North Shore's Largest Outdoor Dining Space Opens At LeTour In Evanston

EVANSTON, IL — The largest outdoor dining area between Chicago and Milwaukee opened for lunch service for the first time Friday.

The patio at LeTour — dubbed "Place LeTour" — is expected to serve up to 150 people, with a capacity of up to 200 people, according to restaurant representatives.

LeTour, Amy Morton's latest Evanston restaurant, opened in November at 625 Davis St. The circular structure was originally a bank and previously housed Lyfe Kitchen and Next of Kin restaurants.

"We are super excited to get Place LeTour, our amazing outdoor courtyard open," Morton said. "I honestly think we’ll have the largest al fresco dining area anywhere around."

LeTour's menu is French-Moroccan, featuring a mix of classic French and North African-inspired cuisine in its brunch, lunch and dinner menus.

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James Beard Award-winning Debbie Gold, LeTour's chef, previously partnered with Morton, a fellow North Shore native, in the early 1990s at her first restaurant, Mirador.

More recently, Gold was the original chef at Tied House, the restaurant connected to North Side concert venue Schubas before departing in 2019.

“I worked in France for more than four years," Gold told the Chicago Tribune last year.
"So there are some very traditional items like sauteed skate wing with brown butter and lemon capers, to the Moroccan side, where we’re doing lamb and merguez sausage."

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Morton, who said she believes Place LeTour is the largest outdoor dining area anywhere on the North Shore, also owns The Barn on Church Street and operated Found Kitchen and Social House on Chicago Avenue for a decade. It closed last year after its landlord declined to renew its lease.

"Our Friday lunch menu is French-Moroccan and we can't wait to host guests outside this summer," Morton said.

In addition to classic brunch offerings, the LeTour weekend brunch menu includes Tunisian deviled eggs, eggs Shakshuka with goat cheese, tamara and duck liver mouse, Lyonnaise salad and tagine.

Earlier: Found Restaurant In Evanston To Close Ahead Of Building Demolition