Montgomery Village Board backs liquor license request for new Douglas Road restaurant

The Montgomery Village Board voiced unanimous support this week to a local restaurateur’s request for a liquor license for a new restaurant that would locate on Douglas Road in the village.

Dane Passo, owner of Pizza Cucina at 12 East Merchants Drive in Oswego, told the board Monday evening, Feb. 13, that he is seeking to open the restaurant in a storefront adjacent to the La Chiquita supermarket at 1587 Douglas Road.

Passo said the restaurant would feature homemade pasta and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches along with Chicago-style hot dogs.

The pasta menu would include homemade spaghetti marinara, fettuccine alfredo, pasta primavera, rigatoni bolognese and macaroni and cheese.

In addition to the food, the restaurant will feature six video gaming machines.

Board members unanimously agreed to move forward with Passo’s request for a Class G liquor license that would allow him to sell beer and wine for consumption inside the restaurant only.

Restaurants that hold Class G liquor licenses in the village are required to derive more than 50% of their gross revenue on an annual basis from the sale of food items.

Passo told board members he has been operating Pizza Cucina in neighboring Oswego for the past 23 years and operated a cafe at Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora for 10 years.

When questioned by the board, Passo said all food in his new Montgomery restaurant would be made on-site.

Passo said he believes it is “almost impossible” to open a new restaurant and not offer video gaming.

“It’s hard to make it right now with the price of everything,” he said. “This [video gaming] is an added bonus – it will not be a [gaming] parlor. This will be a restaurant with gaming.”

Passo said he offers video gaming at Pizza Cucina where the machines are roped off from the dining area.

Passo initially presented a plan for the restaurant to the board last October. At that time, however, the menu was limited to Chicago-style hot dogs and “some board members said they would be open to having a restaurant with gaming, but they were not interested in approving a gaming parlor with food,” according to a village staff memo.

Board members Feb. 13 voiced unanimous support for Passo’s revised plans and menu.

Passo said it may take four to six months to secure the licenses for the video gaming machines from the state of Illinois.

“Good luck, we are excited,” Village President Matt Brolley told Passo.