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It's the end of the line for Azzurra, the Wicker Park Italian spot from restaurant vets Marty Fosse and Ron DiNella. The restaurant, which opened in October 2013 on Milwaukee Avenue, first announced the closure on its Facebook page after New Years Eve service.
DiNella says that while Azzurra was done right and well-received, it didn't draw enough business. "It was a beautiful restaurant, critically acclaimed, Bib Gourmand recognized, it just wasn't the right neighborhood," he says. "No regrets—it just didn't work out." Marty Fosse told DNAinfo that 14 of Azzurra's 15 staff members now have jobs at his other restaurants (Anteprima, Umbra, and Acre).
But a new dining option will replace Azzurra soon, as ownership has already sold the lease in the high-traffic former Gunner's space. DiNella declined to reveal who is taking it over, but says that it will be a restaurant.
Meanwhile, as one of DiNella's restaurant closes, another is nearing its opening. He says Q-Tine, the poutine and barbecue mashup in Logan Square, will open in about a month. "The place is built," he says.
