Ceres’ Table

Food was great. We were seated 20 minutes late and the male host with glasses apologized and said that he would buy our dessert. We then ordered dessert and it was not taken care of by the host and we had to buy it. Good restaurant, great waitress, just disappointed by the host.

The only reason I’m giving Ceres table 3 stars is because of the food. It was delicious. The wine was great, good selection. Also the atmosphere was great.
The service… not so great. I was so excited to try Ceres Table since I live in the neighborhood. Our server acted like we weren’t even there. While she was mildly busy she kept brushing past our table. It took 30 minutes to take our order. We saw her chatting up other tables so it was almost like she forgot we were there. It wasn’t just the 30 minutes initially either. She barely came by to check on us, and we had even stated originally that we wanted to keep a menu at the table in case we wanted to order another appetizer or glass of wine.
We also were a little upset by the portion sizes. They were very small for the price. Which was our next complaint, it was a little bit on the pricy side for a quick neighborhood dinner like we were looking for.

I went for brunch this morning and enjoyed the Eggs Toscana, a nice dish with poached egg, sausage, beans, and kale. I also ordered a biscuit but was told that they didn’t have any more. Miraculously my friend’s dish later appeared with a biscuit.
The décor is nice and the brunch menu is very reasonably priced, but I’m giving two stars because the service was not good.
All of the staff from the host to our waiter were unpleasant. I’d even go as far as to say that our waiter was rude. Everyone had the attitude that they couldn’t be bothered to do their jobs, and I felt like that negative energy pervaded the entire restaurant. It didn’t feel like a welcoming, warm, or buzzy place where you’d want to meet up with friends. No one smiled. Hospitality 101, folks!
Good food is important, but the entire dining out experience is so heavily dependent on the service. Our waiter was curt, inattentive, and called me and my friend «kids.» Perhaps that would have been charming… had he been charming.
It’s a shame because I live down the street from this place, but I won’t go back because the staff are so up themselves. When the pouty host said «thanks for coming in» in a disinterested monotone, it felt about as genuine as the people who «welcome» you to Walgreens. Why bother?

We made reservations here for my mother’s birthday, and overall it was a very nice and smooth experience. We were seated at a booth by the warm brick oven which was lovely. The service was great, even from the staff that was not in charge of our table directly. Our entrees were delicious with good presentation, although our burrata appetizer left something to be desired. Will have to go with another option in future visits. Cocktails were great, as well as the environment. Will definitely be back.

great service! great atmosphere! I wanted to try everything on the menu, looked very good.
Everything we ordered was excellent!

I don’t feel like we were warned that it was small plates not even by the server. Prices didn’t indicate that it was small plates either. The food was average and one of the dishes a little salty. Service wasn’t the best. We kept having to ask for things it should have been obvious we ran out of. Sure it might look cool from the outside and the ambiance inside isn’t bad, but I would not recommend it.

Loved this place. The staff are great fun and friendly. Four of us had brunch and each dish was beautifully-​presented and tasty as heck. The place itself is spacious and airy– ideal for people watching if you get the window seats but the booths at the back look equally good. Can’t find a flaw at all.

After looking at the photos posted by other Unilocalers, I was excited about the menu — ceviche, beef carpaccio, octopus. None of those items are on the menu now. Right away, the executive chef let me know that those were «old» and he was «new.» After one of the staff shared that she wanted experiences for Christmas, instead of things, I shared that I agreed and that’s why I was there, for my delicious Christmas date. The new exec chef shared that he got shoes for Christmas and was not interested in my choice of his restaurant over things. Overall, I was left unimpressed, and clearly, the proud new chef could use some experience. Otherwise, the service was solid. The chicken liver mouse is a STAR and the guy making pizza and prepping sausage should wash his hands.

