Ela Modern Greek Taverna to open in Chicago's Old Town

Ela Modern Greek Taverna plans to open Sept. 26 at 1551 N. Wells Street in Chicago’s Old Town, backed by founder Shaina Hurley, chef Daniel Garabajiu and Greek American hospitality partners. The concept is aimed at giving diners high-quality Greek food in a more casual, everyday format than a traditional special-occasion restaurant.

Why it matters: - Ela is targeting a gap between fast casual Greek food and full-service dining, aiming to make premium Greek meals more accessible for lunch, dinner and takeout-style occasions. - The concept leans on a well-known Chicago hospitality network and national attention around founder Shaina Hurley, which could help the new restaurant stand out in a crowded market.

What happened: - Ela Modern Greek Taverna will open Saturday, Sept. 26, at 1551 N. Wells Street in Chicago’s Old Town. - The restaurant is founded by Shaina Hurley, known from Netflix’s "Love Is Blind," with Executive Chef & Partner Daniel Garabajiu. - Chris Lardakis, Aristotle Loumis and Anthony Papagikos are part of the ownership group. - The restaurant plans to open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with later weekend hours under consideration. - More information is available at the restaurant's website and its Instagram page.

The details: - Garabajiu grew up in his family’s taverna in Lefkada, Greece, and later cooked at Principote in Mykonos before working in Chicago at Nisos, Andros Taverna and Athena. - The menu will include gyros, grilled meats, fresh salads, bowls, fries cooked in beef tallow, Greek yogurt soft serve, Greek-inspired sweets and handcrafted coffee. - The kitchen will focus on high-quality meats, fresh vegetables and Mediterranean ingredients with simple preparation and no seed oils. - Ela says it is built around the idea of "white tablecloth quality without the white tablecloth commitment." - The restaurant is designed for business lunches, family dinners, date nights, coffee stops and meals on the go. - The name Ela means "come" in Greek. - The restaurant will have about 70 indoor seats and 50 outdoor seats. - CL Development is leading the restaurant buildout and design. - The space will use Mediterranean blue, white oak, natural stone, woven textures, greenery and warm lighting to create a Greek island feel. - Ela is collaborating with Anastasia Ganias Gellin, founder of Fancy Peasant, on select products.

Between the lines: - The ownership group is positioning Ela as both culturally rooted and broadly approachable, with a premium menu and a less formal dining experience. - Hurley’s public profile and the partners’ Greek heritage appear intended to give the brand credibility with both mainstream diners and the Greek community. - The design and menu choices suggest Ela wants to signal quality without the slower pace or higher-pressure feel of a traditional sit-down Greek restaurant.

What's next: - Ela will open Sept. 26 and may add later weekend hours after launch. - The restaurant will begin serving guests under its seven-day schedule and test demand across lunch, dinner and coffee-service parts of the day. - Additional product collaborations could follow the initial partnership with Fancy Peasant founder Anastasia Ganias Gellin.

The bottom line: - Ela is betting that Chicago diners want Greek food with strong ingredients, polished design and everyday convenience in one package.