{"id":395416,"date":"2025-11-21T20:54:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T20:54:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/395416\/"},"modified":"2025-11-21T20:54:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T20:54:17","slug":"petite-edith-delivers-french-cuisine-through-a-midwest-lens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/395416\/","title":{"rendered":"Petite Edith Delivers French Cuisine Through a Midwest Lens"},"content":{"rendered":"

Jenner Tomaska has had a busy year, launching the Alston<\/a> this past spring while still overseeing the kitchen at Michelin-starred Esm\u00e9<\/a>. But he isn\u2019t slowing down: On Thursday, November 20, Tomaska and his partner and Esm\u00e9 owner Katrina Bravo opened Petite Edith<\/a>, a French bistro with Midwestern sensibilities. Located at 868 N. Wells Street, the 80-seat restaurant melds classic French technique with local ingredients, seasonal produce, and a casual, approachable style.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love French food \u2014 I love the history of cuisine itself,\u201d Tomaska says. \u201cI think that\u2019s why I\u2019ve always latched on to it throughout my career. France\u2019s ingredients are very relatable to here in the Midwest.\u201d<\/p>\n

After nearly a decade with the Alinea Group<\/a> \u2014 including a stint as executive chef at Next Restaurant<\/a> under Grant Achatz \u2014 Tomaska has built a reputation for refined, tasting menus, further solidified through his work at Esm\u00e9. With Petite Edith, he is embracing relaxed, neighborhood dining. \u201cA bistro is a place that you feel like you can go back to a couple times a month because of the price point, because of the comforting nature of the food itself,\u201d Tomaska says.<\/p>\n

The menu features fresh breads, including fougasse \u2014 a flatbread most common in Provence \u2014 with olives, rosemary, lavender, and white anchovy, and a cheese-stuffed baguette finished with sumac and pomegranate molasses. Vegetable, seafood, and meat brochettes are another house specialty. Larger plates include a Midwestern trout, sourced from Indiana, served with sunchoke and anchovy sauce, and razor clams prepared casino-style with Champagne butter, pork sausage, and breadcrumbs. There\u2019s also a 45-day dry-aged rib-eye from retired dairy cows in Illinois, a cut Tomaska describes as having \u201ca bit more of a backyard, \u2018we\u2019re-out-grilling\u2019 type of feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find more adventurous dishes among the daily specials, like pig\u2019s trotters stuffed with sweetbreads. An off-menu smash burger will be available exclusively at the bar in limited quantities. \u201cIf we run out, we\u2019ll take your name down. The next time you\u2019re in, we\u2019ll make sure we don\u2019t run out for you,\u201d Tomaska says.<\/p>\n

The bar itself, which seats 25 and sits beneath a chandelier-like art piece suspended from the high ceiling, anchors the room, complemented by artwork from Meghan Borah<\/a> and a floral mural. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be very darkly lit and intimate, but it\u2019s still going to feel lofty and fun and buzzing,\u201d Tomaska says.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a><\/p>\n

An art installation hangs above the wraparound bar. Petite Edith<\/p>\n

Beverage director Stevan Miller<\/a> has assembled a wine list that emphasizes coastal French producers. The cocktail menu includes subtle nods to Chicago history, such as the Lagrange, named for architect Lucien Lagrange and made with whiskey, apple brandy, Bonal bitters, and maple syrup. Diners can also order a tableside Champagne cocktail or nonalcoholic drinks like the Cherry Chile Jam, an Esm\u00e9 favorite featuring Michigan cherries and guajillo chiles.<\/p>\n

Tomaska says that Petite Edith occupies an area between River North and Old Town where he\u2019s long dreamed of opening a restaurant. He and Bravo previously worked together at MK, Michael Kornick\u2019s fine dining spot that closed in 2017<\/a>, just a few blocks away, making the new space feel serendipitous.<\/p>\n

The restaurant is housed in a newly constructed building, with garage doors at the front and back that will open up when it\u2019s warm out, connecting the interior to the street. Eventually, they plan to add a patio.<\/p>\n

Tomaska notes he\u2019s in a good place now and doesn\u2019t have any other projects on the horizon for the time being. He credits his team for making it possible to manage three restaurants simultaneously. \u201cI don\u2019t want 50 restaurants, but I do have a core group of people that have supported me that I feel like I owe them the opportunity to [grow],\u201d Tomaska says.<\/p>\n

Petite Edith will initially serve dinner five nights a week, with plans to expand to brunch and seven-day service in the future.<\/p>\n

Petite Edith is located at 868 N. Wells Street. Open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. <\/p>\n