The Evanston restaurant menu is expanding again, with five new restaurants and a popcorn store scheduled to open in the winter or early spring.
Morris Robinson, an economic development planner for the city, said a booming downtown entertainment industry has spurred the development of the new eateries.
“I’m very pleased that Evanston is a draw to businesses,” Robinson said. “And the ones we attract are not fly-by-night businesses.”
Baja Fresh Mexican Grill, 901 Church St., is scheduled to open in Evanston by early February.
Gene Cameron, vice president of marketing for Baja Fresh, said putting a restaurant in Evanston was an easy choice for the Mexican Grill, because there was already a crowd of customers that would enjoy the Mexican cuisine.
The chain, which also has branches in several Chicago suburbs, offers specialities like a baja burrito and a salsa bar.
“This is not your traditionally cheesy, sloppy Mexican fare,” Cameron said.
Chili’s Bar & Grill, another national chain, will be moving into its Church Street Plaza location on Feb. 13, with seats for 213 customers.
A Chili’s public relations officer said Evanston’s strong retail traffic, abundant office space and large population make downtown an ideal location.
A current Evanston restaurant owner has decided one eatery isn’t enough. Giovanni Garelli, who owns Tapas Barcelona at 1615 Chicago Ave. has decided to open Gio Restaurant, an authentic Italian Eatery.
Garelli said his decision to open a second restaurant downtown was influenced by the proximity of his first business and the saturation of people in Evanston.
A new pizza joint will fill the vacancy left when Yesterday’s grill closed three years ago. Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria is scheduled to open by May on the corner of Sherman Avenue and University Place.
Richard Oleff, director of marketing for Lou Malnati’s, said he expects Northwestern students to be a mainstay for the new eatery. The restaurant, which features Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, would offer carry-out, dine-in and delivery services.
Subway and a popcorn store, Gary Poppins, are slated to fill in the storefront on Sherman Avenue previously occupied by Student Book Exchange. Both have applied for zoning permits from Evanston City Council.
In addition to the new restaurants, progress on the Church Street Plaza, 1765 Maple Ave., is following closely to schedule, according to the director of finance at Arthur Hill & Co., which developed the plaza.
The four-story annex of the Optima View Towers is on schedule to open in April. A multi-story condominium tower will follow in the fall. Borders is moving next to the tower from its current location at 1629 Orrington Ave.
