'Top Chef' Fabio Viviani's Pike Creek eatery delayed for several months

The opening of a new Pike Creek restaurant co-owned by a star of the Bravo TV series "Top Chef" has been pushed back several months.

Fabio Viviani, an Italian-born chef who first appeared on the popular reality culinary competition series 10 years ago, exclusively told The News Journal in January he was hoping to open Chuck Lager, America's Tavern by late summer or early this fall.

But when contacted this week, one of Viviani's business partners, Craig W. Colby, said there have been delays in the restaurant being constructed in the new Linden Hill Station at Limestone and New Linden Hill roads. 

"We are still waiting on permits," Colby said in an email. "Now [we] anticipate a late 2018, early 2019 opening."

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Chuck Lager, America's Tavern, a 140- to 160-seat rustic-style restaurant, is a key dining element in Linden Hill Station. The mixed development project (across from Goldey-Beacom College) is more than 30,000 square feet and will feature restaurants, boutiques, residences and office space.  

Other restaurants leasing space at the site from Philadelphia-based MSC Retail include Cafe Americana and 1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza, a brick-oven pizzeria chain with locations in California, Maryland, Virginia and Texas.

Opening dates are not yet known, but the 1000 Degrees Neapolitan Pizza website says the location at 4500 New Linden Road is "coming soon."  

Viviani, a native of Florence, Italy, came to national prominence in 2008 when he was a contestant on the fifth season of "Top Chef." He later appeared on other seasons and his charm and wit earned him "Fan Favorite" status.

Viviani is a partner with the DineAmic Group in Chicago, which operates 15 restaurants. He also has several properties in Chicago, as well as in San Diego; Cleveland; Los Angeles; Benton Harbor and Auburn Hills, Michigan; Tyre, New York; and a location coming soon to Tempe, Arizona.

Viviani said the concept for the 4,800-square-foot Chuck Lager's Tavern – his first restaurant in Delaware –  is classic American food.

It's named for Viviani's longtime family friend Chuck Lager, a business partner and investor. Another Chuck Lager eatery is being planned for Orlando, Florida.

"We're planning to open many Chuck Lager locations," said Viviani, who has known Lager, an American businessman with East Coast ties, for at least 25 years.

The pair chose a Delaware location after market research and analysis from a management team showed that it was a desirable area, Viviani said.

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"Delaware is one of the places that marketing suggested that we come first," he said.

Viviani was already familiar with the area. He is a consultant for a hospitality client in Delaware – he declined to name the business – and in 2015, he appeared at the 30th annual Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, Mushroom Festival.

Diners can now get a sneak peek at some of the food Chuck Lager, America's Tavern will offer. Since Aug. 12, a Chuck Lager Tavern Instagram page has featured photos of food that might be served in Pike Creek.

Dishes include chorizo macaroni and cheese, dark beer short rib tacos with white cheddar sauce, pizza with prosciutto, arugula and burrata, and crispy potato skins with house-cured bacon, blue cheese and roasted garlic aioli. The posts include #delaware #delawarefoodie hashtags.

Viviani has said the price point at the Pike Creek restaurant will be about $12 to $15 for lunch, and around $25 to $30 for dinner.

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Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico