The new avec Highwood marks an exciting new chapter for One Off Hospitality, bringing its acclaimed flavors, warm ambiance, and celebrated dining experience to the North Shore community for the first time.
Highlights
- avec Highwood marks One Off Hospitality’s first venture into Chicago’s North Shore.
- The restaurant, opening at 250 Waukegan Avenue in Highwood, is scheduled to debut in Spring 2026.
- The nearly 5,000 sq. ft. space, designed by Thomas Schlesser, will feature a main dining room, a bar area, and a warm, minimalist aesthetic true to avec’s signature style.
avec Highwood Expands to the North Shore
One Off Hospitality announced plans to open avec Highwood, the group’s first suburban location of its wine-focused Mediterranean restaurant. Set to open in Spring 2026 at 250 Waukegan Avenue, it will be the third avec restaurant and the first outside the city, arriving nearly 25 years after the original West Loop debut.
This new location marks the continued expansion of 12-time James Beard Award-winning One Off Hospitality, the group behind Chicago’s favorites like The Publican, Big Star, Blackbird, and The Violet Hour. It follows the 2021 River North event opening and the 2023 launch of Publican Quality Bread in Oak Park.
Donnie Madia, Partner & Restaurateur, One Off Hospitality, stated, “After years of building our presence across Chicago’s neighborhoods, we are thrilled to continue our expansion into the suburbs with the opening of avec Highwood.”
“Chicago’s vibrant North Shore has always been a community we admire. We’ve spent time engaging directly with residents, asking what they hoped to see from One Off Hospitality, and the overwhelming response was a desire for a venue. We’re proud to bring one of our most enduring restaurants to such a special neighborhood,” further explained Madia.
Details of the New Location
The nearly 5,000-square-foot space, formerly a boxing gym and adjacent lot, is being transformed by designer Thomas Schlesser. Plans call for a 70-seat dining room along with a bar featuring 25 booths and 20 barstools. Construction begins in November 2025, with completion expected in April 2026.
An Enduring Legacy
avec was founded in 2003 by Executive Chef Paul Kahan, Donnie Madia, the late Rick Diarmit, and Eduard Seitan. The concept highlights Mediterranean dishes with Midwestern influence and a strong wine focus. Its design and menu draw inspiration from the wine regions of Southern Europe.
Within two decades, avec has become a cornerstone of Chicago dining, earning a James Beard Foundation award, the Jean Banchet Restaurant of the Year 2025, and recognition in The New York Times’ 25 Best Restaurants in Chicago. The restaurant also gained pop culture fame with a feature on Season 2 of FX’s The Bear.
