A taste of Italy: Positano Ristorante to open in downtown Wheaton

The owners of Positano Ristorante, an Oakbrook Terrace restaurant serving up old-school Italian pastas, seafood and an aperitivo scene, plan to replicate the concept in downtown Wheaton.

The white tablecloth restaurant celebrated its third anniversary last December. Now, a second Positano Ristorante is expected to take over the former Wok-n-Fire space just across from the Wheaton French market pavilion. The previous sushi-focused restaurant had limited hours.

“It’s great to have that space activated on a full-time basis … we’re very excited that there’s a new restaurant coming in there,” said Jim Kozik, the city’s planning and economic development director.

The proposed restaurant is set to occupy a first-floor dining spot in a prominent five-story corner building at Liberty Drive and Cross Street.

Positano has a robust menu at its Oakbrook Terrace restaurant, including the classics: a bowl of rigatoni in a vodka tomato cream sauce, linguine with little neck clams, ravioli and chicken parmigiana with a side of pasta. The aperitivo happy hours feature such antipasto plates as arancini, toasted burrata and meatballs over polenta.

The owners have not yet indicated a timeline for opening their new restaurant in Wheaton, but Kozik understands it’s going to be in the early fall.

The restaurant group behind Positano has applied for a full liquor license. The city’s liquor control commission is set to review the application during a meeting Thursday night. If commissioners recommend approval, the application will come before the city council on Sept. 3.

The restrooms for the Wok-n-Fire restaurant were in the lobby of the 120 E. Liberty building. The landlord is currently building restrooms inside the restaurant space, Kozik said. Once that work is complete, Positano will start the interior remodel. It will have a similar layout: the lounge on one side and the restaurant on the other with the main entrance between them.

The space has good visibility from the street and plenty of parking in the evenings and weekends, Kozik said. The interior can seat up to 250.