Archive

These are exciting times at Aria Group! Our firm will be celebrating its 34th anniversary on February 15th, 2023 and we begin our transition to a new chapter. Four of our current Principals, including our three founders – Jim Lencioni, Walter Pancewicz and Joe Vajda, along with Tom Smiciklas – will be stepping back from […]

Aria Group is excited to announce the promotion of a new class of Associates! Each has shown not only dedication to Aria, but also dedication to their projects, team, and our clients. Together they bring a combined 56 years of experience at Aria Group. They understand Design That Delivers. Most importantly, they are nice people […]

We are very excited for the announcement of Verdad — a new concept we are working on with Perry’s Restaurant Group. Since the conception of the idea, we have been working with Perry’s to develop the design and architecture of Verdad – as well as the branding design. Verdad is coming to Austin in Summer […]

The yearly restaurant tour event – Tour the Trends – from rd+d magazine returned in 2022!  The rd+d team hosts a group of architects, designers, developers and foodservice consultants for a behind-the-scenes tour of some of the newest and most interesting restaurants in Chicago.⁠ Our very own Project Designer – Elizabeth Kozlik – spoke to […]

A new project from our long-time client Cooper’s Hawk — Esquire by Cooper’s Hawk — is featured in this month’s edition of rd+d Magazine.  We were excited to partner with the Cooper’s Hawk team and bring this unique experience to life.  This unique wine-tasting and restaurant experience features a Visiting Chef menu.  The first chef […]

With nearly every hospitality and planning sector in high gear and a dedicated and talented group of employees leading the way, we are thrilled to be on Interior Design Magazine‘s Top 100 Giants again. 2022 is off to a great start! https://interiordesign.net/research/top-100-giants-2022/http://ow.ly/twJI50IMN3X

We are pleased to announce that our design for Illume has been awarded an Honorable Mention in the Architect’s Newspaper AN Awards in the Unbuilt Interior category. Our work was done in conjunction with NEWH – The Hospitality Industry Network — and published as part of their special issue magazine, “Beyond Covid-19”.  

We ranked #2 in Interior Design’s Rising Giants this year.  The pandemic has been challenging for our team and clients, but we are thrilled to continue growing our business in 2021! Rising Giants 2021 – Interior Design

We have been designing Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouses since 2010, creating unique environments reflecting each location. The San Diego Del Frisco’s location opened in late 2018 with the brand’s most feminine design yet. This location is facing the city’s harbor therefore the view of the bay and sailing inspired much of the design.  Read […]

Aria Associate, Joe Junius, talks sustainable design in this article in Restaurant Development + Design Magazine.

Aria Project Designer, Archit Sawhney, provides insight on the design and implementation of a walk-up order windows in this article in Restaurant Development + Design Magazine.

Aria Group’s client, Dirty Root, opens an Indie Health-Conscious eatery on Randolph Row. Eater Chicago covers the details.

Architectural Record Magazine’s Top 300 List ranks the top design firms based on revenue. AR recently released their 2019 Top 300 Firms list, and Aria Group made the list.

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.

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.