Hawksmoor one of London’s best-loved restaurants and currently ranked the No. 1 Best Steakhouse in the World, announced early plans for a flagship restaurant in Chicago, slated for the first half of 2024. Hawksmoor was initially opened in 2006 by childhood friends, Will Beckett and Huw Gott in a then-unfashionable part of East London. They served steaks from ethically reared cattle and sustainably sourced seafood alongside one of the country’s most progressive cocktail programs. Hawksmoor quickly went on to win the hearts of diners and the approval of critics, subsequently launching additional locations, with a restaurant in Dublin, Ireland, slated for May this year. The UK restaurants have won many accolades and awards, including twice winning Best International Restaurant Bar at Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards in New Orleans. In September 2021, Hawksmoor opened its first U.S. location in New York, receiving widespread critical acclaim (Eater: New York’s Hottest Steakhouse, Pete Wells – The New York Times: Does New York Need a British Steakhouse? Yes, If Its Hawksmoor.)
“We’ve been coming to Chicago for years to spend time in the city’s great restaurants and enjoying its incredible hospitality,” says cofounder Will Beckett. “Chicago is the historical powerhouse of American beef, and when we found out about an actual powerhouse building, it felt like fate.”
The team has plans to restore a designated landmark, The LaSalle Street Cable Car Powerhouse, a 16,500 square foot three-story space at 500 N LaSalle Street, which was first opened in 1887 in the heyday of Chicago’s cable car system.
“We’re planning to restore the original features to their former glory while breathing new life into the space,” says Gott. “We want to enable as many people as possible to enjoy this beautiful building.”
Will and Huw’s obsession with quality and ethics has led them to work with individuals and companies who share their beliefs, from local farmers and fishermen focusing on sustainability to local, national and international charities fighting food poverty.
