Small Cheval’s sign is ready. When will the restaurant be?
A summer of burgers and shakes sounds nice, and some recent hints say downtown Wilmette may be in for it this year.
The rooftop sign for Small Cheval’s newest location was installed in Wilmette this week, adding to the anticipation of the restaurant’s opening that’s been building for two years.
On top of that, the restaurant posted a tease on social media, saying “Get ready, Wilmette.”
The Village of Wilmette anticipates Small Cheval will open by early August; however, and per usual, the restaurant’s ownership group, Hogsalt Hospitality, is keeping its cards close to the vest.
In a response to The Record’s emailed request for opening information, a spokesperson wrote “Thank you for reaching out, we are equally excited it is coming to fruition soon! With that being said, we don’t have an opening date just yet.”
How we got here
Hogsalt is two years removed from purchasing the historic building from the Village, and the Wilmette location will be Small Cheval’s 11th overall and second in the suburbs. (Its Rosemont location opened in 2024.)
Development of the restaurant has been in the works ever since, with the most significant challenge being the restaurant’s proposed signage, which needed a Village zoning variation, because Wilmette does not allow rooftop signs.
The Village’s Appearance Review Commission reviewed the plans starting in January 2024, working with Small Cheval representatives to reduce the sign’s size. Still, the commission in May 2024 voted 4-2 against the plans for a rooftop sign.
Despite the ARC’s ruling, the Village Board was unanimous in its approval of the sign, clearing the way for Small Cheval, which had already received a special use permit and the appropriate permits.
Small Cheval is a spinoff of Au Cheval, a Chicago restaurant that gained national attention — and hours-long waits — for its burgers since its 2012 opening.
Three years later, Brendan Sodikoff and his restaurant company, Hogsalt, opened Small Cheval as a scaled-down, quick-access version of the Au Cheval experience. Small Cheval serves burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries and shakes, as well as beer and cocktails.
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Joe Coughlin
Joe Coughlin is a co-founder and the editor in chief of The Record. He leads investigative reporting and reports on anything else needed. Joe has been recognized for his investigative reporting and sports reporting, feature writing and photojournalism. Follow Joe on Twitter @joec2319
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