Maggiano’s Little Italy Brings 150 Jobs and New ‘Lighter Take’ Menu to Westfield Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills

Maggiano’s Little Italy has officially opened at Westfield Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills, bringing its authentic Italian-American menu, generous family-style portions and distinct ambiance the brand is known for, as well as a new lighter take on classic dishes.

The 300-seat restaurant opened Monday with an official “pasta-cutting” ceremony led by Maggiano’s brand president, Steve Provost. The celebration also included the presentation of a check to Make-A-Wish Illinois for the proceeds from the preceding weekend’s Friends & Family dining event.

The restaurant is home to 150 Maggiano’s teammates, including Executive Chef Arturo Alvarado, who leads the scratch kitchen, and General Manager Ron Darnell, who oversees restaurant operations.

On any given night, guests will see Chef Alvarado serving up a diverse array of signature pastas and baked specialties like Maggiano’s Famous Rigatoni “D” as well as rotating seasonal dishes. The kitchen is also one of the first to offer the brand’s new ‘Lighter Take’ menu which features new preparations of classic dishes including Chicken Parmesan and Fettuccine Alfredo, delivering the same flavors and generous portions with at least one-third fewer calories.

Located at 307 Hawthorn Center in Vernon Hills, Maggiano’s offers lunch, dinner, carryout and delivery options. The bar and dining areas are open from 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday – Thursday; 11:30 a.m. – 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon – 9 p.m. on Sunday. Premium Happy Hour is offered all day Monday – Thursday in the dining room, bar and lounge, and features $3 premium draft beers, $5 wines by the glass from the prestigious Coppola winery and $6 specialty cocktails. From 3 – 6 p.m., guests can also enjoy $4 flatbreads. Ample parking is available. For more information or to make a reservation, call Maggiano’s at 847-918-0380 or visit www.maggianos.com.