Blondies fills its upscale environment with locally sourced foods, and cocktails that have garnered effusive praise from Sauce Magazine. After dark, patrons sink into inviting leather seats to sip cocktails named for The World Trade's Fair, such as the Strawberry Blondie Martini topped off with champagne. Diners nibble Fox River cheeses or Salume Beddu charcuterie from shared small plates, trading bites like the rookie cards of favorite cheesemakers. During sunlit early hours, Blondies pairs specialty coffee drinks and organic loose-leaf tea with breakfast paninis, soufflés, and buttery popovers, and fuels afternoons with lunchtime fare including salads and sandwiches, as well as small plates plucked from the dinner menu.

Inside the calming confines, light glows from a wine-bottle chandelier on high, and smaller glass bulbs dangle from the ceiling. Golden hues swathe entering patrons, and the captivating textures of wood and dark leather beckon them into waiting booths.