The Graceful Ordinary, St. Charles' Newest Dining Experience
All photos courtesy of The Graceful Ordinary via Matt Reeves
Nestled elegantly along the scenic Fox River, downtown St. Charles’ newest restaurant is anything but ordinary. For this Feature Friday, Stay + Play Local is pleased to introduce our community to Chris and Megan Curren, owners of The Graceful Ordinary, which recently opened its doors on November 12th.
The Graceful Ordinary prides itself on home and hearth, with a concept that blends multiple regional American styles of food cooked skillfully over a wood-burning fire, with a refined presentation which still delights with comforting feelings of home. As veterans of Chicago’s world-class dining and hospitality scenes, Chris and Megan set their sights on the thriving historic area of St. Charles after relocating back to the Fox Valley area. When the opportunity presented itself to reinvent the former BMO Harris Bank space on Main Street, the Currens knew they had to jump on “arguably the best location in the area,” they said.
When asked why Chris and Megan chose this town to set down the roots of their restaurant, they knew without a doubt. “St. Charles is truly a special community, full of life and character. Living here, we’ve spent a lot of time in the area, and we’ve fallen in love with the city and its people. We’ve known for quite some time that we wanted to create something here.” With Chris serving as executive chef, and Megan as sales manager, this husband and wife duo look forward to charming their guests with warm, welcoming hospitality, in a sophisticated setting perfect for happy hour drinks after work, date nights, or private events.
As the Currens developed their vision for their business, they mentioned that the very last line of The Graceful Ordinary’s mission statement is “to serve this community now and for generations to come.” And that service is something they take very seriously. “Being a contributing member of the community, both in and out of the restaurant, has always been a number one focus for us while developing our business,” Chris and Megan stated. “We make sure to work closely with local businesses and organizations for charitable donations, fundraising events, and sourcing. Some examples include working with local breweries like Pollyanna, Riverlands, and 96Octane as well as sourcing our charcuterie boards from Campbell Creations. Furthermore, we have also made a priority of spotlighting some of our favorite local businesses via our social media.”
Thoughtfully hand-crafted cocktails, a broad wine list, locally sourced beers, and exquisite small plates and entrees such as Octopus Carpaccio, Acorn Squash Ravioli, and Wood-Roasted Dry Aged Strip Steak, are carefully curated by the skillful staff, and are sure to provide a memorable experience for all guests of The Graceful Ordinary. “We just love making people happy,” the Currens elaborated when discussing the shared passion for their line of work. “There is no better feeling for us than seeing people enjoying themselves and a good meal. I think that for all the people in the hospitality industry who truly excel and enjoy what they do, the number one driving factor is seeing people happy.”
Chris, Megan, and their team look forward to showing guests their attention to detail and commitment to providing the exceptional experience they believe sets them apart in a busy dining scene. The Graceful Ordinary is located at 3 E Main Street in St. Charles, and is open for dinner Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4pm - 10pm, Thursdays from 4pm - 11pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 4pm - midnight. For more information, please visit www.thegracefulordinary.com, email the team at yourfriends@thegracefulordinary.com, or follow @thegracefulordinary on Facebook and Instagram.
And if you visit, be sure to tag @StayAndPlay.TriCities on Facebook or Instagram in your adventures, or email pics to Info@StayAndPlayLocal.com to be entered in our #PhotoOfTheWeek competition!
-xoxo- Cheers, friends!
