$24Charred Octopus
Slow braised then finished over the coals, with smoked paprika oil, crisped fingerlings and a bright squeeze of lemon
1120 Monroe Street · West Loop, Chicago
Olive & Ember
Welcome to our table. Every dish here passes through the fire, from the first loaf of bread at four in the afternoon to the last chop of the night. Browse the menu, find a seat you like, and let us take care of the rest. Buon appetito.
Our Story
A neighborhood table built around the fire
Olive and Ember started with a simple idea. Good food does not need tricks, it needs time and a steady flame. Chef Elena Marsh spent ten years cooking along the Mediterranean coast before she came home to Chicago, and the room she built here keeps that rhythm.
The oak and olive wood in the hearth flavor everything, the pasta is rolled each morning, and the wine list leans toward small growers you can actually call by name. Come early for a drink at the marble bar or settle in for the evening. Either way, you are looked after.
Established 2020
From the Kitchen
Plates worth the trip
A small menu that changes with the seasons and the market. These are a few of the regulars, the plates people come back for week after week.
$24
$19Whipped Burrata
Creamy burrata over heirloom tomatoes with basil oil, grilled sourdough and a drizzle of aged balsamic
$22Wood Fired Scallops
Three plump scallops seared in the shell with brown butter, hazelnut, sage and roasted cauliflower
How We Cook
Everything here meets the fire in one way or another
Oak and Olive Wood
The hearth burns from two in the afternoon until close. It seasons the meat, kisses the fish and chars the vegetables.
Pasta Rolled Daily
Flour, egg and a pinch of patience. The tagliatelle goes from the board to the pan the same morning it is cut.
Growers We Know
Most of the produce travels less than a hundred miles, from farms around Harrison and the Green City market crew.
Reservations
Save your seat by the fire
The room fills quickly from Thursday through Saturday, so a little planning goes a long way. Book online in under a minute, or call the host desk and we will find you a table. Walk ins are always welcome at the bar.
The Room and the Plate
A look inside the evening
Kind Words
What guests keep telling us
We came for my mother's birthday and the team treated her like family. The lamb fell apart at the touch of a fork and the room smells faintly of woodsmoke in the best way.
The tasting counter is the best seat in Chicago right now. Seven courses, one fire, and a chef who talks you through every plate without a hint of fuss.
Date night sorted. Candlelight, a smoky negroni, and tiramisu we nearly fought over. Service was warm and unhurried even on a packed Friday.
Find Us
1120 Monroe Street
West Loop, Chicago, IL 60607
Dinner, Tuesday to Sunday
Tue to Sun, 5 PM to 11 PM
Closed Mondays · Bar till late
Reserve
Tables release thirty days ahead. For parties of nine or more, email us and we will set the long table.
(312) 555 0147