The new location of Ceres has much to like, but be careful.
The space is much brighter than its predecessor, The Frog and Snail. Tables in the front of the restaurant, by the bar, have love seats against the wall, rather than sharing a bench, banquette-​style, and this makes for a cozy yet elegant atmosphere. We ate here, and although it was in the front, near the door, we never bothered by cold air rushing in, or felt that diners were hovering over us while waiting to be seated.
The pleasantries continued with our cocktails, which were excellent. I had the Romeo on Broadway, which is a Manhattan with amaro instead of vermouth, and it was delicious. The wine list is impressive, as well — exclusively Italian, with over a dozen Nebbiolo selections, and many very reasonably priced.
For appetizers we had the Italian sausage, made by our friends at Butcher & Larder, and the burrata with grilled bread. These were both excellent, and you should order them too.
For our main courses, we went light because we were heading out for some jazz afterwards, and opted for the pasta. This was the only area where Ceres fell short. The risotto was too gummy and chewy, and the tagliatelle too al dente. Not terrible, but not as good as they should have been — I do not recommend them. For risotto in Chicago, it is Osteria Langhe or bust.
In the future, we would opt for the main dishes — bistecca, scallops, or half chicken Because service was excellent, and Ceres provides a fun atmosphere, we hope to be back there soon to make that happen.

A group of us went here for brunch recently. They take reservations, which is a plus. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. The food was delicious (even their house potatoes are yummy). My only complaint, per se, was that the coffee and tea was $ 4, which is a lot for those kind of drinks (and we’re talking straight up tea and coffee; nothing fancy). Still, everyone was nice, and the service was very good. Would totally return.

Had a great experience here on a weeknight. The pizza (with an egg on top) is on point, and their cocktails are also worth trying! The proscuitto was also really fun to order, and it was neat to try different types. They might not have this on the menu all the time, but the side order of roasted potatoes was unexpectedly really memorable. The different preparations of the the potatoes and the flavor was fantastic – would recommend ordering this if you go some time soon.

I am so happy to find another place in Chicago to indulge my obsession with cacio e pepe, and closer to home to boot! We took my family here to celebrate my brother’s 33^rd birthday on the eve of his second time to run the Chicago marathon. Traditionally, we pick an Italian place to carb load with him (a benefit for us non-​runners) every time he visits us to run a race in Chicago, which is usually 4 times a year. It’s also a family tradition to eat noodles as part of the birthday meal to ensure long life.
We were seated promptly close to the front of the restaurant which had a nice love seat on one side that we were able to use to place our car seat for our 5 month old daughter. I was a little apprehensive about bringing a baby here, but the staff were super welcoming and even offered a high chair in case we needed one. On a side note, although the bathroom does not have a changing table, there is a long low chaise within one of the stalls that makes for a comfortable alternative. Very nice décor from the seating, dinnerware, and bathrooms.
The menu is arranged to encourage sharing so we ordered a combination of small and large plates. The Insalata di mare was a nice, lightly dressed salad and perfect way to start the meal. We ordered two orders of Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe, which is now my second favorite to Davanti’s and ahead of Eataly’s version. An Order of Mafaldine was a nice dish (another pasta dish since we were carb loading). And we ordered some share-​ables in the form of Funghi Pizza, Cauliflower, and Grilled Broccolini. The pizza was thin crust and tasty. The cauliflower was my favorite side dish. Super savory and filling. The grilled broccolini was nicely charred and had a subtle kick with the chili flakes.
My favorite part was dessert, where we shared a Salted Caramel Budino and a Trio of Gelato. The gelato was standard fare, but the budino was out of this world crazy deliciousness. The buttery caramel with the crushed chocolate biscotti crust and the touch of salt did me in. It was so good we took my Aunt and Uncle who were visiting from the Philippines here for this (and the rest of the menu of course).
Drinks were also great, I actually enjoyed the non-​alcoholic ginger-​citrus cooler and the bumblebee (their take on a refreshing iced tea).
Looks like their menu rotates as the current one no longer offers cacio e pepe, but I definitely will be back again since everything else was just as solid. And I here they just started delivery too?

