Alpana sits at 831 North State Street in the Gold Coast, named for and run by Alpana Singh, who passed the Master Sommelier exam at 26 — the youngest woman in history to do so. Before opening her own restaurant, she worked as a sommelier at Everest and later hosted Chicago's Check, Please! on PBS for twelve seasons.
The restaurant is built around what Singh calls wine-inspired cuisine: dishes conceived alongside specific wines rather than a food menu with a wine list attached. The roasted chicken has become a signature order, and the wine program draws regular praise from guests. The room itself — botanical wallpaper, a pink feather chandelier, a gallery wall of iconic women — is part of the pitch, with service and hospitality coming up often alongside the food.
Alpana serves dinner nightly and adds weekend brunch, giving the Gold Coast a spot where the wine list gets equal billing with the plate.
The restaurant is built around what Singh calls wine-inspired cuisine: dishes conceived alongside specific wines rather than a food menu with a wine list attached. The roasted chicken has become a signature order, and the wine program draws regular praise from guests. The room itself — botanical wallpaper, a pink feather chandelier, a gallery wall of iconic women — is part of the pitch, with service and hospitality coming up often alongside the food.
Alpana serves dinner nightly and adds weekend brunch, giving the Gold Coast a spot where the wine list gets equal billing with the plate.