- Credibility:
HUMBOLDT PARK — Popular Northwest Side pizza joint Dante’s is opening its first dine-in location in Humboldt Park.
The pizzeria is taking over the former home of The Shelby and Haywood Tavern at 2759 W. Augusta Blvd. The owners expect to open before Thanksgiving, according to partner George Simos.
Patrons can expect a menu that’s similar to that of the Logan Square, Avondale and Ravenswood locations — minus the full pies, Simos said.
The Humboldt Park restaurant will instead focus on slices (six per day, one of which will always be vegan), sandwiches and salads paired with beer and cocktails. The space has a full bar, which is new for the mini chain. The existing locations are counter-service only.
Simos, who was also a partner at The Shelby and Haywood Tavern, said the Humboldt Park location won’t offer delivery because the existing locations already deliver around Humboldt Park.
“This will be dine-in, carryout — very much just run like a neighborhood corner bar where the food happens to be Dante’s with the requisite demons on the wall,” Simos said, referring to the pizzeria’s theme.
Simos, who is also a partner at Crown Liquors, said the Humboldt Park location just made sense.
“This is our stronghold of our clientele,” Simos said of the area. “I’m in the bar business, they’re in the pizza business. We always thought putting the two together would be kind of fun.”
A firm opening date will be announced in the coming days.
Simos and his partners are hoping third time’s a charm for the cursed corner location. The Shelby, the most recent establishment to call the space home, closed after just seven months of business. Before that, Haywood Tavern lasted only two years there.
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