Lots of going on this past weekend, but we came here for two purposes: 1) My Birthday and 2) carbing up for the Chicago Marathon the next morning. Both purposes were fulfilled above and beyond.
My sister had made reservations through Open Table and we were seated right away. My 4.5 month old niece also came with us so the hostess was very quick to accommodate the car carrier on in our seating area. Our servers were super nice and the meal just seemed very easy — creating an enjoyable experience for all.
We actually ended up just ordering a bunch of small plates and sharing everything. Nothing we ordered disappointed us in the least. The Insalata di mare was great, lightly dressed and a great way to get the «green» into our meal. We ordered two orders of Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe, which were amazing… I think those plates went the quickest. An Order of Mafaldine was a nice dish (another pasta dish since we were carb loading). And we ordered some share-​ables in the form of Funghi Pizza, Cauliflour, and Grilled Broccolini. The grilled broccolini had a ton of chili flakes on it and nice char marks… very tasty. The pizza (came out last) but was super yummy.
I’m not big on sweets, but we ended up ordering the Salted Caramel Budino and a Trio of Gelato. The budino was really really good. I would break my «no sweets» rule any time/​hour/​day for this stuff. So good.
A great way to celebrate a birthday, pre-​marathon meal, and spending time with family. I’m sure Ceres’ Table would be a great destination for any occasion. I just happen to pick a big weekend to do it.

Our meal was absolutely *wonderful*. One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. I love the Sicilian theme here (I’m ¼ Sicilian), it can be hard to find on the north side of the city. It’s a beautiful room, and the service was terrific also. We had a GREAT time and will be back.
Smoked swordfish carpaccio — absolutely sublime, it melted on my tongue.
Panzanella w avocado mousse — excellent heirlooms tomatoes, and the avocado mousse made it a bit lighter than the average panzanella. Loved it!
Cavatelli with trapanese, a Sicilian pesto — AMAZING. Spicy, nutty, deeply flavorful, not a bit was left after scraping the sauce with the excellent bread provided.
Chicken thighs in sort of a cacciatore sauce, very hearty with capers, olives, tomatoes cooked down to their essence — man oh man, what a «flavor bomb». Glad I had a nice hearty red to compliment it (sorry, I forgot which one).
Salmon w corn salad, pesto — my wife had this. I have to admit I was not too excited when she ordered it, but I enjoyed my bite very much.
Blueberry pie — terrific, beautiful crust w excellent gelato. We ended our meal with some delicious house-​made Limoncello.
To sum up, the food was amazing, the service was attentive, genuinely friendly and enthusiastic, and atmosphere was lovely. Ceres Table vaults into my top 2 or 3 Italian restaurants in the city at this price point. It’s a toss-​up between Ceres and Anteprima in Andersonville.

This place is a serious hidden gem! With a unique menus for brunch with a touch of comfort and class you seriously cannot go wrong. The best part about the brunch besides the delish food is the drink deal! All the cocktails are only $ 5! Our waiter was super nice and everything came out quick and hot. To top it off the furniture they have is super cool. We sat in a front booth and your actually sitting on a couch rather than a normal booth seat. I will absolutely be back to try some other cocktails and great brunch food or maybe lunch or dinner!

Finally made it up to Ceres’ Table. We live right down the street, but you know how that goes. At first sight, we didn’t feel the place looked much different than its predecessor. The website for Ceres’ is bright, clean and portrays pastel colors. I felt the restaurant was actually a bit darker and warmer. We happened in on a Monday night. Slower, quiet, we had our choice of where to sit. The menu is good sized. You have options from pizza, to pasta to something more exotic.
What brought us in was the Risotto with pumpkin. Such a fall sounding dish got us in the door and ordering more! So yes, we went with the Risotto with wild mushrooms, saba (sauce made from grapes, an Italian specialty). I always really, really want to like Risotto. There seems to be flavors that I really like, but when combined with Risotto is always comes out bland. I’ve become scared of Risotto and just accept that I do not like the dish and lack of salt. Still, my fiancé talked me into it because of the pumpkin and mushrooms. Yep, it was pretty good. The saba might have been the hidden touch. The lack of flavor in the Risotto was enhanced by the saba. The wild mushrooms were great and at times scary. They were weird shapes.
(not in the actual order the dishes came out), next up the pizza. The pizza was actually first. It came out really fast. We chose the Fungi with Arugula added (forgot to ask for the egg). I always forget then quickly realize that I don’t like greens on my pizza. Too bitter. Still, without the greens which I redistributed to my fiancés slices, I really liked it. After sharing both of these items we were pretty full.
I liked the restaurant. They have a huge wine menu. It would be great for a girls night out or if you were planning to have some wine and small plates. Since we were there on a Monday we may have had the wrong impression. I thing this place could be great for a date and more romantics.

