a soft launch next week.

 Images Courtesy of Potluck Creative