Chicago’s Gingie spotlighted
Chicago’s new Gingie from Boka group — led by chef Brian Lockwood — is being touted as a high‑class à la carte entrant and showed up on Food & Wine’s seasonal must‑try lists this week. Early buzz frames it as a polished newcomer worth booking. (x.com) (x.com)
Gingie is set to open its dining room on March 26, 2026 at 707 N. Wells in River North, taking over the space that previously housed GT Prime. (chicagotribune.com) The kitchen will operate without a tasting menu and instead offer an à la carte structure divided into shareables, specialties and pastas, a format detailed in early press materials. (chicagobusiness.com) Sample plates publicized ahead of opening include eggplant with young ginger, miso‑egg and shiso; baked gnocchi with Wisconsin cheddar and summer truffle; and a handroll program and seafood-focused “fruits de mer” section. (chicagobusiness.com) Menu pricing published on Gingie’s site ranges from mid‑$20 starters and pastas to mains in the $40–$60 range (the Wagyu Ribeye is listed at $63), and the restaurant is adding a 4% surcharge to checks to offset rising operational costs. (gingiechicago.com) Chef Brian Lockwood’s résumé backing the project includes stints at The French Laundry, Eleven Madison Park, NoMad New York and El Celler de Can Roca, and he served as a consulting chef on FX’s The Bear during which he worked directly with actor Jeremy Allen White. (bokagrp.com) Boka Restaurant Group and its principals describe Gingie as a roughly 150‑seat dining room with a design featuring hand‑carved oak trim, marble and bold fabrics by designer Anna Filatov, positioned as a contemporary, ingredient‑driven room in River North. (modernluxury.com) Local coverage that surfaced this week put Gingie on seasonal “must‑try” roundups and positioned the opening as one of Chicago’s most anticipated spring debuts, with outlets including the Chicago Tribune and Eater among the first to preview the menu and room. (chicagotribune.com)
