Giordano's Is Coming Back to Wrigleyville — Closer to the Ballpark Than Ever
By Socialhood News · Wrigleyville ·
Wrigleyville neighbors, the neighborhood's restaurant landscape just got a significant piece of news this week — and it's the kind that tends to generate strong opinions on a block full of people who care deeply about their deep dish. On November 9, Giordano's announced that a new location is on its way to Wrigleyville, and that it will be positioned closer to Wrigley Field than the Lakeview outpost it is replacing.
The Chicago deep-dish institution confirmed the move in a press release this past Sunday, though the company has not yet released a specific street address. What Giordano's did make clear is that the new location will be nearer to the ballpark than its previous Lakeview footprint, and that it is targeting a 2027 opening. For a neighborhood that is actively preparing to host the MLB All-Star Game in 2027 — and that has watched the blocks around Clark and Addison evolve substantially over the past several years — the timing is not incidental.
"Wrigleyville is such an iconic part of Chicago, and we're excited to continue being part of the neighborhood's incredible energy, and tradition," said Nick Scarpino, CEO of Giordano's, in the company's press release. That framing — continuing, not starting fresh — is worth noting: Giordano's is not arriving in Wrigleyville as a newcomer. The brand has had a Lakeview presence, and this move represents a deliberate repositioning toward the ballpark corridor rather than an entirely new market entry.
The announcement adds Giordano's to what is shaping up as a genuinely consequential 2027 restaurant pipeline for the Clark Street corridor. Back in July, Portillo's announced it would be opening its first-ever Wrigleyville location at 3519 N. Clark St. — about a block south of Wrigley Field — also targeting a 2027 debut. That 4,600-square-foot location will seat more than 60 guests and will feature the brand's first-ever walk-up window, purpose-built for ordering and pickup. "There's no better place to celebrate them than near another iconic Chicago institution and one of the nation's most recognized baseball stadiums," Portillo's CEO Brett Patterson said at the time of the July announcement.
Taken together, Giordano's and Portillo's represent two of Chicago's most iconic food brands both making calculated bets on Wrigleyville's 2027 moment. The All-Star Game — which Major League Baseball awarded to Wrigley Field and which is driving the $32.1 million bollard and perimeter security project currently underway around the ballpark — is functioning as a magnet for exactly this kind of investment. When the national sports media descends on the neighborhood next summer, Clark Street will have a markedly different restaurant lineup than it does today.
For neighbors, the Giordano's news carries a texture that goes beyond the business story. Deep dish in Wrigleyville is both a practical question (where do you take out-of-town guests after a game?) and a cultural one — the neighborhood has historically had to send visitors further afield for the experience that most defines Chicago food to outsiders. A Giordano's location closer to the ballpark, combined with Portillo's first walk-up window a block south of the marquee, suggests the corridor is building toward a more complete version of Chicago's culinary identity, not just its bar scene.
Specific details on the Giordano's address, square footage, seating, and opening date have not yet been released. The company indicated that more information will be shared closer to opening via its website and social media channels. Neighbors who want to follow the story as it develops can keep an eye on Giordano's official channels for updates as the 2027 timeline comes into focus.
Neighbors, what do you make of Giordano's moving closer to Wrigley — long overdue, or are you loyal to your current deep-dish spot on the North Side? And with both Giordano's and Portillo's targeting 2027 openings on the Clark Street corridor, which arrival are you more excited about? Drop your take in the comments and let your neighbors know where you stand on the great deep-dish debate.
Sources:
1. https://whatnow.com/chicago/restaurants/giordanos-reopening-in-lakeview-closer-to-wrigley-field/
2. https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/portillos-chicago-wrigleyville-location
3. https://www.portillos.com/wrigleyville/