‘Something special’: The Grove at Bloomingdale takes big step with announcement of five new restaurants

The Grove at Bloomingdale is taking a major step toward becoming the village’s new center.

Bloomingdale has announced the first five new restaurants that will anchor the $375 million mixed-use redevelopment project on the site of the former Stratford Square Mall.

Suburban favorites GIA MIA and Hacienda Real will be joined by a yet-to-be-named contemporary Greek restaurant from Chicago-based Forte Hospitality Group and a pair of Boston imports — Game On! and Loretta’s Last Call.

Village President Franco Coladipietro said what’s happening with the redevelopment of the former mall property is “really, really exciting for Bloomingdale”

“It's amazing,” he said.

The new restaurants will anchor the entertainment center featuring a curated mix of dining, shopping and residential offerings. It will be centered around public gathering spaces, including a scenic lake with water features and a central event lawn that converts into a seasonal ice rink.

“To see the transformation of this site is unbelievable,” Coladipietro said. “I mean, two, three years ago, the community had a million square feet of vacant space and underutilized land that used to be an economic engine.”

Coladipietro said the project started with the idea of creating an entertainment district that’s also a community meeting space. While he knew there would be questions about the village developing real estate, he saw the opportunity to create a town center that Bloomingdale lacked.

“Obviously it's a real estate development,” he said. “But to me, it was an infrastructure investment in our community. We have this opportunity to create something special there.”

That something special got a kickstart with a commitment from The Yard, a 100,000-square-foot indoor sports and family recreation complex that should open in the first half of 2027, Coladipietro said.

The five announced restaurants, which will own the plots on which they’re being built, are expected by the fourth quarter of 2027, “before the holiday season.”

Next on the list are residential apartments and townhouses, as well as a 33,000-square-foot building with lease spaces for more fast-casual type eateries and retail.

Coladipietro said he believes the first five restaurants provide a solid base for the development.

“We were able to work with a number of amazing providers that give us diversity from the outset of this, so that hopefully all those restaurants can thrive,” he said.

Patrick Lyons of the Boston-based Lyons Group of restaurants is no stranger to the suburbs, having helped Rosemont develop Parkway Bank Park with eateries including Kings Dining and Entertainment and Saltwater Coastal Grill.

They plan to bring two successful Boston concepts to Bloomingdale — Loretta’s Last Call, a combination of dining, live entertainment and country-inspired nightlife; and Game On!, a sports entertainment experience.

Lyons, who was a co-founder of the original House of Blues, said the goal with his restaurants is to create “iconic experiential places.”

“Entertainment is in our DNA,” he said.

Loretta’s promises to bring a taste of Nashville (via Boston) to Bloomingdale with dining, live entertainment and line dancing every Sunday and Wednesday.

“With Loretta’s, if you don't have a good time, it may very well be your own fault,” Lyons said.

Game On! plans to combine the atmosphere of a neighborhood sports bar with an immersive destination featuring games and more than 50 TVs throughout the space that will offer game audio. Lyons said guests will enjoy “better food than you would expect.”

Lyons said he considers Coladipietro a “visionary mayor” in the mold of Rosemont’s Brad Stephens. And though he called himself the “odd man out as a Bostonian,” he said he’s had long working relationships with the “Chicago-based people” handling the architecture, design and leasing of The Grove project.

“They think the world of this location and this opportunity and what it's going to be transformed into,” he said. “The design is organic, and it's going to be dramatic and fun. I think people are going to dig it.

“We're excited and delighted and honored to be a part of it, and we can't wait.”

Coladipietro said he flew to Boston to meet Lyons and visit some of the group’s restaurants to make sure they were the right fit for The Grove.

“These guys are legit operators,” he said. “You can't help but be impressed with what they do and how they do it. It’s really special.”

For GIA MIA, it will be the ninth location serving its chef-driven approach to modern Italian dining, featuring Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas, fresh pastas, creative small plates, handmade mozzarella and a thoughtfully curated selection of wine, craft beer and cocktails.

“Bloomingdale feels like a natural next step for GIA MIA,” Brian Goewey, founder and president of BG Hospitality Group, said in a news release. “We’ve built this brand around being part of the communities we serve, and The Grove is being designed with that same sense of connection in mind.”

Hacienda Real is a contemporary Mexican restaurant concept with locations in Bolingbrook, Geneva, Vernon Hills and Yorkville that celebrates the culinary traditions of Mexico through a fresh, modern approach to hospitality, design and dining.

Known for its vibrant atmosphere — picture lots of authentic decor paired with flaming cocktails — each Hacienda Real location is intentionally designed to reflect the character of its surrounding community while maintaining a consistent commitment to quality, authenticity and hospitality.

Forte Hospitality Group will offer up a contemporary Greek restaurant for The Grove that will feature authentic Mediterranean flavors, elevated hospitality and a vibrant dining experience to the development.

The group is known for chef-driven restaurants such as Butcher & The Bear, Ithaki Estiatorio and Sapori Trattoria that pair exceptional cuisine with thoughtfully designed spaces.

Coladipietro hopes the announcement will provide some excitement and be a sign of progress for the community.

“I know for the residents, it seems like forever,” he said. “But this is an investment in the community that will hopefully yield dividends for years to come,” he said.

rwest@dailyherald.com