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IRVING PARK — Easy Street Pizza & Beer Garden will soon take over the former location of Pitchfork Food and Saloon in Irving Park.
Restaurateur Dan Latino’s Waterhouse Bar Group owns Pitchfork as well as Easy Street Pizza & Beer Garden in Portage Park. He told Block Club the Pitchfork concept ran its course and he’s excited to open a second Easy Street at Pitchfork’s former home at 2922 W. Irving Park Road.
“I opened Easy Street in Portage Park three years ago. I’m passionate about making pizza, and with everything going on figured it was the perfect time to open a second location since the Portage Park [community] has really supported us,” Latino said. “Usually after 10 years of the same thing places need to be refreshed or become something new.”
As part of the refresh, the Irving Park business has a new mural painted on its side by artist Nora Balayti.
Pitchfork announced in a June 9 Facebook post the business would end its 10-year run. The restaurant was known for its extensive whiskey selection alongside its ribs and burgers.
Latino aims to open Easy Street’s Irving Park location within the first week of July — but that all depends on when the final pieces of equipment he needs arrive.
“One of the things we’ve been up against during our opening, because of the pandemic, is a hard time getting equipment. We’re just waiting on our pizza ovens, which should arrive any day now,” Latino said.
Once the Irving Park location opens, the menu will feature similar items to Easy Street’s Portage Park location. Some of Pitchfork’s more popular dishes may also be added to it, Latino said.
“We’re going to continue to have the big patio on the side of business and keep showing sporting events. We’ll have a new cocktail and beer list, too,” Latino said.
For more information about the opening, go to Easy Street’s website.
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