L'Escargot (Michigan Avenue location)

The original L'Escargot opened on Halsted Street in 1968, where chef Lucien Verge introduced Chicagoans to moderately priced, casual French provincial cooking. That location was destroyed by fire in 1979, but the restaurant was reborn in the elegant Allerton Hotel on Michigan Avenue.

The white-and-cream dining room became known for its high ceilings, large arched windows, and plenty of room between tables - a rarity on crowded Michigan Avenue. Professional waiters and a quiet environment made every meal feel special. The restaurant attracted a loyal following of Chicagoans who remembered when French food meant refinement without pretension.

The slow economy of the early 1990s hit Michigan Avenue hard, and L'Escargot closed around January 1993. Decades later, readers still mention it as one of Chicago's most dearly missed restaurants - a reminder of an era when dining could be both accessible and elegant.