I’ve been wanting to try this place for a long time and finally made the «long trip» (aka 2 blocks) over and wish I hadn’t waited so long!
My friend and I weren’t super starved so we split the panzanella salad and the coppa pizza which was a great amount for both of us. The salad was probably the most beautifully constructed salad I’ve ever seen. We were admiring the architecture and a bus boy came over to make sure everything was ok. It was definitely more than ok – it was amazing.
The pizza was a Neopolitan style and a really nice flavor without being overly charred. I’d definitely recommend the coppa pizza, but I’m sure all of them taste fantastic.
I got the rosemary lemonade to drink and it was very refreshing. Our waiter was very energized and answered all of our questions as we were first time diners.
I got kind of a stuffy vibe from this place when we walked in it wasn’t very crowded (around 6′:30), but when we left (around 7:45) more people were dining and it seemed a bit livelier (not crazy, just more inviting).

Came to this restaurant with a friend and had an extraordinary experience. The food was delicious, start to finish, and so were the cocktails. We began with bread for the table, which was tasty. I had the Conchiglie, which was mouthwateringly good, accompanied by their Tip of the Boot cocktail, which is a slightly sweeter version of a Manhattan. For dessert, we shared the chocolate and raspberry cake, which was delightful. The food proportions were perfect, and the pricing was reasonable. The service was exceptional throughout, as the servers were friendly and constantly asked if we needed anything. The ambience was very chic, and they had a nice music selection. Overall, I enjoyed my experience here and will be coming back.

I’ve only been to Ceres’ Table once but it was enough to demonstrate this place does good the right way. We came for Sunday brunch and it was an absolutely amazing experience.
I had the Lobster Benedict, and while I kinda think it was crab it still was the most wonderful Benedict I’ve ever had. They also have brick over pizzas that if you come with a large party I recommend you get for the table.
The mimosas are a brunch standard and do not disappoint, though unfortunately they are not bottomless. I will definitely go the next time I’m in southern Lakeview.
It’s a very clean and crispy atmosphere and the waitstaff is on top of their game. Overall it was an enjoyable time. Well done Ceres’ Table… well done.

Came to with my date for restaurant week because the menu looked good and I wanted to try this place out since I have passed it a couple times on my way to Wilde. Our server recommended one of us getting a pizza while the other got the restaurant week menu since we weren’t starving. After tasting the selections on the restaurant week menu, I was glad he made this recommendation because I was less than impressed.
Restaurant Week Menu
Antipasti: Wagyu Beef Carpaccio is a good appetizer to share with a dining companion. This dish gets 3.5 stars.
Paste: Pici (Italian sausage, fennel seed, tomato sauce and pecorino) — seeing how the only thing I remember about this is that pasta was a tad overcooked shows that I wasn’t impressed with this dish. This dish gets 2 stars.
Carne & Pesci: Ivory Artic Char (Orange, fennel, fingerling potatoes and castelvetrano olives) was my least favorite meal. The fish was blah and the potatoes were flavorless. My date enjoyed the fish, but since I’m writing this review the dish gets 2 stars.
Dessert: Carrot Cake was laying atop this butterscotch sauce that took this to the next level of amazingly deliciousness. This dish gets 5 stars.
A la carte
Calabrese Pizza was really good with just the right amount of spice. The crust was cooked to crisp perfection in the wood fire oven that we sat across from. This dish gets 4 stars.
Service
From the minute we walked in everyone who worked made us feel welcomed. Our server Joshua had a great personality and gave us a great recommend on the pizza. Service gets 4 stars.
I remember when this place was Frog and Snail, which left me feeling lukewarm after dining there and sadly I’m feeling the same way about Ceres’ Table.