Two much-anticipated restaurants should open soon in Wheeling.
The first suburban Rosebud Steakhouse is set to begin welcoming customers Oct. 1 at the Uptown 500 apartment and retail complex, 500 W. Dundee Road.
And across the street in the Wheeling Town Center complex, a Thanksgiving opening is still the goal for Moretti’s, 365 W. Dundee Road.
Part of the Creative Hospitality Concepts Restaurant Group, Rosebud Steakhouses operate in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood and in Munster, Indiana. Plans for the Wheeling restaurant were announced more than a year ago.
Rosebud Steakhouse will be on the first floor of the Uptown 500 residential and retail complex in Wheeling.
Russell Lissau/[email protected]
The six-story Uptown 500 complex stands at the northwest corner of Dundee Road and Northgate Parkway. It includes 321 apartments and 10,500 square feet of commercial space.
Rosebud will be the first business to open in Uptown 500, which has had residential tenants since 2020.
Large red letters reading “Rosebud Steakhouse” have been added to the southeastern facade of the building, just above what will be the restaurant’s front doors. Beneath the name, in white letters on a black background, is the restaurant’s catchy slogan: “A Rare Steakhouse Well Done.”
Work crews on Friday continued getting the place ready for service.
Moretti’s was announced last month. It’s taking over a free-standing building that was occupied by City Works until that eatery closed permanently in December.
Founded in Chicago in 1992, Moretti’s is a family-owned chain that’s exclusive to the Chicago area and is especially known for pizza and pasta dishes.
Other Moretti’s restaurants can be found in Barrington, Elgin, Mount Prospect, Rosemont, Schaumburg and elsewhere.
A Moretti’s restaurant is moving into the former City Works building in Wheeling Town Center.
Russell Lissau/[email protected]
Uptown 500 and the Wheeling Town Center complex are key parts of the transit-oriented, downtown district village officials have been trying to create along that stretch of Dundee Road. The village’s Metra station is next to Town Center.
“The addition of these Chicago institutions creates a regional draw to support the exciting downtown project,” Sfondilis said, adding that they will “remind folks that Wheeling is the place to come and eat.”
The village board is scheduled to meet as Wheeling’s liquor control commission Monday to issue liquor licenses for both restaurants. That’ll be part of the regular board meeting set for 6:30 p.m. at village hall, 2 Community Blvd.
Also Monday, the village board will consider awarding a municipal grant to Rosebud to help fund the construction work there. The board is scheduled to formally support Moretti’s request to Cook County officials for a property tax break, too.