After standing vacant since January 2024, a prime slice of downtown Naperville real estate finally has a new tenant. This summer, Pronto Italian Sandwiches will open a new location at 221 S. Washington St., which formerly housed BD’s Mongolian Grill.
The restaurant is expected to make its Naperville debut by late June, owner Peter Burdi said.
“We’re super excited,” Burdi said. “I think it’s going to be busy.”
The Naperville store will be the eatery’s third location, said Burdi, who also operates two other suburban eateries: a sushi restaurant called Nabuki and Il Poggiolo Ristorante, specializing in Italian cuisine. Both are located in Hinsdale.
Pronto originally opened as a pop-up shop inside Il Poggiolo in February 2024, Burdi said. The concept was born out of a sandwich Burdi and his wife tried while in Italy a few years ago.
In 2021, the Burr Ridge couple went to Milan to visit their daughter, Isabella, who was studying abroad at the University of Milan. During the visit, Isabella insisted on taking them to her favorite sandwich shop, which she passed every day on the way to class, Burdi said. That’s where Pronto got its start.
“We just kind of fell in love with the sandwiches that we were eating,” he said. They especially became infatuated with the specialty bread the shop used. Schiacciata is a crispy flatbread made with flour, water and olive oil.
Once back in the U.S., the Burdis tried to find a bakery that could make and supply the bread but ultimately decided to learn how to make it themselves. From there, they and their Il Poggiolo chef Saul Maya developed their own sandwiches using schiacciata.
Today, Pronto offers sandwich fixings ranging from roasted eggplant and spicy zucchini to burrata and pistachio cream. Its menu also includes a selection of salads and soups.
Alongside its pop-up location, Pronto also opened a space at O’Hare International Airport last fall, Burdi said. Soon, Pronto also will be moving out of Il Poggiolo and into its own standalone location at 114 S. Washington St. in downtown Hinsdale.That’s slated to open over the next few weeks, he said.
As for its Naperville spot, Pronto will be opening in a portion of what had been BD’s Mongolian space. That restaurant was shuttered more than a year ago by its corporate owners after the location became too expensive to operate.
What will fill out the rest of the grill’s location has yet to be determined, said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance.
“The downtown Naperville food scene just got even more delicious and vibrant,” Wood said in an emailed statement Friday. “We’re thrilled to welcome Pronto Italian Sandwiches to our family of downtown restaurants. Get ready to experience the authentic flavors of Italy, where fresh ingredients and bold tastes come together to create unforgettable sandwiches.”
Burdi has applied for a liquor license from the city and hopes to serve Aperol spritz, espresso martinis and other Italian-inspired drinks, he said.
Asked what made Naperville an ideal home for his next venture, he said, “It’s such a great community,” adding there are “a lot of great stores and restaurants in downtown Naperville and this will just add to the mix.”