News Archive

Aria Group’s project, Pono Ono Poke in Evanston, IL, received an honorable mention in Restaurant Development + Design Magazine for “Best Limited-Service Restaurant“.

Restaurant development + design magazine compiles an annual “Designers Dish” article featuring interviews with a panel of designers whose firms have helped craft great restaurant experiences nationwide. Aria Group has been asked to participate again this year. Elizabeth Plecha represented Aria in this enlightening roundup of restaurant trends for 2018.

Che Figata, in Italian, means “totally awesome” and that is the name of a new Italian restaurant in Naperville, IL. Aria Group was thrilled to be part of the team that brought the concept to life.

Aria Group client, True Food Kitchen, has opened a new location in the Woodlands, Texas. Read this article  to find out more about the True Food Kitchen concept, the menu and the new location.    

Aria Group is proud to be part of the team that brought Flight Club to Chicago. This Eater articles talks about the new “Classy High-Tech Dart Bar” in the Loop.

Designers talk about how to get expensive looks for less, Aria Group’s Nicole Poole has some input on the topic.

Aria Group’s Challenge in designing the Nando’s H Street location was to turn two buildings into one restaurant. Find out how they pulled it off in Hospitality Design Magazine.

One of Aria Group’s Designers, Megan Walsh, was interviewed in rd+d magazine’s “Reader’s Choices”. 

Del Frisco’s Chicago recently underwent a remodel of their dining room to create a more intimate space. Read about it in Food Newsfeed.  

Rick Bayless’ Topolobampo has been open in Chicago for nearly 30 years. Take a look at the images of the space before and after Aria Group worked on the remodel of the space.

Gabriele Bonci, the acclaimed Roman pizza maker has brought his first American Bonci location to Chicago. Aria Group was the designer for this much-anticipated restaurant.

Aria Group’s client, Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Resturant reached #35 on Crain’s Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies List. Arco/Murray National Construction Company, one of our General Contractors, reached #42. Take a look at all the companies who made the list.

A new Fieldings restaurant is coming to the The Woodlands, TX in summer 2017. This article has more information and renderings of what the space will look like.

Aria Group is excited to be part of this great project. Tupelo Honey opens in Union Station North in Denver. Here are two articles about the new restaurant, one in Westword and the other in Eater Denver.

Here's a few words about the recent remodel of Rick Bayless' Topolobampo.

Our long-time client and neighbor in Oak Park, Cucina Paradiso, has remodeled their space. Have a peek at their new look!

Aria Group's project, Shake Shack Uptown Plaza, won an Honorable Mention in Restaurant Development + Design Magazine's first annual design awards.

Aria Group’s client Planet Wings is doing it right!  Check out Gary Occhiogrosso’s story in Franchise Money Maker.

Aria Group is once again among the top 75 firms that specialize in Hospitality Design, according to Interior Design Magazine’s 2016 Hospitality Giants list.

Aria Group is currently working on the new TopGolf Nashville. As is fitting for a city known for fostering musical talent, this location will be the first TopGolf to include a venue for live music. This article in Construction Equipment Guide explains more about this exciting new project.

Aria Group's Project, Nando's Lakeview, made the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards shortlist for the Americas restaurant category. Read more about the awards and see the shortlist HERE.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant has been steadily expanding in the Midwest over the past few years. Now, they have opened their first location in Maryland. The details are in this FSR Magazine article.

Capitilizing on the local music scene, the new Nashville TopGolf location that is slated to open in 2017 will have a  7,900 sf music venue attached to it.

Nando's Peri-Peri brings its unique blend of spices to the Chicago suburbs and proves that you can never have too much flame-grilled chicken. Aria Group designed this new Naperville location.

Aria Group is excited to welcome long-time client Nando's to the neighborhood at the end of April! On April 30th, Nando's Peri Peri will open in Oak Park, IL. This will be the sixth location to open in the Chicago area. In celebration of its opening weekend, Nando's will be donating 100% of opening weekend sales […]

Foodease, a project designed by Aria Group Architects, is featured in this Nation's Restaurant News article about the rise of prepared grocery store foods and the implications for traditional quick service restaurants.

Aria  Group is pleased to announce the opening of the new Bub City and Joe’s Live in Rosemont. It was great working with LEYE and Joe’s to help create this new entertainment venue 27 years after the opening of the original Bub City on Fremont and Weed, which was our first project with Rich Melman […]

Aria Group designed the new Not Your Average Joe's in Westwood, MA. An article in the Westwood Patch describes how the new location fits in with the concept's brand evolution as well as the restaurant's approach to preparing creative, casual American cuisine.

