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‘Stay as long as you want’: Lennon’s opens three dining concepts under one roof in downtown Naperville

A new downtown Naperville restaurant is bringing three different concepts on three floors under one roof with a unifying philosophy of bringing people together.

Lennon’s opened about a month ago at 16 W. Jefferson Ave. in the space previously occupied by The Craftsman, Barrel House and AltaVida.

  Lennon’s recently opened at 16 W. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

Owner Jeremy Stolberg said that despite the division of spaces and concepts, he wants the experience to be about connection.

“We want people to come and stay, come and hang out,” he said. “A lot of places don’t encourage people to linger. I wanted this place to be warm, comfortable and inviting so people can sit, share and have this great hospitality moment. And stay as long as you want.”

  Jeremy Stolberg opened Lennon’s in Naperville in July. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

The first floor main dining area features globally inspired small plates made for sharing in a space filled with organic, natural decor elements like moss and driftwood.

“The sharing idea is part of our identity,” Stolberg said. “We’re sharing our love for food, our love for hospitality.”

  The small plate offerings at Lennon’s include the roasted cauliflower and chicken bites, served with a sweet Thai chili glaze over Jasmine rice. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

Small plates run the gamut from B.L.T. deviled eggs, roasted cauliflower and chicken bites and spiced lamb meatballs to vegetarian options such as the pearl couscous and grilled summer veggies, burrata and daily baked focaccia with housemade ricotta and hot honey.

Larger plates include a signature burger, surf and turf and the Nola buttermilk fried chicken, served with pimento cheese biscuits, hot honey, fried pickles and coleslaw.

  Lennon’s It’s Greek to Me features arugula, heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, pickled red onion, Kalamata olives, feta and oregano vinaigrette. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

Chef Luis Alvarez said they focus on quality ingredients and are constantly trying to maximize the flavors they offer.

“Every day we try to improve every little thing to make it its best,” Alvarez said.

  Lennon’s has three distinct floors, each with a different menu. The first floor offers globally inspired small plates served family-style. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

The first floor also includes a bar, an outdoor patio, and a coffee and tea bar with dessert service.

The second floor, which is set to debut this weekend, features a stage with lighting and sound systems to accommodate entertainment and events. It will offer an elevated, upscale bar menu and will be open later in the evening, from 7 p.m. until roughly 2 a.m., give or take.

  The second floor at Lennon’s is for later dining with an elevated bar menu and can be rented for private functions. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

“We’ve got it planned out for the next five months with everything from DJs, live music in a big variety of genres, comedy and magic. A lot of experiential stuff,” Stolberg said.

The third floor, which will feature a “little twist on a traditional steakhouse,” will be ready in a few months, Stolberg said. It will offer a prix fixe dining experience with steaks, seafood and vegetarian options. Shareable sides and salads will be available as well.

  Lennon’s pearl couscous and grilled summer veggies features apricots, figs and raisins, and a carrot and harissa sauce. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

“My philosophy is to take these things in stages,” he said. “Make sure every stage is perfect before we add another stage. So over the next few months we’ll have the full run of everything.”

That full run will include adding lunch and brunch hours in addition to opening the other floors.

The different floors allow for different phases of the evening for guests.

“Again, the idea is that we want a place where people can hang out, make a night of it,” he said. “Come, have dinner and cocktails or mocktails, enjoy dessert, then move upstairs for some entertainment.”

The first floor of Lennon’s is currently open from 4-10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 4-9 p.m. Sunday. Second floor hours are 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

  Lennon’s mac ’n cheese is made with aged cheddar and smoked bacon. Rick West/rwest@dailyherald.com

Stolberg said he was very intentional when it came to the build-out of the restaurant, designing every element himself to create a comfortable space for guests, right down to adding hidden charging stations under tables near the coffee and tea bar.

“Anyone can open a restaurant, right? But I’m a huge believer that it’s the little details that hopefully make a difference,” he said.

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