Libertyville’s wood-fired favorite Pizzeria DeVille is rolling south, locking in a lease for the former Giordano’s spot in downtown Evanston. Owner J.R. Escobar and his team plan to open a second location at 1527 Chicago Avenue in mid-March, once renovations wrap up. The new outpost lands on the high-traffic corner of Chicago Avenue and Davis Street, just steps from Northwestern’s campus.
According to What Now, the lease was recently signed, and construction on the downtown Evanston space is set to begin soon. Escobar told the outlet that “he and the team are aiming to open in mid-March.”
Menu And The Operator
Pizzeria DeVille shows the Libertyville restaurant as a two-story, wood-fired spot at 404 N. Milwaukee Ave that serves everything from classic Margherita pies to a Nutella dessert pizza, and also runs a mobile pizza trailer for local events. The Daily Herald reported last year that Escobar bought the DeVille name and recipes and reopened the Libertyville location under his management.
What Giordano’s Left Behind
Giordano’s vacated the 1527 Chicago Ave location in January 2025, leaving a prime corner empty and waiting for a new tenant, the Daily Northwestern reported. At the time, signage at the storefront said Giordano’s planned to relocate elsewhere in Evanston while it searched for a new property.
Timing And Neighborhood
The lease for 1527 Chicago Avenue has now been finalized, and construction is scheduled to kick off soon, What Now reports. Escobar’s team says the Evanston restaurant will not be a carbon copy of the Libertyville spot, with plans to focus on hand-stretched and tavern-style pies alongside sandwiches, burgers, and Philly cheesesteaks.
If Escobar sticks to the mid-March target, downtown workers and Northwestern students could see DeVille’s ovens fired up in time for spring quarter. For updates on hours, the final menu and an official opening date, see Pizzeria DeVille.
