A new restaurant serving fresh and local food is set to open in River North this June.
Matilda will be opening on June 18 at 535 N Wells Street. This will be a Mexican-Peruvian restaurant with a menu inspired by dishes in Yucatan, Baja California, per an article from Block Club Chicago. It will also have the speakeasy bar Cladestino inside.
The company is owned by Exodo Hospitality, and the main chef is Jose Luis Chavez, who owns Mission Ceviche. He is part of the Michelin Guide, which is an honor given to those who have been recognized by Michelin inspectors for their food.
“We’re building one of the largest Latino hospitality businesses in Chicago,” Chavez said.
Exodo Hospitality also manages Kayao Restaurant, Ayayay Mexican Eatery and Cladestino. Chavez opened Mission Ceviche in 2021, which gave him a spot in the Michelin Guide. Daniel Briceno, the CEO and founder of Exodo Hospitality, also founded JDA Hospitality Group which manages full-service restaurants in the city.
Chavez said the idea for the restaurant came about as a mixture of Mexican and Peruvian foods. It was a dream about a woman named Matilda from Baja who was raised with Mexican food and traveled to Peru to find new dishes. He believes now that he has obtained the space in River North, he can show the community how these two cultures meet.
“We just believe this is going to be a great opportunity for us,” Chavez said.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to reflect that Jose Luis Chavez is a co-founder of Mission Ceviche.
