Next Restaurant

Now serving the white truffle twice-baked potato, a new supplement on our Charlie Trotter menu based on a dish in Trotter’s Vegetables cookbook.

This russet potato is filled with a creamy pommes purée, baked twice, and settled in a rich gruyère cheese sauce. It is finished with fresh chives and Alba white truffle shavings. These truffles are from the Piedmont region in Italy and grow wild from September to December - perfect timing for our fall menu.

The truffle special is available in limited quantities for purchase on site only. Reserve your table on Tock before the menu ends January 12th.

As guests step through our doors, they're greeted by an entry wall adorned with memorabilia celebrating Chef Trotter, generously provided by his son, Dylan. From vintage menus to magazine covers, this display invites visitors to journey back in time.

Adjacent to this tribute stands a more understated homage: the host stand. Inspired by the original design from Trotter’s, it is complemented by a vase of Chef Trotter’s signature white lilies.

This past weekend, we welcomed our first guests to Next: Charlie Trotter. Our team prepared dishes based on Chef Trotter’s cookbooks and celebrated what would have been his 65th birthday with his family and friends. For once, the roles were switched and our guests retold the stories while we listened.

This week, we share those stories with you as we honor a Chicago culinary icon.

Photo credits: The Kitchen Sessions

On what would’ve been his 65th birthday, we are grateful for the opportunity to pay tribute to his life and legacy. Happy birthday, Chef Trotter.

Last night our team wrapped up the final service of our Bobby Flay menu - the second in our 2024 Chef Tribute series and a true honor to have executed. Tomorrow, we begin transition week and continue to explore what's next...

We're less than a month away from our next menu transition. Have you tried our Bobby Flay menu yet?

Craft. Perfect. Impress. The meticulous attention to detail by our front of house team makes each service come alive.

16 Spice Quail | Next: Bobby Flay

A Mesa Grill tribute menu would not be complete without Chef Bobby Flay’s 16 Spice Rub. In the original recipe, Chef uses his spice mix on chicken, but we changed it up with a special Vermont quail. It is glazed with tamarind and stuffed with green chorizo then served alongside a pepita pesto and sweet potato apricot puree. This dish symbolizes the cuisine of Mesa Grill succinctly – bold flavors with some heat.

Taste this dish and more in our Bobby Flay menu, ending September 1st!

With every new menu, our sommeliers work diligently to source the best wines to complement each dish. Origin, acidity, alcohol content, flavor profile, and even founding story are all considered when building a menu’s three wine pairings and wine list. Our aim is for every glass to enhance our guest’s experience throughout the menu.

“Apart from choosing wines that would just pair well with the Culinary Team’s creations, we took inspiration from Chef Flay’s energy and passion. We sought to be a bit fearless, a bit unapologetic, and to do things a bit differently. We embraced the freedom and creativity that the Southwestern pantry allowed us to have. In our desire to give Chef Flay his due and much-deserved moment in the sun — we hoped to feature grapes and regions that are often misrepresented or, at the very least, underrepresented on pairing menus. We had an overarching goal to also showcase wines from female producers and producers engaging in organic and biodynamic viticulture. And at the end of the day, we wanted to spark joy, curiosity, and fun.” - Hannah Forde-Smith, Assistant General Manager

Swipe to see a selection of our wines this menu. We offer four tiers of beverage pairings - Ultra, Reserve, Standard and Non-Alcoholic - and a wine list by the bottle and glass pours.

Southwestern flavors + patio seating = summertime bliss! Order from the à la carte menu or choose our 5 Course experience. Available for reservations and walk-ins.

Chicago, Illinois | 2019

Hanging on the entrance wall is a thank you note written by Chef Flay to Chef Achatz during his visit to Alinea and The Office in 2019. It seemed only fitting to feature this in our entrance as a symbol of their friendship and inspiration for Next’s current tribute menu.

Grilled Beef Tenderloin | Next: Bobby Flay

This dish is an ode to the ‘90s style filet medallion presentation. Served alongside a twice cooked potato, we wanted to showcase Chef Flay’s love for peppers and usage of bright colors through the sauces. The green is a cilantro panade made with ramps, garlic, and butter. The yellow is bell pepper ‘mole,’ and the red is a chili mushroom sauce. This plating was inspired by the photo on p. 212 of Chef Flay’s Mesa Cookbook where you see him saucing a plate as well as the Mesa Grill logo colors themselves.

Pictured above… Next’s Executive Chef, Alan Mileykovsky, and General Manager, Kate Lang, lead the team during pre-service. Before every service, managers across The Alinea Group review notes for the night ahead, including guest restrictions, menu updates, and special celebrations. This dedicated time for our team ensures every night feels special for our guests.

Chili and Honey Glazed Salmon | Next: Bobby Flay

Our tribute to Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill wouldn’t be complete without this iconic dish. We've stayed close to the original recipe to honor its rich flavors. The salmon is glazed with ancho chili paste, topped with puffed black quinoa and green rice, and placed on top of tangy tomatillo relish. It is finished with black bean puree and roasted jalapeño crema. This dish captures the essence of Chef Flay’s Southwestern cuisine - a perfect harmony of spice, sweetness, and acidity. Try this dish in our Tribute Menu, 5-Course Menu or Patio experiences.

Finishing touches

Osetra Caviar | Next: Bobby Flay

Soup & Salad | Next: Bobby Flay

Honeydew Soup | Poblano, green peppercorn
Southwest Caesar | Hominy, grilled romaine, dried chili nutella

We are entering our final week of our Julia Child menu! There are still a few seats left tomorrow, Thursday and Friday. Join us before it's too late!

Boeuf Bourguignon | Course 6, Next: Julia Child

Charlotte Flambée au Rhum | Course 8, Next: Julia Child

Tête de Moine | Course 7, Next: Julia Child

Boeuf Bourguignon | Course 6 on our Tribute Menu, Course 2 on our 3-Course Menu

Join us before it's too late. Menu ends April 21st.

Le Trou Normand | Course 5, Next: Julia Child