Michelin-Starred Atelier Plans on Moving to a Larger Space

Eater Chicago / by Sam Nelson / April 16, 2025

Michelin-starred restaurant Atelier is turning to crowdfunding in pursuit of a bigger location with more foot traffic. It will leave behind the 22-seat space that began drawing fine diners to Lincoln Square’s industrial corridor since Lane Regan opened Elizabeth there in 2012.

“I could fix up the facade and draw more attention, but people are driving by pissed off that they’re stuck in traffic so they’re not paying attention to what’s around,” owner Tim Lacey says. “Even though we would mostly take reservations, just having that street presence and that awareness would be a big help.”

The restaurant’s lease ends in July, and while Lacey wants to remain in Lincoln Square, he hasn’t found the right space. Lacey took over ownership of Elizabeth in 2020, when indoor dining was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, and closed the restaurant at the end of 2022. James Beard Award finalist Christian Hunter moved from Connecticut to Chicago in 2023 to open Atelier, which was awarded a Michelin star the same year. Read More Here.