Chicago: Terzo Piano (July 2010)

My spouse and I dined for lunch at Terzo Piano in mid-July 2010. Located in the Modern Wing of the Art Institute of Chicago, Terzo Piano is a must-stop for lunch, Sunday Brunch, and Thursday dinner. It features the signature cuisine of Chef Tony Mantuano, who has been delighting Chicagoans for years at the four-star Italian restaurant, Spiaggia. Chef di Cucina Megan Neubeck uses fresh, local, organic and sustainably produced ingredients to create seasonal menus. To accentuate your meal, we hand select the finest American cheeses to feature on our artisan cheese list, plus our creative desserts follow the same seasonal, local theme with delicious results. The pride in our menus doesn’t stop with the food. Terzo Piano’s all natural house made sodas use fresh fruit juices and herbs to create unique and refreshing flavors that satisfy. Chef di Cucina Megan Neubeck creates seasonal cocktails with the same ingenuity. Wine expert Cathy Mantuano selects quality wines from global producers, and creates a wine list, which is food friendly and “clever” as described by the Wall Street Journal. If you are feeling spontaneous, Terzo Piano’s bar and lounge area with first-come first-serve seating is perfect for a quick bite and cocktails. Dine al fresco on the Bluhm Family Terrace, while enjoying spectacular views of Millennium Park and Michigan Avenue. We welcome you to enjoy our beautiful, bright setting guided by our personable and professional service staff that will accommodate your every dining need. Since opening the critically acclaimed Spiaggia more than 20 years ago, Executive Chef Tony Mantuano has become one of the most celebrated chefs in Chicago. In 2005, after three previous nominations, he received the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef Midwest Award for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine.Under Chef Mantuano’s guidance, Spiaggia Restaurant itself has received several nominations from the James Beard Foundation: for Outstanding Restaurant in America in 2006, 2007 and 2010 and for Outstanding Service in 2008, 2009, 2012. Prior to opening Spiaggia, Chef Mantuano developed his craft at several Michelin-starred restaurants in Italy, including the three-star Dal Pescatore in Lombardia and the renowned Da Romano. He has co-authored two books with his wife, Cathy Mantuano: Wine Bar Food (Clarkson Potter) and The Spiaggia Cookbook—Eleganza Italian in Cucina (Chronicle Books), which was nominated by the James Beard Foundation as a top cookbook in 2004. Today, Chef Mantuano continues to lead the culinary team at Spiaggia. In November 2011, Mantuano opened the neighborhood bar and pizzeria Bar Toma, which has received three stars from the Chicago Tribune and named one of Food and Wine’s “Best New Pizzeria’s in the US.