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Second Meat and Potato Eatery location opens this week in Carpentersville

A comfortable atmosphere and hearty, homestyle food are top priorities for operators of a new fast-casual restaurant opening Wednesday in Carpentersville.

With a concept that caters largely to families, Meat & Potato Eatery falls somewhere between a fast-food establishment and a fine dining experience, Chief Operating Officer Colin Hegarty said. In addition to catering, delivery and carryout services, he said, a dine-in option will allow customers to sit down while runners serve their food and clear the table when they're done eating.

Restaurant operators have spent the last several months gutting, renovating and redesigning the layout of a vacant building at 2258 Randall Road, which formerly housed Garibaldi's Italian Eatery, Hegarty said. The site is the Meat & Potato Eatery's second location, the first of which opened more than a year ago in McHenry.

“We're excited about this concept because this is kind of the footprint we're looking for as we move forward and open up other locations,” Hegarty said, noting a third restaurant is slated to open in Lake Zurich. “The biggest thing we're excited for is being able to take care of the local community.”

Owners of Meat & Potato Eatery, a new fast-casual restaurant in Carpentersville, spent the last six months gutting and renovating the building at 2258 Randall Road, the site of the former Garibaldi's Italian Eatery. Courtesy of Colin Hegarty

The chain is owned by brothers and experienced restaurateurs Ted and Andy Zatos, who also own several Brunch Cafe locations in the suburbs. With Meat & Potato Eatery, Ted Zatos said earlier, they wanted to create a new concept that would attract a dinner crowd and offer a different experience than the contemporary breakfast and lunch environment at their other restaurants.

A soft opening was held at the Carpentersville site last week to allow operators to “iron out the kinks” before officially opening Wednesday with carryout and dine-in services, Hegarty said. The drive-through and delivery options will begin next week.

The menu includes traditional and specialty sandwiches, gyros, Italian beef, chicken kebabs, various forms of potatoes and the restaurant's featured item: meat and potato bowls with multiple toppings and ingredients served over potatoes, fries or steamed vegetables.

Meat & Potato Eatery opens at 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sundays. It closes at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 p.m. the rest of the week.

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