Ten Mile House on Central Street will soon have a makeover and reopen as THE SPOT, a pizza and Italian comfort-food restaurant that will offer local craft beers, wine and cocktails alongside its food.
An old photograph of the exterior original THE SPOT with signs advertising their food including pizza, ribs and spaghetti. Credit: Shared with the RoundTable by Fred Gale
THE SPOT, named as a nod to the pizza place of the same name on Foster Street in Evanston that was popular in the 1980s, is now the project of current Ten Mile House owner Fred Gale and his partner Otto Ade.
The pair expect a boost to business on game days due to the proximity to Ryan Field, “but our true focus is obviously the neighborhood getting well entrenched in it,” Ade shared with the RoundTable.
Slice of history
Eleven years ago, Gale opened Ten Mile House at 1700 Central St. and over the past decade, he also opened DB3 Donuts, Comida, and Fred’s Garage in Winnetka.
Gale said when a mutual friend in the hospitality industry connected him with Ade about 18 months ago, he was ready to make some changes to Ten Mile House.
“It’s been a busy 10 years, getting through COVID-19 and keeping the restaurants going through some pretty challenging times,” Gale said. “I still love it, and am super excited about what Otto [Ade] and I are doing in terms of converting Ten Mile.”
After connecting with Ade, they decided on a new concept for the space, Gale said. Ade, who grew up in Evanston, had recently returned from working in the nightlife and hospitality industry in New York City, and brought with him around 20 years of experience to Gale.
A look inside the original THE SPOT on Foster Street in Evanston from many decades ago. Credit: Shared with the RoundTable by Fred Gale
In a nod to a popular 1980s pizza place in Evanston of the same name, the duo chose to transform the space into THE SPOT.
“I remember so vividly being five and six years old, saying, ‘We’re going to THE SPOT tonight,’ and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh!’’’ Ade recalled. “It was a special night when we went.”
While planning the restaurant, Ade said he attempted to reach out to the original owners of THE SPOT, who moved to California some time ago, but never connected with them.
A menu from the Original THE SPOT. Credit: Fred Gale
More than just pizza
The new restaurant with an old name will serve tavern pizza in the style of Danny’s Pizza, a South Side establishment that THE SPOT now has a partnership with.
Through this partnership, THE SPOT now has access to the original crispy thin crust recipe that Danny’s has served up since 1976.
Beyond pizza, THE SPOT will also feature Italian comfort food created by head chef Matt Overpack, whose resume includes time working at Comida, Le Tour, and Hopleaf in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago.
“THE SPOT isn’t just pizza,” Gale said. “We’re going to be doing Italian fare — very approachable kind of Italian Classics and different versions of the classics, and that’s the type of food that Matt’s [Overpack] super passionate about.”
While Gale and Ade are keeping the menu mostly a secret for now, they did hint at a creation entitled “pizza soup.”
When it comes to drinks, THE SPOT customers can expect local favorites like Sketchbook brews to be available alongside wines and curated cocktails.
Opening coming soon
The duo hopes to have THE SPOT open by mid-May, although an exact opening date hasn’t been pinned down yet.
When THE SPOT does open, patrons will see an entirely different restaurant inside, Ade and Gale said, not just a revamp of Ten Mile House.
Part of that will include old pictures of the original THE SPOT, but the overall decor and vibe inside will be completely overhauled.
“I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised by the changes that we’re making on the interior,” Ade said.
Emphasis on hospitality
While Ade and Gale had plenty to say about the food, drink and ambiance of THE SPOT, the pair also took a moment to share their emphasis on hospitality.
“In today’s world it’s hard to find good service, and I’m really, really big on hospitality,” Ade said. “I need guests to feel like this is their 15 minutes of fame and their Andy Warhol moment.”
For Gale, the passion is the same.
“I have a strong love of hospitality and food, and see serving people food as a privilege, because food is like such an essential part of our daily lives,” he said.
The pair want each customer to feel like they are special, every time they go to THE SPOT.
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