Italian Eatery Soon to Join Plainfield's Burgeoning Restaurant Scene

Retail growth may be at a standstill but there’s no slowdown in the new restaurants eager to call Plainfield home.

The latest entry in the dining game is Gratto Trattoria & Tapas Bar, which is filling a slot at the far end of a strip mall at 16108 S. Route 59, near and .

Construction is under way on the upscale eatery, which features limestone and mosaic detail work in shades of gold and brown, cabernet-colored walls, two lattice-covered patio areas and a small live music/dance floor area.

Joseph "Rocco" Sisto, executive chef and father of owner Danielle Sisto, said he expects the restaurant will open in the next four to five weeks.

One large hurdle in meeting that deadline was cleared Monday, when the Plainfield Village Board approved liquor licenses allowing a full bar and outdoor alcohol service.

“I know Plainfield is dying for a place like this,” Gratto restaurant manager Mike Magers said. “I’ve been out here since ’96, and there’s nothing like it.”

When open, the restaurant will seat about 85 inside and another 24 to 30 outside, Sisto said.

He’s putting together a menu that will feature meat and pasta dishes from all parts of Italy, including the cream sauces found in the northern regions, the rich red sauces and eggplant dishes from the central area and fish specialties found along the coast and in Sardinia.

The menu also will feature a selection of tapas, sometimes called small-plate servings, that will change with the season, and Brooklyn-style pizza using recipes his grandfather brought from Italy, he said.

This will be the third Grattorestaurant for Danielle Sisto. She currently has locations in Geneva and Glen Ellyn.

Joseph Sisto also has a restaurant pedigree, being one of the original owners of the family-run ZaZa’s chain of Italian restaurants and the current owner of ZaZa’s Italian Steakhouse in Clarendon Hills.

“What we want [here] is warm and cozy,” Sisto said.

In addition to the sit-down restaurant, Gratto will also offer a carry-out section accessed through a second entrance separate from the main eatery, Sisto said.

Gratto follows on the heels of several new restaurants that have opened in Plainfield since January, including Route 59 Grill, Fox’s Restaurant & Pub, Southern Belle’s, Thomas Albert American Wine Bar & Lounge, and the Tap House Grill.