Our Story
Chicago’s cutest little French bistro and wine bar. Coquette is a pink, Parisian dream offering the food of France today paired with exciting wines and cocktails in Chicago’s Fulton Market District.
Led by Executive Chef Marcos Campos, Culinary Director Erwin Mallet and Executive Pastry Chef Shannah Primiano, Coquette expresses their vision for a modern bistro, where quintessential recipes and iconic dishes are matched with contemporary influences. Though our cuisine may be “nouvelle” our equipment is undeniably primitive, with all cooking done by live-fire ovens and mangal grills. We also feature a dry aging system that blends state-of-the-art technology with methods that go back thousands of years to unleash the flavor and tenderness of the beef, duck and fish prepared in our kitchen.
Coquette’s wine list is a playful celebration of France’s most under-appreciated regions and boldest winemakers. We celebrate “real” wine by showcasing the historical birthplace and heart of minimal intervention winemaking — Beaujolais. We also feature an extra-intentional sampling of Champagnes by grower producers, all who dare to make exquisite wine on their own terms.
Our cocktail program is built around seasonal produce, bridging the similarities found between what is harvested both in France and in the Midwest. The old idea of the spirit as the “center” or “focus” of beverages takes a backseat to building a menu around seasonally available ingredients and ingredients preserved through pickling, infusion or fermentation. At Coquette we also offer a wide array of spirit offerings that are, predictably, very French.
A pink, Parisian dream, Coquette pays tribute to the style of Mondrian, YSL, Godard and Bauhaus, using bold colors and geometric shapes to express a postmodern aesthetic sensibility. Vibrant interiors fashioned with curvaceous furnishings wrapped in soft textures and a palette of pinks and lavenders offer a distinct vision for what a modern French bistro can be.
To bring Coquette’s stunning vision to life, Maison Bonhomme collaborated closely with a dynamic design team starring Luca Lanzetta Group, Popham Design, Molteni&Co, Viabizzuno, Sogni Di Cristallo, Viccarbe and Antoniolupi. Some of the most dazzling design elements of their seductive interiors include handmade cement and zellige tiles by Popham Design; René bistro tables by Piero Lissoni for Salvatori; handblown glass chandeliers by Sogni Di Cristallo; Season dining chairs and sofas by Piero Lissoni for Viccarbe; kitchen and bar counters created with 3” slabs of sustainably harvested bubinga wood from Gabon; custom steel and glass partitions inspired by the work of Mondrian; a 100-year-old Italian six-tier display shelf from the Lisotti Distilling Company in Modena; and bathroom vanities and taps by Antoniolupi.