OUR STORY
Maxwells Trading is the brainchild of Underscore Hospitality partners Josh Tilden and Erling Wu-Bower. Josh and Erling opened Maxwells so that they would have their ideal place to unwind, eat, drink and listen to music with their family and friends. Our name pays homage to Erling’s oldest son Maxwell and to the trade of goods and ideas taking place between our restaurant, our guests and our co-conspirators. Situated below an urban farm by The Roof Crop, Maxwells Trading is uniquely connected to the ingredients growing just above the dining room.
OUR TRADE
James Beard “Best Chef: Great Lakes” (2025) finalists Chef-Partner Erling Wu-Bower and Executive Chris Jung’s menu blends Asian influences with deeply American traditions, reflecting their own backgrounds and taking advantage of the rooftop’s bounty. Erling is the son of a Chinese immigrant a Louisiana-native, while Chris was born in Korea and raised in New York City and the D.C. suburbs.
OUR COMMUNITY
Maxwells Trading is part of a collective of food, design and sustainability-focused businesses at 1516 W. Carroll Avenue. The building is also home to:
The Roof Crop Farm & Foundation - a design-focused urban agriculture initiative and foundation mitigating climate change through productive green spaces
Third Season - an apothecary, design studio and coffee shop
Flashpoint Innovation - a food and beverage consultancy
The Roof Crop (TRC) supplies ingredients for the restaurant, including honey, and crops are selected collaboratively based on menu development. Together, the teams work towards a closed-loop system through composting, recycling and upcycling materials like wine bottles, beeswax and kitchen scraps.
Maxwells also partners with The Roof Crop Foundation to mentor young people in urban farming, restaurant operations and cooking, demonstrating how environmental stewardship can create meaningful career paths.