When Marcus Samuelsson named Nicole Pederson Executive Chef at C-House, the Ethiopian-Swedish-Harlemite master chef must have seen something of himself in the Francophilic, Minnesotan, Lula Cafe alum—with both, what you see is not what you get. Pederson makes what looks like simple, big, bold food, but at first bite, her tastes and textures reveal serious thought and technique. What appears to be just a lovely, light, smoked trout terrine packs such flavor, you’ll wonder where she hides her smokeshack steps off Michigan Avenue. The sleek, warm wood–paneled dining room hums quietly nearly all day, every day with lunch-hour locals and international diners from the Affinia hotel above. Pederson does in fact smoke in house—as well as pickle and preserve—local, sustainable ingredients. She also grills gloriously, including a thick-cut, bone-in, succulent Gunthorp Farm pork chop, served with crispy polenta, summer squash, and white peaches—the seasonal fruit and veg intensified by skilled roasting. Skills to impress even a worldly Top Chef Master.

House pickled herring
Smoked trout terrine
Gunthorp Farm pork chop
Pancetta-wrapped hanger steak
Mac & cheese

Tucked in back, the booths are large enough to be luxurious, but intimate enough to be cozy, while the raw bar seats offer a view in the middle of the action.

Exec Pastry Chef Melissa Trimmer (Swiss-trained, Michiganian/Michigander, fellow Lula alum) creates a sweet smörgåsbord worth the visit alone. The ubiquitous chocolate cake is anything but that; instead hers is a complex brown butter chocolate cake, further gilded with cremeux, gelato, and a butterscotch pudding pop. Trimmer’s seasonal plated desserts and cheese board are just the beginning to the end, with the “Candy Bar” (chocolate; candy, including local fruit pâtes de fruits; and “Cookies & Such”, like a red velvet sandwich), and a stunning 14 ice creams daily, which change constantly (i.e. Milk Chocolate Cheesecake gelato, Marshmallow ice cream, and Spiced Apple sorbet), plus grown-up floats and boozy shakes.

breakfast: daily 7 AM–10 AM
brunch: Sat.–Sun. 10:30 AM–3 PM
lunch: Mon.–Fri. 11:30 AM–3 PM
dinner: daily 5:30 PM–10 PM

$17 (fish stew) to $31 (pancetta-wrapped hanger steak)