As the team behind River North hot spots Mercadito and Tavernita, Alfredo, Felipe and Patricio Sandoval know how to produce a restaurant that combines gourmet food with a see-and-be-seen vibe. But for Little Market Brasserie, its third Chicago restaurant — and the second with chef/partner Ryan Poli at the helm — the group took a more low-key approach. “We wanted a casual neighborhood restaurant that wasn’t a scene, but was still bustling,” says Poli. “So we thought a lot about what people look for when they go to a place two or three times a week.” For Poli, the answer was comfort food, served at a reasonable price point in a laid-back environment and Little Market is doing all of the above from inside the Talbott Hotel. The space evokes a Parisian brasserie, with subway tiles covering the walls, big wooden banquettes and a checkered floor. To find the right blend of French and American food to match, Poli and Alfredo traveled to nearly a dozen cities for research, including Austin, Texas; Montreal; New York; and New Orleans. “It’s casual, simple, recognizable cuisine,” says Poli. “You can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner there, but each meal feels cool.” For breakfast,…

As the team behind River North hot spots Mercadito and Tavernita, Alfredo, Felipe and Patricio Sandoval know how to produce a restaurant that combines gourmet food with a see-and-be-seen vibe. But for Little Market Brasserie, its third Chicago restaurant — and the second with chef/partner Ryan Poli at the helm — the group took a more low-key approach. “We wanted a casual neighborhood restaurant that wasn’t a scene, but was still bustling,” says Poli. “So we thought a lot about what people look for when they go to a place two or three times a week.”

For Poli, the answer was comfort food, served at a reasonable price point in a laid-back environment and Little Market is doing all of the above from inside the Talbott Hotel. The space evokes a Parisian brasserie, with subway tiles covering the walls, big wooden banquettes and a checkered floor. To find the right blend of French and American food to match, Poli and Alfredo traveled to nearly a dozen cities for research, including Austin, Texas; Montreal; New York; and New Orleans. “It’s casual, simple, recognizable cuisine,” says Poli. “You can eat breakfast, lunch and dinner there, but each meal feels cool.”

Little Market interior

For breakfast, which starts at 6:30 a.m., Poli serves classics like biscuits and gravy ($12.50); his lunch and dinner fare includes roast chicken with couscous and dried fruits ($18.50), risotto ($14.50), a NY strip (market price) and sides such as mac and cheese and french fries. But Poli didn’t just pay homage to classic brasserie food when crafting the menu — he mixed in some of his personal favorites. “The pasta puttanesca is a sauce I learned early in my career, and the grilled cheese is one that I make myself at home,” he says. And then there’s the Big Baby, a simple two-patty cheeseburger inspired by the one offered at Nicky’s, a greasy spoon on the Southwest Side where Poli grew up. The eclectic fare pairs perfectly with Little Market’s charged cocktails — custom pairings of gourmet sodas (think hibiscus vanilla and Meyer lemon) and spirits created by the Tippling Bros.

Ryan Poli

The menu is a welcome departure for Poli, who crafts authentic Spanish cuisine at Tavernita. “It’s a challenge to cook with butter and cream again,” he laughs. “But it’s great to get back to familiar ingredients.”

The Talbott Hotel, 10 E. Delaware, (312) 640-8141, Littlemarketbrasserie.com