3 Aurora eateries can scale back late-night food, still sell drinks

Three Aurora restaurants will be allowed to scale back their late-night food menus while continuing to sell alcoholic beverages.

The Aurora City Council on Tuesday granted new liquor license categories to Gillerson's Grubbery, in downtown Aurora at 31 W. New York St.; McBride's North, on Aurora's far southeast side at 2340 S. Eola Road; and Hopvine Brewing Company, near the Fox Valley Mall at 4030 Fox Valley Center Drive on the city's far east side.

The new classification does not allow the businesses to stay open later, said Chief Management Officer Carie Anne Ergo. "It allows them to have a late-night menu with a scaled-down kitchen operation toward the end of the evening," she said. The restaurants can offer the limited food offerings after 11 p.m. on weekends and after 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Other requirements of the new license are that "a menu of five hot food items from the full menu, at least two of which must be a hot sandwich plate or similar, shall be served," and "a certified food preparer must prepare all limited menu items on premises, be present at all times during the sale of alcoholic liquor, and while a lounge on the premises is open."

City Clerk Wendy McCambridge said the liquor code was amended last August after some restaurants asked for the change.

McCambridge said the city informed the 50 or so establishments with similar liquor licenses that they could switch to the new classification for the same renewal fee of $2,070. Changes in class must be approved by the city council.

During the week, the establishments may remain open until midnight. Friday and Saturday closing time is 1 a.m., McCambridge said.