Celebrity chef considering long vacant Fritzl’s restaurant in Lake Zurich for next venture
Plans to convert a former favorite eatery on Route 12 in Lake Zurich to a firehouse-themed restaurant are off the table but a familiar name in town is considering a new idea.
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Fabio Viviani and partner Romeo Kapudija are exploring plans for a new restaurant in the former Fritzl's European Restaurant & Pub, which closed in 2021 after 36 years.
The village board two years ago approved plans by husband-and-wife duo Kris and Moriah Schoenberger for Station 52 Truck Company Bar & Grill, pitched as a follow-up to the Station 51, which opened in downtown Antioch in 2021.
But that project didn’t materialize and the property was sold to Viviani and Kapudija, according to the village.
Schoenberger this week acknowledged he no longer was involved in a project for Fritzl’s but declined to comment on the circumstances.
Village staff met with Kapudija and a contractor last week regarding the proposed interior demolition of the property and potential plans to remodel the interior for an Asian-themed restaurant, according to village officials.
Fabio operates 40 restaurant concepts nationally including Giostra by Fabio Viviani, which opened last fall at the Arboretum of South Barrington.
In March 2024, he opened Lago, an Italian steakhouse, at The Sanctuary on Lake Zurich townhouse complex developed by Kapudija at the southeast corner of Rand and Old Rand roads, across the street from the former Fritzl's.
Plans for the new venture are being reviewed by the village. They intend to use the plans and special use entitlements granted to the Schoenbergers with no significant changes, according to Sarosh Saher, community development director.
A timeline or next steps have not been disclosed. Viviani said it was too early to discuss future projects and concept.
While a new restaurant in the heavily traveled corridor is welcome, proposals for a key area known as Block A in the downtown business district overlooking the southeast shore of the namesake lake are not being pursued. The village has renewed efforts to market the property.
Two separate concepts for Block A, both involving a mix of apartments above ground-floor businesses, were presented last year to the village board for courtesy reviews. One of them from Viviani and Kapudija was for 56 apartments and two ground-floor restaurants.
However, neither development is proceeding, according to Michael Duebner, assistant village manager.
He said the village is “aggressively marketing” the 1.67-acre lot for redevelopment. Asking price is $1.62 million.