Siena Tavern

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Rooted in Italy, Raised in Chicago

Siena Tavern sits at 51 W. Kinzie Street in the heart of Chicago's River North, bringing together the personality of Top Chef Fabio Viviani and the hospitality expertise of DineAmic co-founders David Rekhson and Luke Stoioff. The result is a restaurant that is, in the restaurant's own words, "simultaneously comfortable, vibrant, social and polished" — Italian cooking with genuine craft behind it, served across a full day of dining from weekday lunch through late-night Friday and Saturday service.

The Kitchen's Foundation

Everything on the menu is made from scratch daily, and that commitment runs through every section. The housemade pasta list alone covers nine preparations: Lobster Linguine in spicy lobster cream with squid ink, Truffle Cream Gnocchi with fried sage and crispy pancetta, a Bucatini "Cacio e Pepe" finished with belper knolle cheese, and a Fettuccine Bolognese with beef, pork, brown butter, and Calabrian chili, among others. Fresh-shaved truffle is available as an add-on to any pasta dish. Wood-fired pizzas — from a classic Margherita to a Pizza Diavola with spicy soppressata and house-made hot honey — round out the Italian core of the menu.

Antipasti show the same attention to detail: Coccoli arrives as crispy dough with stracchino cheese, prosciutto di Parma, and truffle honey; a Wagyu Beef Meatball is finished with bellwether ricotta; Grilled Octopus comes with crispy heirloom potatoes, red chiles, and aged balsamic. On the meat side, a 16oz Delmonico Ribeye with black truffle butter and a Braised Short Rib over white truffle risotto anchor the carne section.

Recognition and the Room

Wine Spectator recognized Siena Tavern with its Award of Excellence, a fitting acknowledgment for a restaurant whose beverage program spans a dedicated wine list alongside cocktails, happy hour, and a late-night menu. The award reflects the care taken to match a serious Italian-leaning cellar to a menu that ranges from casual pizza to composed fine-dining plates.

Weekend brunch adds another dimension — Lobster Benedict with meyer lemon hollandaise, Short Rib Hash, and a Giant Sticky Cinnamon Roll speak to the same from-scratch ethos applied to the morning hours. Private dining options run from executive dinners to full venue buyouts, handled by a dedicated events team.

For anyone looking for modern Italian cuisine in Chicago with real depth — in the kitchen, on the wine list, and in the room — Siena Tavern delivers on all three.