Postino WineCafe to fill City Barbeque space at Mellody Farm in Vernon Hills

A newcomer to Illinois plans to fill the space formerly occupied by City Barbeque at the Mellody Farm dining and retail center in Vernon Hills.

Postino WineCafe received approval this week to modify the outdoor dining permit to expand seating into the area where two large, outdoor smokers had been.

The modification was requested in conjunction with changes to the exterior appearance of the building at 887 Milwaukee Ave., Unit 400.

Approvals for Mellody Farm allow village staff to authorize exterior appearance modification as long as the materials and colors are consistent with the character of the development.

Changes to the outdoor dining area require an update to the permit originally issued to City Barbeque, according to Andrew Jennings, community development director.

He said the new arrangement would allow seating for 65 and provide more of a three-season outdoor area. The village approved the modifications with the condition that safety bollards be added as the areas borders an entry drive.

Representatives for Postino did not attend the session. Jennings said the company is under contract to lease the space, but a planned opening has not been announced.

Information on its website shows Postino operates 30 sites mainly in Texas, Colorado, Arizona and California with two locations in North Carolina and one each in Georgia and Tennessee.

The venue offers “a chill ambiance that feels low key but special,” according to its website.

City Barbeque, based in Dublin, Ohio, was among the first tenants at Mellody Farm, which opened in 2018. According to the company, the Vernon Hills restaurant closed because of “circumstances outside our control.”

City Barbeque locations in Park Ridge and Deerfield remain open.