Atelier opened in Chicago in 2023 and quickly found success, earning a Michelin star in its first year. The diminutive tasting-menu spot temporarily closed in summer 2025 to move into a new, larger space in the same Lincoln Square neighborhood, and it reopened in October.
The new location is 1,800 square feet and has 36 seats, accommodating about twice as many diners as the original. There’s now a full bar and lounge area, an expanded drinks menu, and an à la carte menu of small plates served in addition to the tasting menu.
“Since the beginning, our goal has been for Atelier to be a welcoming, friendly neighborhood place where guests can enjoy Michelin-caliber cuisine,” said proprietor Tim Lacey. “I’ve lived in Lincoln Square for over 20 years, and the support we’ve received from the local community throughout the last few months has been overwhelming.”
That support included a fundraising effort to finance the move and build out the new space.
The restaurant now serves à la carte dishes in addition to its tasting menu.
Lacey funded the expansion via a small business bond offering through the SMBX platform. This debt-based crowdfunding model served as an alternative to traditional bank loans and allowed the restaurant to raise capital from non-accredited investors — aka the general public — with minimum investments of just $10.
Investors receive interest paid out monthly over the 60-month term. The campaign was sweetened by a tiered system of perks for higher contributions. For example, a $1,000 investment netted dinner for two with reserve wine pairings. In total, the campaign generated close to $500,000.
“We wouldn’t have been able to raise that kind of money otherwise,” Lacey said. “I didn’t have investors, and I doubt we would have qualified for a loan of that size. SMBX also had a larger reach than we would have had on our own.”
He noted that the grassroots nature of the fundraiser was appealing to him because it dovetails nicely with the local, small-producer approach that Atelier takes in the kitchen and behind the bar. And it gave fans of the restaurant and people in the community the chance to invest, when they wouldn’t have been able to do so through more traditional means.
The restaurant draws inspiration from the French word “atelier,” which translates to “workshop.” There’s an industrial design aesthetic and an open kitchen that lets guests watch the action.
The Atelier team, from left to right: Bradyn Kawcak, Ali Martin, and Tim Lacey.
The new location gives the team more room to breathe. Servers can navigate the dining room more easily now, and guests are able to enjoy a more comfortable dining experience. Adding the lounge and bar area, the à la carte menu, and the expanded beverage options were all done strategically, not only to serve more guests, but also to serve a different segment of guests who may not want the full tasting menu experience. Lacey explained that these more casual dining options also help to dispel the idea that the restaurant is only for special occasions.
Executive chef Bradyn Kawcak leads the kitchen, serving a hyper-seasonal menu that incorporates techniques and flavors from around the world. He embraces the concept’s workshop spirit by encouraging collaboration and often features dishes created by other team members on the tasting menu.
A few sample dishes include bison teres major with sunchokes and fermented cherry jus, miso butter-poached walleye with a buckwheat crêpe cake, and a watermelon “bubblegum” made with bubblegum taffy, watermelon foam, and watermelon rind panna cotta.
Beverage director Ali Martin has curated a diverse wine list and cocktail menu to match the cuisine. She also built out a menu of creative zero-proof drinks that feature house-made tonics and syrups and often enlist byproducts from the kitchen.
