Inside Cafe Yaya, Michelin-starred Galit Owners' Upcoming New Spot
The casual all-day neighborhood restaurant with quality pastries, eclectic fare, and an approachable wine list is targeting a winter opening.
Five years after having a hotly anticipated opening for their now Michelin-starred Middle Eastern restaurant Galit, James Beard Award-winning chef Zach Engel and partner Andrés Clavero are creating buzz with their next venture: Cafe Yaya.
The casual two-floor, all-day counter-service restaurant tucked between Galit and the Victory Gardens (a.k.a. Biograph) Theater in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood at 2431 N. Lincoln Ave. is scheduled to open this winter. (ed. note: they’re currently on track for a January opening if all goes smoothly).
The team took inspiration for the 60-seat restaurant from all-day cafes that line the streets and boulevards of Paris and Tel Aviv, where people gather, eat, drink, and linger. The art nouveau vibe and color scheme seen in the above image will be felt throughout the Siren Betty-designed space.
Original art created by Engel’s sister, Ilana, who also designed the logo, will adorn the walls while hand-painted terracotta tiles from Tabarka Studio in New Mexico will grace the eight-seat bar (see rendering below). Yaya’s name also keeps things in the family. Where Galit gets its name from Engel’s older daughter’s nickname, Yaya gives a nod to his younger daughter. Pretty cute.
Yaya’s second floor will mostly exist to host events — wine tastings with producers, community workshops, art gatherings, baby showers, office parties. With about 2,800 square feet (about the same as the first floor) and a separate bar and kitchen, the upstairs can accommodate more private events or serve as overflow when the main floor gets busy. While service will mainly be first come, the restaurant will accept reservations for groups of four or more via Resy.
[Note: This rest of this post contains more in-depth exclusive content about Cafe Yaya. If you’d like all the details (and there many new, fun details), you can unlock the post for free below or upgrade your subscription. Doing so supports my writing and this newsletter.]
Yaya’s menu builds off of Galit’s Mid East “box”
When Cafe Yaya opens, the team will offer sweet and savory pastries from longtime Galit pastry chef Mary Eder-McClure and dinner service. Eventually the menu will expand to include lunch and weekend brunch.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to Something Glorious with Ari Bendersky to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.