Sfera Sicilian Street Food is opening a new restaurant in Edgewater, located at 5759 N. Broadway.
Co-owners Daniela Vitale and Steven Jarczyk have done everything to stay relevant throughout the pandemic. The duo started selling their deep-fried rice balls from farmer’s markets before COVID-19 shuttered businesses across the country. Like many, the company pivoted and started selling its arancini and sauces through delivery. In October 2020, they began operating from Avondale’s ghost kitchen. Now they are getting ready to open a new brick-and-mortar, where guests can enjoy all of the Sicilian snacks they’ve become known for.
While working at the ghost kitchen, Vitale and Jarczyk began expanding their menu and introduced more island street food that isn’t often found in the midwest. These dishes were usually served at catering events and included pane panelle, sfincione, and a “Chicago-style” muffuletta. One dish introduced that will not be making it to the new restaurant is the Scaccia, otherwise known as lasagna bread. Vitale says they plan on offering this delicious unique item on special.
The new Sfera Sicilian Street Food will move into the once home of Edgewater Pizza and Barry’s Spot. Guests can expect a counter-service-only model, focusing on breakfast and lunch at first, with plenty of window space to stand. The owners hope the beach-goers from Kathy Osterman Beach will use this new eatery as a go-to spot to complement their next picnic. Other snacks expected to be found at this restaurant include pane cunzato, cannoli, sfincione, pane panelle, a crispy chickpea fritter sandwich, roasted corn and poblano arancini, and more.
Sfera is expected to open sometime in Spring 2022. Still, the owners are staying realistic with the opening, citing that the city’s typical permitting timeline causes one never to know exactly when they will get the green light. Vitale tells What Now Chicago she hopes to open the new restaurant in a few weeks, likely in Mid-to-late May.
