For your next meeting or event in Chicago, consider working with local Asian American and Pacific Islander vendors to help with the planning. Whether it’s a venue, private dining, or services, Asian-owned businesses are ready to assist in bringing your vision to life.
Venues
Surround your attendees with Chinese culture and history by renting the fourth-floor event space at the Chinese American Museum of Chicago in Chinatown. The event space accommodates 50 attendees for seated dinners, 60 for receptions and 70 for theatre-style seating. Sound equipment is available. Build in break time during the meeting for a group tour of the nonprofit museum, which features exhibits about Chinese American culture, immigration to the United States, and the resiliency of the Chinese people.
Contemporary artwork at the Zhou B Art Center in Bridgeport offers a stunning backdrop for meetings and events in the 28,000-square-foot space. Rent the Earth area for 150 seated attendees or 200 standing. Larger groups of 400 seated or 750 standing can book the center’s Moon space. Smaller groups can opt for views of a pond and striking contemporary sculptures in the outdoor Secret Garden for 75 seated guests or 100 standing. Amenities include a venue manager to help with arrangements, furniture, and AV services.
Host your meeting or event in the sophisticated, customizable space at the South Asia Institute, a nonprofit arts and cultural center in the South Loop. Your attendees will be amazed by the impressive South Asian artwork that decorates the venue’s walls. Opt for conference seating, buffet or banquet dining, or cocktail receptions to accommodate from 50 to 300-plus attendees. Amenities include catering, bar service, a stage, AV, security, coat check, and a valet.
Book the woman- and Pacific Islander-owned Chez venue to bring elegance to your event in Streeterville. The 4,600-square-foot loft space offers touches like a 40-foot LED wall, a glass staircase, brick walls and columns painted white, and luxurious furnishings. Host everything here from a meeting with U-shaped tables to a panel of speakers onstage, pop-up events, and fun cocktail receptions illuminated with imaginative lighting. A full buyout can accommodate 299 people.
After meetings, take 15 to 30 attendees to discover Asia’s diverse cultures during a private tour of the Heritage Museum of Asian Art in Bridgeport. The museum is one of three in the United States that only exhibits Asian art. See artifacts like jade and furniture from ancient China, Netsuke miniature sculptures from Japan, and Korean and Indian art, including sculptures and ceramics. The 1.5-hour tours are offered from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
Private dining
Book the entire 2d Restaurant in Lakeview for a creative comic book-like experience for 28 people. During a two-hour team building session, attendees will dip Japanese mochi doughnuts in chocolate and strawberry icing and decorate them with toppings. Asian menu items like Taiwanese fried chicken, salads, Vietnamese coffee, and more are available for dining. But it’s the whimsical 1,400-square-foot dining room with its life-size, hand-drawn black-and-white wall art that captivates guests.
Head to Pilsen for a private dining experience at HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen, a two-time Michelin Bib Gourmand honoree and James Beard Foundation semifinalist. Start a cocktail hour with classic drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres like crispy calamari and chicken wings, followed by a customizable three-course menu that might feature whole fried fluke or Hanoi-style rice noodles with pork. A private room at the restaurant seats 45, or arrange a buyout for 110 seated guests.
Dine on Indian, Nepalese, and Himalayan cuisine at the family-owned Chicago Curry House in the South Loop. Some of the most popular choices are mixed vegetable pakora fritters, tandoori lamb tikka, mo mo dumplings, chicken curry, and vegetarian entrees. The restaurant can accommodate a table of 30 attendees, and a full buyout seats 100. Or arrange for catering services with trays to serve eight, 20 or 45 people at your off-site location.
Sunda New Asian offers its award-winning Southeast Asian fare at two downtown locations that can accommodate small or large gatherings. Curated group dining menus include several family-style dishes in each course, encouraging guests to sample a variety of dishes from countries that include Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Reserve the Fulton Market location for up to 40 attendees in the private dining room, 30 at communal tables, or 16 in the garden. At the River North restaurant, six private dining options range from 28 guests on the veranda, up to 60 in the South Room, and 100 in a dining room. The restaurants also offer catering services to bring their flavors to your site. Sunda was recognized as one of Travel + Leisure’s 100 Best Restaurants for Groups.
Make an online reservation for up to 20 attendees to savor the high-end comfort fare served at Sanctuary in River North. At the intimate women-owned spot from acclaimed restaurateur Rohini Dey and her former Vermilion lead chef, the menu is truly international. Taste Peruvian lomo saltado, British fish and chips, Indian pakoras, Korean chicken, Jalisco beef birria stew, American mac and cheese, and much more. Host a private party in the cocktail den, where Sanctuary serves craft drinks created by women mixologists.
Gifts and services
Delightful handcrafted sweets with unique South Asian flavors make Chocolat Uzma an excellent choice for gifts that capture the essence of your brand. The woman- and Asian Indian-owned chocolate shop in Pilsen fills customized gift boxes with an array of high-quality treats. Options include Kalayan caramels, house-made soft marshmallows, nut bark, Khajoor vegan bon bons, and sipping chocolate. Dark, white, and milk chocolate bon bon flavors include Moroccan mint, ginger, Kashmiri chai, passion, and coffee.
Show appreciation for your attendees by giving them boxes of French macarons in pastel colors and creative flavors like raspberry lemonade and salted caramel from Sugar Bliss bakery in the Loop. Order boxes of regular or mini cupcakes by the dozen — including gluten-free and vegan options — in flavors like cinnamon-carrot, lemon-coconut, red velvet, and vanilla-milk chocolate. Sugar Bliss also caters events, supplying made-from-scratch treats like breakfast pastries, cake pops, bars, brownies, and cookies. Or arrange for the Sugar Bliss Sweets Cart to make an appearance at your event.
VietFive Coffee shop in the West Loop serves and sells bags of Robusta light, medium, and dark roast plant-to-sip coffee grown and harvested in Ma Thot, Vietnam. The family-owned shop, which offers catering services, serves small bites like flavorful banh mi sandwiches, bowls, and air-fried empanadas. In addition to specialty coffees and lattes, VietFive also serves Boba drinks and refreshers like mango matcha, pomegranate, and coconut.
Planners seeking entertainment before, during, or after events or sessions should consider Mandala Arts. They’ll send talented ensemble members to present beautifully choreographed Indian dance, music, and even Bollywood shows at your event. Ask about their outreach events such as programs and workshops in their Loop, Lincoln Park, or Devon Avenue venues.
Expand the reach of your brand and mission with help from Magnolia Screen Printing, based in Chicago Lawn. The business specializes in custom-printed apparel, totes, and other promotional products for live activations, experiential marketing, and events. The Asian Indian-owned business prints retractable banners, table throws, event tents, and other marketing materials.
Learn about the many ways to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Chicago.
