South American–inspired rooftop restaurant Boleo and Mad Men-esque lounge Vol. 39 will debut simultaneously inside the Kimpton Gray Hotel (122 W. Monroe St., Loop, 312-750-9012) when it opens later this summer.
The latest from the boutique Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants group, the Gray is located in a restored historic office building. The trio behind the food and drink at both concepts includes executive chef Nick Sutton (Tru, Pump Room), chef de cuisine Alexis Hernandez (Embassy of Peru), and head bartender Jess Lambert (The Dawson, Sable Kitchen & Bar).
Perched on the 15th floor rooftop, Boleo will exude an energy to match its height, with a South American menu and massive cocktail list. Sutton’s bold, flavorful dishes will nod to authentic Peruvian and Argentinian street fare via ceviches, tiraditos (Peruvian crudo), empanadas, and anticuchos (skewers). Lambert’s cocktail menu will include 25 South American–influenced cocktails—eight of them kegged—plus a dedicated section for pisco cocktails.
The 4,000-square-foot space will accommodate more than 150 across a seated bar and dining room, housed under a retractable glass roof for an open-air feel year-round.
Meanwhile, down on the second floor, Vol. 39 (with a separate entrance at 39 S. LaSalle St.) will hearken back to the grand lobby bars of the last century, featuring tableside cart service with champagne and caviar, a menu of upscale bar bites, classic cocktails, and a lengthy wine list.
“[Vol. 39] will be kind of a nod to Mad Men,” Sutton says. “Very drink driven … with shareable dishes that we will try to tie into the modern style of what the Mad Men would have eaten.”
So should we expect two-martini lunches? Close. There will be a 6-Martini Happy Hour, with six classic martini options.