Longman & Eagle: A Menu with a New Vegetable Focus

Longman & Eagle, a popular Logan Square restaurant, recently celebrated its sixteenth anniversary. Known for dishes like the wild boar sloppy Joe, the restaurant has a new direction under Chef Alex Swieton, who enjoys highlighting vegetables.

Swieton, who became the executive chef in August 2025, explains, “It’s the same, but different. It’s the restaurant I fell in love with years ago.” This sentiment is aligned with the traditional values of Longman & Eagle, which opened in 2010 and gained reputation for its Michelin-starred bar food and whiskey pairings.

Longman & Eagle has since moved to a Michelin Bib Gourmand status. Swieton appreciates this shift, wanting to cook exceptional food for everyday people. Despite the new focus, some classics remain, like the sloppy Joe, double smashburger, and roasted bone marrow.

Vegetable dishes are gaining attention with Swieton’s distinctive style. Their cucumber salad shows complexity with a mix of raw and grilled cucumbers, pickled fennel, all dressed in melon vinaigrette and finished with basil creme fraiche.

“That’s maybe one of my favorite things I’ve ever made,” Swieton remarked. “And the vegetable dishes are always bangers.”

Swieton sources her cucumbers from Nichols Farm & Orchard, 60 miles from Chicago, choosing varieties like the large Armenian cucumbers and lemon cucumbers. The dish’s pickled fennel and basil add layers of flavor.

Carnivores can still find new favorite dishes, like a beef heart tartare that innovatively includes smoked trout tonnato sauce, paired with beef fat crackers. Addressing rising beef prices, Swieton sources the heart from Slagel Farm, turning a traditional French dish into one with Midwest flair.

Pork ribs also make a seasonal appearance with a cherry char siu glaze, complemented by an almond crunch and green onion relish. Sourced from Kilgus Farmstead, the ribs are prepared in a unique Chicago-style, cooked in foil over several hours to tender perfection.

Seasonal options include summer squash with grilled and shaved zucchini, served with hari chutney and flavors of coconut curry and garlic labneh. The menu maintains variety with dishes like burrata, paired creatively every few months, currently with grilled peaches and eggplant caponata.

In the beverage menu, bar manager Jay Cullen’s nonalcoholic Calamansi Crush drink combines citrus flavors with a hint of salt, while the espresso martini upgrades its classic counterpart with Italian and American ingredients.

For dessert, try the peanut butter pie or French fry ice cream. The latter surprises with its combination of malted chocolate mousse and matchstick fries, offering a fresh take on the traditional sweet and salty combination.

Service at Longman & Eagle remains a key to the dining experience. While a recent visit encountered slower service due to kitchen issues, staff responded by offering extra complimentary dishes, keeping guests satisfied.

Longman & Eagle is located at 2657 N. Kedzie Ave. in Chicago and is open daily with varied closing times on weekdays and weekends.

Contact: longmanandeagle.com or 773-276-7110

Prices range from $11 for French fry ice cream to $26 for pork ribs. The restaurant is noted for its excellent food, achieving a rating of three stars from the Tribune.