In April 2016, Nando's Peri-Peri chicken will be coming to Oak Park, IL . Nando's, a long-time client of Aria Group Architects, has recently been expanding to the Chicago area. Pictured: Nando's Lakeview, Chicago, IL, another recent Chicago-area location designed by Aria Group. Photographer: Emilia Czader

According to Carl Segal, CEO of Roti Mediterranean Grill, “…This new Roti Modern Mediterranean is the first time we’ve really hit on the connection between our brand and our physical space.” He’s talking about the new Roti Modern Mediterranean  location that recently opened, designed by Aria Group Architects, Inc. This article in Nation’s Restaurant News talks […]

According to Architectural Digest, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse in Chicago (designed by Aria Group ) is one of “7 Restaurants with Intoxicating Wine Displays”. This is due to its 50 ft. tall suspended wine tower housing 20,000 bottles of wine.

On Saturday, November 21 and Sunday, November 22, players from the Chicago Fire will grill alongside Nando's chefs to help open their new location on 22 S. Wabash in Chicago. 100% of the proceeds from this store opening event will go toward the Chicago Fire Foundation! This is a good opportunity to check out a new Nando's […]

The Daily North Shore news talks about the newest Roti Mediterranean location that opened on November 12.

Aria Group is once again a Hospitality Giant, according to Interior Design Magazine's Hospitality Giants Survey. This list includes the top 75 firms specializing in hospitality design in 2015. The survey also contains interesting research about fees, staff and market sector breakdown within the industry.

In this installment of David Manilow's "Chat, Please!", long-time Aria Group client Rich Melman talks about topics such as what it takes to create successful restaurant concepts, what it is like to work with his children and the value of the Lettuce Entertain You brand.

This article in Shelby Food Service Magazine talks about rebranding the Northbrook Roti location. Aria Group was the designer.

The second Shake Shack location in the Las Vegas area recently opened in Summerlin, NV. Aria Group was the designer for this location. Eater Las Vegas covered the details of the opening.

Two restaurants designed by Aria Group Architects, Inc. are on this list of great places for lunch in downtown Chicago. Check out Nando's Peri-Peri, Shake Shack and ten others; lunch will never be boring again!

Aria Group has been designing Nordstrom dining locations since 2006 and has worked on several concepts for them, such as the Nordstrom Cafe Bistro, Ebar, Bazille and Ruscello. The newest of these is the Ruscello Restaurant at Ridgedale Mall that recently opened.

Aria Group is pleased to announce the opening of a new Stanford Grill in Rockville, MD. This is the first Stanford Grill location Aria Group has designed for the Blueridge Restaurant Group. These articles, one from the Bethesda Beat and the other from the Rockville Nights blog provide more details.

Nando's recently opened in the New City development in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, and it is another location designed by Aria Group. The Eater Chicago blog has more details about the opening.

The Orlando Business Journal's blog, The Buzz, discusses the upcoming arrival of a new TopGolf to be located on Universal Boulevard. Read the article to find out what to expect at the new TopGolf Orlando. TopGolf Tampa

Aria Group recently completed this project for our client, Cary Attar. According to Zagat, Fielding's Local is one of the 10 Hottest New Restaurants in Houston right now. Read the article to find out why.

Interior Design Magazine recently published their 2015 Rising Giants list, and Aria Group once again ranks in the top ten. Read the complete list to learn more about overall growth in the industry. As the Rising Giants survey shows, total design fees continue to grow and firms expect the trend to continue next year. Aria Group agrees!

Restaurant Development + Design Magazine recently moderated this informative webcast on green building strategies. Joe Vajda, on of Aria Group's Principals, was one of three panelists who participated.

Get ready to enjoy top-notch steak and seafood at a new location in Florida! Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse will be opening in Orlando.

Aria Group is currently working on this Not Your Average Joe's project and we are looking forward to its opening in 2016!

This article in H Town previews Cary Attar's new restaurant, Fielding's Local. In addition to Fielding's Local, other restaurants Aria Group has designed for him are mentioned, namely Fielding's Wood Grill and Hubbell & Hudson Bistro.

Aria Group's client, Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, is enjoying success at their new Oak Lawn location. Aria Group has been working with Cooper's Hawk since 2007 and Oak Lawn is on of the recent projects we've done for them.

Aria Group is ranked #204 in Architectural Record's Top 300 Firms List. The firms are ranked according to 2014 revenue.

Aria Group is happy to be a part of helping the Fielding's concept expand. This article talks about a new location in Creekside Park Village Center.

According to Eater Chicago, two of Aria Group's recent projects are among the hottest restaurants in town as of July 2015. To find out why, and to find out which other restaurants made the most recent Eater Heatmap, check out this article.

