Apolonia
Restaurant · South Loop
105 E Cermak Rd, Chicago, IL 60616
Highlights
European-Mediterranean fare with handmade pasta & fresh seafood
European-Mediterranean fare with handmade pasta & fresh seafood
"You might already be familiar with S.K.Y in Pilsen, a fantastic restaurant that feels like a sexy basement. Apolonia, a mostly Mediterranean restaurant, is from the same team. Unlike S.K.Y., Apolonia is bright and airy, with tall windows and high ceilings. There are dishes like mussels on toast, buttery truffle puff bread, and fiorentini topped with a rich pork sugo. McCormick Place isn’t known for having a plethora of upscale restaurants in its vicinity, but this is where you can have a fun dinner with your coworkers after a conference, or catch up with visiting family who spent the day touring the Museum Campus." - veda kilaru, adrian kane, john ringor
"Apolonia often comes up in conversations about where to eat if you get sucked into some McCormick Place event where the minimum uniform requirement is a lanyard with a nametag. But even if you’re not attending the Accounting Associations Summit, Apolonia’s excellent Mediterranean-inspired dishes like crunchy toast topped with mussels and calabrian chile sauce, buttery truffle puff bread, and fiorentini al sugo make it worth a visit. It’s a great spot for a dinner with friends, a solo bite at the bar, or weekend brunch when you want to swap pancakes out for a fluffy frittata espanola." - john ringor, adrian kane, veda kilaru
"When you name your restaurant after a family member, the personal approach is embedded from the get-go. That’s what chef Stephen Gillanders has done at Apolonia, which is named after his Filipino grandmother. Drop in during happy hour, called “golden hour” here, and be rewarded with $5 draft beers, and $10 wine and well classic cocktails. On the food side, there are $2 oysters, $7 brussels bravas, $10 mussels, $10 lamb kefta, and more. Golden hour is available in the bar 5 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 5 to 6 p.m. in the dining room." - Lisa Shames
"Apolonia is a Mediterranean restaurant conveniently located among the many hotels near the convention center. It’s bright and airy, which will be a welcome change after an afternoon spent in a windowless room learning about A.I.’s impact on the weather. Every dish at this upscale spot has multiple layers of flavor, like buttery truffle puff bread and fiorentini topped with a pork sugo. Even “the pistachio,” a dessert with only one main ingredient (albeit in gelato, pastry, oil, and candied form), is surprisingly complex. After dinner, you can head next door to VU Rooftop for drinks and one of the best views of the city." - adrian kane, veda kilaru
"Apolonia is a Mediterranean restaurant conveniently located near McCormick Place and the plethora of hotels in its vicinity. You’ll find couples drinking wine, as well as lanyard-wearing Accounting Association Summit attendees debating which of the fantastic dishes—like the roasted mussels on toast, buttery truffle puff bread, or fiorentini topped with a pork sugo—to order. After dinner, head next door to VU Rooftop for drinks and one of the best views of the city." - john ringor, adrian kane, nick allen, veda kilaru, sam faye
