17-Nov-20 – With COVID-19 regulations and closures, luxury restaurants and bars have pivoted to takeout. High-end restaurants like Alinea and Spiaggia provide multi-course meals while bars like Three Dots and a Dash and Billy Sunday offer their signature drinks to go.

Back in March, many restaurants had to adapt to an earlier ban of on-site dining. Some restaurants already provided takeout and delivery options, but others had to enter the business in their own way. Alinea, for example, known for its high prices and scarcity of reservations, provided its customers with pages of heating and assembly instructions. Restaurants had to be thoughtful about their takeout options.

“The menu that was chosen for Spiaggia at Home features dishes we felt would travel the best once they left our kitchen, and also involved very little ‘lift’ from the guest in terms of preparation,” explained Tara Zavagnin, Director of Operations for Levy Restaurants, owner of Spiaggia. While it may be tempting to offer fewer high-end specialties with takeout, Spiaggia currently offers dishes with white and black truffles. (Left) Spiaggia for the Season, a rotating menu of seasonal pastries available for takeout.

Luxury takeout has allowed diners the chance to try these restaurants without a hefty price tag. While Alinea in-person meals easily run hundreds of dollars that must be paid upfront, the takeout option is less expensive – though still pricey by any standards – and thus more accessible.

Daniel Laloggia and his wife, Sarah, tried Alinea’s takeout menu for her birthday.

“It seemed like a nice consolation prize for not being able to do something special for it,” Laloggia said. “Though, to be honest, we were just looking for an excuse. We’d never been to Alinea and this was also a great way to try one of the best restaurants in Chicago without paying a million dollars.”

However, with these high-end takeout options, some preparation is required. Laloggia estimated that it took about 45 minutes to put it all together. Certainly, a bit different than getting Chinese takeout from a local restaurant.

Erin Pierce-Spurrier, who dined at Alinea years ago, tried their takeout twice. She says the first time, the quality of the food “was good, not ‘Alinea-good’ but something you’d get from a four-star restaurant. Michelin-worthy.” However, both were less than impressed with Alinea’s August “grill out” menu, which was more expensive and time-consuming. (Right) Takeout order from Alinea. Photo by Erin Pierce-Spurrier. (Click on image to view larger version.)

“The entree was steak/shrimp/veggie kebabs which you were required to grill and season yourself. They came raw,” Pierce-Spurrier noted. “I followed the instructions provided but after the recommended grill time, my steak was cooked but most of it was still very raw. I accidentally ate a whole raw shrimp, which was disgusting.”

Restaurants, too, are learning from their experiences with takeout.

“During the first lockdown, we offered carryout through Café Spiaggia because the family-style concept felt more adaptable to carry-out,” said Zavagnin. “However, since reopening Spiaggia, our team has really adapted and learned to be creative in a new medium.”

(Left) Tara Zavagnin (left in photo) and Rachael Lowe, Beverage Director at Spiaggia. Photo provided by Levy Restaurants.

As the pandemic worsens in Chicago and the state mandates closure of inside dining, luxury restaurants may have to continue relying on this revenue source to continue operations. But some see it as a sign of the viability of Chicago’s restaurants.

“Seeing so many outstanding restaurants pivot their concepts to adapt to a new landscape that better serves the people of Chicago is impressive,” says Zavagnin. “It is a reminder that hospitality does not only exist within the four walls of a restaurant, and we are resilient and strong and believe we will all weather this storm and come out better than ever.”

Alinea was not available for comment for the story.