Nando's Peri-Peri (West Loop/Lakeview) and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que are two of Aria Group's projects that made the Thrillist "Chicago's 13 Best New Bars and Restaurants from Spring". To read about them, as well as the other 11, follow this link.

Aria Group has been involved in the opening of many Shake Shack locations, including the new Shake Shack location to open in Scottsdale, AZ. This press release tells the details.

Richard Melman was one of the Aria Group's first clients when we started in 1989 and we've worked on over 80 restaurants with him. Click here for a great interview on the radio show Here and Now, where he talks about what it has been like opening over 100 restaurants and his recent James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award.

This article provides a sneak peek at the new TopGolf in Overland Park, KS that is opening in June. It was designed by Aria Group Architects.

This article will tell you 11 things you should know before enjoying Peri-Peri Chicken at the new Chicago Nando's that just opened. However, the 12th thing you should know is that Aria Group has been helping the concept expand in the U.S. since they arrived in the D.C. area in 2008, and we were the […]

The Cooper’s Hawk at Stony Creek Promenade in Oak Lawn was designed by Aria Group Architects. This article gives details about the opening on May 18th.

Here's an article that includes a tempting menu of the food at the new Chicago Nando's. One clarification though…the article says this is the first U.S. expansion for Nando's in 7 years. They mean the first U.S. expansion outside of the Washington, D.C. area in 7 years. Aria Group has been working on Nando's locations […]

Aria Group designed a new TopGolf facility in Overland Park, Kansas. It will be opening in June. For more details, read this article.

Check out this round up of some of the hottest restaurants right now as listed in Chicago Eater. Aria Group's client, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, is included.

Aria Group's client, Giordano's, is opening a new location on April 28 in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. For more details read this article from Eater.

To learn nine things you should know about the new Chicago Dinosaur Bar-B-Que designed by Aria Group, check out this post in Eater Chicago.

To read more about the expansion of Nando's to Chicago, check out this article in Eater.

Aria Group designed the new Dinosaur Bar-B-Que location that will be opening in Chicago at the end of April. This article in Eater releases a sneak preview of some unique Chicago menu items that we can't wait to try!

Congratulations to our client Rich Melman, who will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the James Beard Awards on May 4. Also congrats to all of the nominees for the James Beard Awards. For a full list see this article in Eater and this article in Entertainment/Sun Times for coverage of Chicago area award nominees.

Aria Group is the architect and designer for the first TopGolf location in Utah. These two articles, one on KSL.com and the other a press release from PR Web, focus on what the opening of this new location will mean for the Midvale community.

Aria Group is involved with another Shake Shack location, this one to open in the Old Orchard Mall in Skokie. For the full story in Eater, click here.

Jim Lencioni talks about starting Aria Group, the value of partners, and more on the Shalom Klein radio show. To listen to the podcast, click here.

Aria Group has been designing Nando’s locations since the concept hit the Washington, DC area in 2008. So we’re excited to finally have Nando’s opening here in Chicago! Read the story in Eater Chicago.

Aria Group’s client, TopGolf, created a whole new way to enjoy golf. Read this article in Forbes magazine to find out how TopGolf transforms the driving range experience.

Aria Group was involved in this Shake Shack location that just opened on Newbury Street in Boston. To read the article about the Grand Opening, click here.

Aria Group's clients, The owners of Daphne’s California Greek, will convert as many as 10 to 12 locations to a new fast-casual concept called Yalla Mediterranean. To read the article and find out more, click here.

River Roast and The Kitchen, two clients of Aria Group Architects, are on the Crain’s Chicago Business list of Best New Restaurants for Business.To see the articles and the complete list in Crain’s Chicago Business, click here. Please note that you may be required to register with Crain’s to see the article.

Aria Group is proud to be an ongoing sponsor of the Oak Park Education Foundation’s VEX Robotics competitions. This year’s was at Percy Julian Middle School on Saturday, February 7. Follow the links below to read more about this event: Student Bots Dazzle Crowd Battle of the Bots

Aria Group’s client, Yalla Mediterranean, is opening a new location in Walnut Creek, CA. To read the article in Reuters, click here.

This article in Michigan Avenue Magazine highlights the recent renovations to Potter’s Lounge, in the Palmer House Hilton. To find out about Aria Group’s design, and get a few suggestions from the Potter’s Lounge cocktail menu, click here.

The 2015 recipients for the James Beard Leadership Award were announced this week. Congratulations to our client Rich Melman on receiving the James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award! Other James Beard Awards will be announced in upcoming months, and the award ceremony is in May. For full Eater article about Rich Melman, click here.

