Finding inspiration in the works of Mondrian, YSL, Godard and Bauhaus, Coquette features a vibrant yet intimate interior that brings to life a pink, Parisian, Champagne-drenched dream in Chicago’s West Loop.
Coquette, a modern French bistro and the latest restaurant from Bonhomme Hospitality opened in October 2022.
Reflecting today’s Y2K revival, Maison Bonhomme's design includes a lively interior that reflects retrofuturist and maximalist design trends. Bright salmon-colored walls complement the handmade cement and zellige tiles, which expand from wall to floor. Curving banquettes mimic the curves found in these handmade geometric tiles. Enclosing the space are custom steel and glass partitions inspired by the work of Mondrian. The back wall features Coquette’s “Kitchen Counter,” which was created with 3-inch slabs of sustainably harvested bubinga wood from Gabon.
Named after the gathering place at any great house party, this “Kitchen Counter” invites guests behind the bar for complimentary pours from Coquette’s cocktail program and to select albums from the restaurant’s record collection.
Coquette’s cocktail program is built around seasonal produce, bridging the similarities found between what is harvested both in France and in the Midwest.
In the early stages of development, Bonhomme’s founder and creative director Daniel Alonso challenged chefs Marcos Campos, Erwin Mallet and Shannah Primiano – who worked side-by-side in the kitchen of Chicago’s Michelin-starred Porto – to develop a vision for Coquette’s menu. The result is a modern and playful take on French bistro classics with all of the cooking done by live-fire ovens and mangal grills. They also implemented a dry aging system that blends traditional practices with state-of-the-art technology.
Project: Coquette
Location: Chicago
Concept style: Modern French bistro
Opened: October 2022
Seating: 40
Team:
Beverage program development: Bonhomme Hospitality’s beverage team and partner Brian Sturgulewski
Menu development: Chefs Marcos Campos, Erwin Mallet and Shannah Primiano
Design lead: Maison Bonhomme
Design team: Luca Lanzetta Group, Popham Design, Molteni&Co, Viabizzuno, Sogni Di Cristallo, Viccarbe and Antoniolupi
Design highlights: handmade cement and zellige tiles by Popham Design; Tisoffio Light by Viabizzuno; René bistro tables by Piero Lissoni for Salvatori; handblown glass chandeliers by Sogni Di Cristallo; Season dining chairs and sofas by Piero Lissoni for Viccarbe; a 100-year-old Italian six-tier display shelf from the Lisotti Distilling Company in Modena; and bathroom vanities and taps by Antoniolupi.
Images courtesy of Wade Hall for Bonhomme Group
