Elia Now Open in Wicker Park

Elia - a new Modern Mediterranean restaurant and bar - is now open in Wicker Park at 1938 W. Division St. 

Elia (Greek for “olive tree”) pulls inspiration from Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and other Mediterranean countries and translates those flavors and techniques into Elia’s soups, salads, spreads, small plates, mains, sides, and desserts. 

Elia is owned by Metin Serbest - a Northwestern University graduate and lawyer who owns an immigration law firm with offices in Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. With the opening of his third restaurant in Elia, Sebrest has officially launched The Sebrest Hospitality Group. Sebrest also owns Turkish restaurant Turquoise and Bordeaux Lounge by Turquoise that are both located in Roscoe Village at 2147 W Roscoe St. 

Chef Ezgi Bozdas is now the culinary director of The Sebrest Hospitality Group and oversees the kitchen at Elia along with Turquoise and Bordeaux Lounge by Turquoise where she was the executive chef at both Roscoe Village restaurants. Prior to taking over as executive chef at Turquoise in 2018, Bozdas - a Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Chicago graduate - cooked with chef Carrie Nahabedian at NAHA, chef Danny Grant at Maple & Ash, and at The Signature Room at the 95th Restaurant & Bar. The Sebrest Hospitality Group also brought on board from overseas Mediterranean chef Cuneyt Bilgin as the executive chef at Elia. Bilgin previously worked as the executive chef at the Sofitel Istanbul Taksim, was the lead line cook at Michael Mina restaurant in San Francisco, and he was the chef at numerous hotel restaurants and independent restaurants in the Mediterranean. 

Elia food menu option include:

* Four different hummus offerings: “Roasted Beet” (with marscapone cheese and dry sour cherries); “Classic Hummus” (with beef bacon and crunchy onions); “Pesto” (with crispy walnuts); and “Spicy” (with urfa pepper and arugula). 

* Seafood offerings include “Grilled Spanish Octopus” (with heirloom black-eyed peas and sumac-lemongrass sauce) and “Vongole Mussels” (with creamy spinach Chenin Blanc white wine sauce and chives). 

* Meat dishes include “Rack Of Lamb” (Einkorn risotto, beurre fume, glazed shallots, and chives) and “Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs” (geymar wheatberry, Brussels sprouts, and tamari). 

* Vegetarian dishes include “Dried Eggplant & Pepper Dolmas” (with spicy rice, piquillo pepper, and garlic yogurt); “Celery Root” (with olive oil, fresh orange, cherry glaze, arugula, and Asiago cheese); and “Gourmet Vegan Risotto” (fresh portobello, shitake, and oyster mushrooms with soy milk). 

Beverage-wise, Elia features 12 specialty cocktails including the Sour Brownie (mezcal, elderflower liqueur, hibiscus-clove syrup, tamarind pulp, Thai spiced bitters, and fresh lemon); the Twisted Negroni (gin, heirloom pineapple amaro, Campari, sweet vermouth, and cardamom bitters); and the Green Banana (rum, amaro, banana liqueur, raisin syrup, matcha powder, chocolate bitters, and fresh lemon). 

Elia features 24 different wines sourced from around the world (red, white, rosé, and sparkling) available by the bottle with 12 of the selections also available by the glass. There’s also 10 craft draft beers, a selection of packaged beer, and five non-alcoholic Gruvi wines and beers.