Vegan Fine-Dining Restaurant Opens Inside Chicago Saks Fifth Avenue

Renowned plant-based chef Matthew Kenney is bringing a new vegan, fine-dining experience to Saks Fifth Avenue in Chicago next month. Althea—which means “wholesome” and “to heal” in Greek—will be a modern, 64-seat restaurant with a bar and lounge that offers Kenney’s signature style of global vegan cuisine in dishes such as Spicy Udon Noodle Soup and Heirloom Tomato and Zucchini Lasagna, plus cocktails and organic, biodynamic wine and beer. “I’ve been visiting Chicago since the early ‘90s and was always impressed by the robust dining scene in the city,” Kenney told VegNews. “I am excited and honored to bring our plant-based cuisine there, especially with our first restaurant being inside such an esteemed establishment as Saks Fifth Avenue.” In 2004, Kenney opened New York City’s first fine-dining vegan restaurant Pure Food + Wine and has since launched vegan restaurants around the world, including Australia, Colombia, Brazil, and Canada—plus a new concept eatery slated for Argentina later this year.