STREETERVILLE — The new restaurant coming to the Museum of Contemporary Art now has a name.
Marisol takes its name from avant-garde French/Venezuelan artist Marisol Escobar, who ran in the same circles as Andy Warhol in the '60s.
The restaurant will open in July at the Streeterville art museum at 220 E. Chicago Ave.
The menu, created by Jason Hammel of Logan Square's Lula Cafe, will focus on shared plates and offer lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
"Hammel's menu incorporates vibrant vegetables and handmade pastas, alongside meticulously sourced meat and seafood," according to the museum. "The beverage program features a large selection of food-friendly natural wines along with one of Chicago's deepest vermouth and aperitif lists, complementing the lighter palette."
Food that will be served at Marisol, the new restaurant coming to the Museum of Contemporary Art. Jason Hammel of Lula Cafe is behind the project.
Marisol gave the museum its first-ever piece of art in 1968: "Six Women," a sculpture.
The 125-seat restaurant will open along with new classrooms and a malleable event area called the Commons at the MCA, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary this year.
The $16 million renovations were announced in 2015 after the museum completed a successful fundraising campaign.
MCA Director Madeleine Grynsztejn said then that the changes were aimed at making the museum more "playful, welcoming, smart and open" as it attempts to attract more visitors.
"This is what I've been working toward since Day One," Grynsztejn, who joined MCA in 2008, said in 2015. "That's what it's all about, making ourselves more porous to the city and vice-versa."
A rendering of the Commons set to open next summer at the MCA. [Pedro y Juana]
The restaurant will include takeout service and, while hours have yet to be determined, will remain open beyond museum hours. The decor will include vaulted ceilings and art by renowned painter Chris Ofili.
The restaurant will occupy ground-level space off Pearson Street now reserved for a theater and classrooms. The museum's galleries won't be affected by the renovations, which are expected to be done by the summer.
RELATED STORIES
Lula Cafe Chef Opening Restaurant Inside Museum Of Contemporary Art
New Restaurant, Exhibits Coming to MCA After $60 Million Campaign