Aria Group ranks #25 on Interior Design Magazine’s 2014 Hospitality Giants list. To find out more about the list and the firms included, click here.

Aria Group’s project, the new Nando’s Flame-Grilled Chicken flagship store in Toronto, Ontario, is the first project featured on Hospitality Design’s newly updated website. Check out the article, and the new format, here.

River Roast, designed by Aria Group Architects, recently made the Zagat “Chicago’s 10 Hottest New Restaurants List”. According to the Zagat website, “Packed tables, enticing menus and beautiful decor are just a few of the markers that mean a restaurant is hot. These 10 places currently lead the pack of Chicago’s trendiest restaurants all open […]

Aria Group’s project, the new Nando’s Flame-Grilled Chicken flagship store in Toronto, Ontario, is a finalist in Boutique Design Magazine’s 2014 Gold Key Awards for best casual restaurant. The winners will be announced on Monday, November 10th at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) show in New York. Click here to find out more […]

<p>Architectural Record Magazine publishes an annual list of the top 300 Architecture firms. Companies are ranked by revenue (in millions of dollars) for architectural services performed in 2013. Aria Group ranks 201 out of the 300 listed. To find out who else made the list, <a href=”http://archrecord.construction.com/practice/top300/2014/top300-architecture-firms-1.asp” target=”_blank”>click here</a>.</p>

<p>We are pleased to announce that Aria Group Architects, Inc. was rated the #1 Rising Giant in 2014 by Interior Design Magazine. Thanks to all of our great clients and staff who allowed our firm to grow and thrive! To see the full results of the survey,<a href=”http://www.interiordesign.net/articles/detail/36300-2014-rising-giants-101-200/” target=”_blank”> click here. </a></p>

Urban Daddy previews River Roast.  Previously Fulton’s on the River, Aria Group Architects designed the new concept for Levy Restaurants. Full article HERE.

South African influences and natural materials abound at the Nando’s Flame-Grilled Chicken in Toronto, designed by Aria Group Architects, Inc. Click here for more.

Combining stunning aesthetics and crucial functionality, the Cambridge solution eliminates the problem of sacrificing looks for performance. To find out more about how Aria Group incorporated this product into its design of TopGolf Houston, click here.

<p>HGTV&rsquo;s &ldquo;Front Door&rdquo; Writer Francesca Robin included Side Door as part of a design story in her &ldquo;Cool Houses Daily&rdquo; column. Francesca highlights the way in which the Side Door designers at Aria Group Architects, Inc. paid tribute to the restaurant&rsquo;s historical building, while adding new and modern touches. <a href=”http://www.frontdoor.com/coolhouses/slip-through-the-sidedoor-of-the-famous-mccormick-mansion-turned-gastropub” target=”_blank”>(click here for full […]

<p>Restaurant Development + Design Magazine hosted a roundtable discussion with four prolific designers from renowned firms throughout the country (including our own Nicole Poole) to get their thoughts on what&rsquo;s in and what&rsquo;s out in the chain and independent restaurant worlds right now. <a href=”http://e-ditionsbyfry.com/Olive/ODE/RestaurantDesign+Development/Default.aspx?href=RDE%2F2014%2F01%2F01&amp;pageno=36&amp;view=document” target=”_blank”>To see the full article, click here</a>.</p>

Never mind that there is already a restaurant called Take Five in Madison, and never mind that Sundance Cinemas’ experiment running a restaurant didn’t go over so well. Marcus Point Cinema did it anyway, and in almost every way, Take Five is better than you might imagine. To read the full review of this Restaurant/Lounge […]

River Roast, the Spiaggia chef and partner’s first non-Italian restaurant, will open in early summer. To read the full article, click here.

Haute Living recently featured Aria Group in their article about the Potters at Palmer House renovation. "The new 85-seat bar, designed by Aria Group Architects, Inc., makes an entrance with an open concept blurring the lines between the famed lobby and Potter’s. Aesthetic enhancement include bold colors, rich textured fabrics and lighting elements exuding an […]

Interior Design Magazine recently honored Aria by including us in their list of “2013 Top Hospitality Giants. To read the full article, click here.

Head on over to 444 West Fullerton Parkway to check out the newly minted Standard Market Grill, designed by Aria Group Architects.  Haute Life Chicago says: "Today marks the grand opening of Standard Market Grill in Lincoln Park at 444 West Fullerton Parkway. The 5,000 square foot restaurant was designed by the same award-winning firm […]

Aria Group Architects answer the question, posed by Crain's Chicago Business, about how to use the train hub under Block 37. Click here to read the article. 

Check out this article about 720 South Michigan Restaurant in Hilton Chicago, designed by Aria Group Architects, Inc.