Belgian Bakery and Restaurant Opens Sixth Chicago Location in
Downtown Naperville
On Monday, April 9, Naperville will say “Bonjour!” to Belgian bakery and restaurant Le Pain Quotidien (LPQ), 204 S. Washington St., the sixth Chicago-area location for the international restaurant group. Le Pain Quotidien, which means “the daily bread” in French, serves a simple, wholesome menu for breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner.
Le Pain Quotidien’s concept remains true to the original bakery concept, founded by Alain Coumont, in Brussels in 1990. The bakery and restaurant prides itself on serving simple, nourishing, delicious food in a setting that offers a reprieve from the busy urban lifestyle. The rustic interiors and traditional dishes transport customers to the Belgian countryside and a simpler way of life.
“We are eager to introduce our bakery and restaurant to the Naperville community, with our offering of high-quality European baked goods and simple, wholesome food,” said Jack Moran, CEO of Le Pain Quotidien in the United States.
Located on the bustling corner of South Washington Street and West Jefferson Avenue, the one-story space has the capacity to seat 86 guests indoors and 16 additional guests on the outdoor patio. The outdoor patio is located on Naperville’s renowned Century Walk and features the sculpture “Golden Rule Days” by local artists George and Shirley Johnson Olson, installed in 2000.
While all Le Pain Quotidien restaurants uphold certain traditional design elements, like reclaimed wood millwork, plaster walls and a communal table, each location reflects the uniqueness of its neighborhood through carefully curated design elements. The Naperville restaurant draws inspiration from the popular Moser Tower and Millennium Carillon, lending features like reclaimed Belgian bells to the design of the space.
The Naperville location also features one of Le Pain Quotidien’s signature communal tables, made of reclaimed wood. Since the beginning, a communal table has formed the centerpiece of every LPQ. Designed to bring friends, family and even strangers together, the communal table represents LPQ’s commitment to fostering community connections.
There’s something for everyone on the menu, whether you are looking for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, desserts or just coffee and tea. Handmade sourdough organic breads and artisanal pastries can be found all day long, every day. The bread is made with only four ingredients: salt, water, organic flower and time. No additives or preservatives, this is the way bread should be.
Naperville residents will soon become familiar with Le Pain Quotidien’s signature open-faced sandwiches called tartines, made from organic whole wheat sourdough bread – including the restaurant’s ever-popular Avocado Toast which guests can customize to include an organic egg or smoked salmon.
For those guests looking for vegan items, Le Pain Quotidien has always featured them directly on the main menu, never tucked away on a separate card. They believe eating a plant-based diet once in a while leads to a healthier lifestyle and a healthier planet. Even though LPQ is a bakery, there are plenty of gluten-free options to try.
Le Pain Quotidien also serves organic wine and beer so family and friends may enjoy dinner and a drink with their Roasted Wild Salmon or Chicken Ratatouille.
The Naperville location will also provide a range of catering and event services for social gatherings and corporate meetings and events.
Le Pain Quotidien is excited to open its sixth bakery and restaurant in Chicago and plans for continued expansion in the region are also in the works. “We do hope to expand, but we’re not in a rush. We like to focus on one neighborhood at a time,” says Moran.
Le Pain Quotidien at 204 S. Washington Street will be open daily 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For additional information please visit lepainquotidien.com or call 331-215-5789.
ABOUT LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN
Privately held and founded in Brussels in 1990 by Chef Alain Coumont, Le Pain Quotidien is an international restaurant group operating over 260 bakeries and restaurants in 21 countries around the globe. Le Pain Quotidien owns and operates its locations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Belgium and France and has a franchise network in countries including Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, Hong Kong, India, Kuwait, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The first location in the U.S. opened in 1997 in Manhattan and is joined by locations throughout New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Connecticut and Miami.
