Eat the Art: Inside LIA Chicago
River North is having a moment. Heavy hitters like Asador Bastian and intriguing transplants such as Matilda (New York) and Hawksmoor (London) among a few others are breathing fresh energy into the neighborhood. Right in the middle of that buzz, LIA has moved into what I remembered most vividly as the old Bohemian House space (later home to Flora and Fauna), confident, creative and approachable.
“Life Imitates Art” isn’t just a clever name, it’s LIA’s guiding principle. You see it in the textured walls, the brushstrokes behind the bar, and the food itself. Each dish on the menu arrives on a different plate that doubles as its own canvas —26 in total. Even “The Bucket,” one of the cocktails, leans into the theme, arriving in a paint bucket with dry ice and garnished with a real piece of art.
LIA offers both a $120 six-course tasting menu and à la carte dishes. We tried both.
The tasting menu draws inspiration from different artists and will change periodically. The one we tried takes its cues from Chicago artist Kb of Laundry Room Studios, whose text-driven art and storytelling extend from the canvas to the plate.
Our meal kicked off with two delicate bites: foie gras mousse accented with cherry gel, then a chilled vichyssoise crowned with caviar and a swirl of dill oil.
The second course builds on that grace with tartare brightened by a house-made pickle, then takes a playful turn — a Thai lemongrass chicken dumpling floating in coconut green curry broth, where you choose your spice level from one to five. I went bold with a four. The dumpling was beautiful, delicious and texturally memorable. Likely my favorite dish on the tasting menu.
Next came Ora King salmon, poached in olive oil and set over vegetables. Then coriander-crusted duck breast arrived with a fragrant tamarind and kaffir lime–orange sauce, paired with masala-spiced couscous.
Dessert was a Nutella tiramisu adorned with a hand-painted chocolate “artwork” — a nod to the chef’s inspiration — as much a visual encore as a sweet one.
Chef and co-owner Justin Vaiciunas, a Detroit-area native, and his business partner Michael Mauro — a sommelier with a knack for art-driven concepts — first teamed up to open The Jackson in Rochester Hills, an homage to American painter Jackson Pollock where the plates were as expressive as the canvases. With LIA, their second act, they bring that same intersection of art and food to River North on a bigger stage. The result is surprisingly human: a space that supports local artists, works staff-created pieces into plating and builds an experience that feels collaborative rather than over-curated. Here, you’re part of art. Enjoying it is part of the show, and you are not just a spectator. Guests can also participate by purchasing works from the featured artist.
The tasting menu walks a careful line between precision and generosity — caviar and duck, yes, but they don’t strut across the table demanding applause and stuffing you to to the point you cannot longer enjoy Instead, they’re quietly confident, creative, playful even.
We couldn’t resist adding a few à la carte plates, most memorably the shrimp Miró — delicate Argentinian prawns slicked in saffron aioli with caper berries, lemon, shallots, garlic and a generous pour of extra-virgin olive oil. If you know Miró, you’ll catch the visual reference; if you know shrimp, you’ll appreciate the unique texture that makes this dish possible.
The drinks deserve equal billing. Mauro’s cocktail program offers creative twists on classics. Even if you’re not committing to the tasting menu, LIA is an easy place to land for an after-work drink. Many of the featured cocktails hover around $12, making them accessible without feeling ordinary.
The room carries the same spirit: inviting and artistic, but never pretentious. A table by the window, weather permitting, lets you feel as though you’re dining al fresco.
In Justin’s hands, the plate becomes a canvas and the meal a kind of living exhibition, art you don’t simply admire from afar, but hold on your fork. At LIA, life doesn’t just imitate art, it tastes like it. And much like life, it’s gone before you know it.
LIA, 11 W. Illinois St. (near N. State St.), Chicago; (312) 550-3425; reservations via OpenTable. Dinner Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m.; closed Monday.
