The team at The Albert Chicago (228 E. Ontario St.), located at Hotel EMC2 in Downtown Chicago, is pleased to announce an Italian Market Pop-Up event and a reimagined Happy Hour, providing even more opportunities to make memories while enjoying food and drink inspired by Executive Chef Steve Chiappetti’s Calabrian heritage.
The restaurant’s landscaped outdoor patio is also open and welcoming guests all summer long.
Italian Market Pop-Up
The Albert will host its first Italian Market Pop-Up on Thursday, July 27. Held from 4 to 8 p.m. on the restaurant’s upper terrace, guests are in for a spirited culinary experience as they journey to Italy without leaving their own backyard.
Intended to be a celebration of summer while ingredients are at their peak, the Albert’s Italian Market Pop-Up will feature a selection of fine, shop-able products hand-selected by Chef Chiappetti and his team. Guests will discover a robust selection of Italian wines from regions from north to south; Sicilian olive oils; rare balsamic vinegars from Modena; perfectly aged cheeses and charcuterie; and farm-fresh produce from Chef Chiappetti’s go-to Midwestern farmers. Food enthusiasts can also shop a variety of premium steak cuts from the reputable Allen Brothers.
The market experience wouldn’t be complete without everyone’s favorite (and the best) part: Sampling! Attendees will taste their way through the streets of Calabria, enjoying bites of Chef Chiappetti’s signature cuisine and hearty wine tastings. In addition, they can take in both cooking and cocktail demonstrations every 30 minutes, led by the Albert’s expert culinary and mixology team. Take-home recipes and tips mean that guests can learn, shop and carry on the Italian traditions at home.
Cost to attend is $65 per person and tickets are available here.
Happy Hour at the Albert
Happy Hour is upgraded at the Albert with a range of specially priced drink and food options that inspire guests to return throughout the week. Available daily from 4-6 p.m., offerings include:
- Martini & Crostini ($15)
- Featured martini of the day served with house-made mushroom herb ricotta crostini
- Rose-Colored Glasses ($11)
- A spritz variation with gin, orange juice, and blossom hard cider
- Quartino ($11)
- 7-ounce pour of the featured wine of the day
Alongside these specials, guests can order from a menu of delectable, sharable items served exclusively at Albert’s intimate bar and a wide spectrum of creatively curated cocktails.
Highlights include Chef Chiappetti’s Sesame Wings, crispy wings dry rubbed with hot honey glaze; Crispy Shrimp with arugula, shaved red onion and lemon chili sauce; the Albert Burger, an irresistible sirloin and short-rib burger cooked to perfection and served with 5-year cheddar, lettuce, tomato, smoked bacon, onion and truffle fries.
Wash it down with fun cocktails like Northern Lights – vodka, elderflower, lemon and chamomile; Rhuby Slippers – gin, rhubarb liqueur, Aperol and lemon; Vesuvius – whiskey, sugar, bitters and smoke; Mona Lisa Smile – rye, ginger beer, basil and balsamic; and more.
View the full Happy Hour and bar menu here.
Walk-ins are welcome at Albert’s bar.
Al Fresco Dining at the Albert
As Chicagoans enjoy the warm weather months, the Albert is pleased to welcome guests to its idyllic al fresco patio. Nestled alongside East Ontario Street in the heart of Streeterville, seating for 30 is ensconced by colorful florals and oversized potted plants evoking the spirit of the tranquil gardens found in Calabria.
There, they can experience vibrant salads, house-made pastas, light seafood preparations and hearty proteins inspired by his heritage recipes.
In celebration of planting season, Chef Chiappetti, an avid gardener, has also planted a rooftop garden atop Hotel EMC2.
Freshly grown herbs and other ingredients inform his dishes, as well as the team’s seasonal cocktail creations, throughout the summer.
The Albert’s outdoor patio is open for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch, weather permitting.
For more information, visit thealbertchicago.com.