Make plans for new restaurants coming to the suburbs in 2025
A new year brings with it the promise of a bevy of new restaurants expected to open in the suburbs in 2025. Here’s a taste of what we know is to come, including Vicolo, The Greggory Hearth and Tavern, the suburbs’ first Pizza Ranch and more.
One of the first new openings will take place in mid-January when Tangled Roots Brewing Company opens in The Arboretum of South Barrington. Known for their craft beer with hops and barley grown on a family farm in Ottawa, the restaurant will feature frequently evolving menus combining traditional favorites with more adventurous local dishes, all given a chef “twist.” The promise of high-quality cuisine comes with a down-to-earth vibe befitting their small-town roots. It will be the fifth location for Tangled Roots, which also has restaurants in Ottawa, Glenview, Lockport and Vernon Hills.
The Arb will also welcome another new restaurant when The Greggory Hearth and Tavern opens. Centered around live-fire cooking in an open kitchen, the menu will feature prime cuts of beef, fresh seafood and homemade pastas. The Greggory is led by seasoned industry veterans from the Gibsons Restaurant and Rosewood Steakhouse Groups. Their website says they’ll be open in January.
The team behind The Graceful Ordinary in St. Charles expects to open the new Italian concept Vicolo in downtown Aurora this spring. The European-inspired eatery will transition from a café in the daytime to a restaurant in the evening. They’ll also be upgrading the property’s adjacent small park, known as “Skinny Park,” into an outdoor seating area and “piazza” for al fresco dining. Vicolo will be located at 7 S. Broadway.
The long-awaited opening of HopScotch in Schaumburg will happen this summer. The British pub-themed restaurant concept will serve a diverse menu of food items, including English, Indian, Portuguese and American dishes. Despite these eclectic food offerings, the restaurant’s name is a reference to the types of alcoholic beverage — including “hops” and scotch — in which it plans to specialize. HopScotch is at 40 S. Roselle Road.
A new Fogo de Chao will be coming next year to 1950 E. Golf Road, across from Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. It’s the fifth Chicago-area location of the Brazilian steakhouse, which specializes in churrasco barbecued meats and side dishes.
Also in Schaumburg, Blufish Sushi will take over the former location of Jason’s Deli at 1530 McConnor Parkway. It will be the restaurant’s fourth location, joining restaurants in Glenview, Park Ridge and Vernon Hills. Blufish promises “a singular dining experience through their own modern interpretation of traditional Japanese cuisine.” An opening date has not yet been announced.
Yard House will open its third suburban location as part of the Hawthorn Mall redevelopment at 950 Milwaukee Ave. in Vernon Hills. With over 100 beers on tap, Yard House is said to have one of the world’s largest draft beer selections. Each American craft and import beer is chilled to 36 degrees and stored in a glass-enclosed keg room housing hundreds of kegs and up to 3,000 gallons of beer. The restaurant also offers crafted cocktails and a diverse lunch, dinner, happy hour and late-night dining menu inspired by its California roots. The restaurant is set to open in July or August.
Burl, the first restaurant by husband-and-wife chefs Thomas Carlin and Rachel Canfora-Carlin, is set to open at 2545 Prairie Ave. in Evanston in 2025. Burl will feature a farmer-driven, wood-fired kitchen, which will offer shared plates, curated wines and an optional casual tasting menu experience.
Hacienda Real is expected to bring its authentic Mexican flavors to Vernon Hills this spring as they renovate the former Chili’s at 371 W. Townline Road. It will be the third location, joining restaurants in Geneva and Yorkville.
Fenton Brewing Company will add to the rich microbrewery scene in Mundelein when it opens at 428 N. Chicago Ave. It will be the village’s fourth brew pub.
Pizza Ranch, one of the largest pizza chains in the Midwest, will be opening its first suburban Chicago location in Round Lake Beach at 780 E. Rollins Road. Founded in 1981 with its first location in Hull, Iowa, the chain has more than 210 restaurants in 14 states. It’s known for its all-you-can-eat “Buffet Your Way” concept featuring a selection of pizzas, fried chicken, salads, sides and desserts. It will be the ninth Illinois location when it opens in June.
A new Moretti’s is being readied at 365 W. Dundee Road in the Wheeling Town Center complex. It’s taking over a building previously occupied by City Works until late last year.
Guzman y Gomez, a fast-casual Mexican concept specializing in burritos, tacos and more, will open in Deerfield on Thursday, Jan. 9. It will be the fifth U.S. location, all in the suburbs, for the Australian chain.
After a 40-year absence, Jack in the Box is returning to the Chicago area with multiple locations planned for the suburbs. Locations in Lake in the Hills, Carol Stream, Naperville and Plainfield should open in 2025.