One of Chicago's best-known deep-dish pizza restaurants is getting closer to opening its first St. Charles location.
Lou Malnati's Pizzeria is under construction at 3050 E. Main Street in St. Charles, where the restaurant is preparing to join the growing Fox Haven Square dining and entertainment development near Kirk Road and Route 64.
And this won't be a small carryout-only location.
Plans call for a 6,200-square-foot, full-service restaurant with a dining room, private dining space, full bar, outdoor patio, carryout and delivery.
Lou Malnati's continues to list the restaurant as coming in fall 2026, meaning St. Charles residents could finally get their long-awaited Lou's location very soon.
Lou Malnati's Is Taking Over a Former Restaurant
The new restaurant is being built at:
3050 E. Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
The property previously housed an On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina.
Instead of demolishing the building and starting completely from scratch, Lou Malnati's is transforming the existing restaurant space into its new St. Charles location.
Construction was underway by August, with work continuing ahead of the planned fall opening.
The approximately 6,200-square-foot restaurant is located on an outlot next to the larger Fox Haven Square development.
This Will Be a Full-Service Lou Malnati's
One thing that makes this location notable is its size.
This isn't one of Lou Malnati's smaller carryout-focused restaurants.
Plans include:
A full dining room
Private dining space
A full-service bar
Outdoor patio seating
Carryout
Delivery
Drop-off catering
Early plans called for seating for roughly 200 guests, making it a significant sit-down restaurant for the east side of St. Charles.
That also gives Fox Valley residents another option for experiencing Lou Malnati's as a traditional restaurant rather than simply picking up a pizza to take home.
St. Charles Customers Have Apparently Been Asking for This One
The decision to open in St. Charles wasn't random.
Lou Malnati's CEO Julie Younglove-Webb said customers in St. Charles had been asking the company to open a restaurant in the community for years.
The timing finally made sense as development activity increased on the city's east side.
That's particularly noticeable around the intersection of East Main Street and Kirk Road, where Fox Haven Square is creating a new cluster of restaurants, entertainment and commercial businesses.
The new Lou Malnati's will become another recognizable name helping anchor that area.
What Is Fox Haven Square?
Fox Haven Square is a new commercial development located on approximately seven acres near the northeast corner of East Main Street and North Kirk Road.
The City of St. Charles says the approved development includes four commercial restaurant and retail buildings, shared parking and an outdoor plaza.
Construction is currently underway.
But the project isn't being designed as another traditional strip shopping center.
Plans combine dining, retail and entertainment in an effort to create more of a destination on the city's east side.
Several Restaurants Are Already Part of the Development
Lou Malnati's isn't coming alone.
Fox Haven Square has attracted several restaurant concepts, including:
Fire + Wine
The Glen Ellyn-based restaurant is bringing its Italian-inspired menu and wine-focused concept to St. Charles.
Rosebud Steakhouse
The Chicago-area restaurant brand is another major name joining the development.
Simple EJ's Kitchen & Tap
Another restaurant planned as part of the Fox Haven Square lineup.
Additional businesses and concepts have also been connected to the project as construction progresses.
Recent city updates indicated that Simple EJ's, Fire + Wine and Rosebud Steakhouse had already received temporary certificates of occupancy.
That suggests Fox Haven Square is beginning to move from a construction project into an active dining destination.
There's Also a Major Pickleball and Entertainment Concept
Restaurants aren't the only attraction planned here.
A large pickleball, sports, dining and entertainment venue is also part of the development.
Plans call for a multi-level facility featuring pickleball courts along with food, drinks and other entertainment.
That combination is becoming increasingly common around the suburbs.
Instead of building shopping centers where visitors stop at one store and leave, developers are increasingly creating places where people can eat, play and spend several hours.
Fox Haven Square appears to be following that model.
Someone could potentially meet friends for pickleball, grab dinner afterward and spend an evening in the same development.
Why This Part of St. Charles Is Getting Attention
For years, much of the attention in St. Charles has centered around its downtown and Randall Road corridor.
But the city's east side is going through changes of its own.
Fox Haven Square sits along Route 64 near Kirk Road, not far from the Charlestowne Mall property.
The decline of Charlestowne Mall left a major gap in commercial activity on this side of St. Charles.
New investment around the corridor could help rebuild some of that momentum.
And recognizable businesses like Lou Malnati's can help.
A full-service restaurant capable of seating roughly 200 people doesn't just attract St. Charles residents.
It could pull diners from Geneva, Batavia, South Elgin, West Chicago and other nearby communities.
Lou Malnati's Is Also Hiring
The restaurant's opening also means new local jobs.
Ahead of the opening, Lou Malnati's announced plans to hire approximately 100 employees for the St. Charles restaurant.
Positions have included servers, bartenders, cooks and phone staff.
For a single restaurant opening, that's a fairly substantial hiring push — another indication that this will be one of the brand's larger full-service locations.
What's on the Menu?
The St. Charles restaurant will feature the Lou Malnati's menu longtime Chicago-area residents already know.
That includes the restaurant's signature Chicago-style deep-dish pizza, along with thin-crust pizza.
The company says guests can also expect items including:
Chicken wings
Malnati Salad
Pasta
Appetizers
Desserts including tiramisu
And because this location includes a full-service bar, it should feel much more like a complete night-out restaurant than a traditional pizza carryout shop.
When Will Lou Malnati's Open in St. Charles?
An exact grand-opening date has not been announced yet.
The company currently lists the St. Charles restaurant as:
Coming Fall 2026
Construction is underway, so we're getting closer.
Residents who want to know the opening date first can also sign up through Lou Malnati's official St. Charles page for opening updates and information about pre-opening events.
Why It Matters for St. Charles
On its own, another Lou Malnati's opening is good news for deep-dish fans.
But the bigger story is what's happening around it.
Fox Haven Square is taking shape as a new restaurant and entertainment destination on St. Charles' east side.
Lou Malnati's gives the development another established regional brand capable of attracting visitors.
Pair it with restaurants like Fire + Wine and Rosebud Steakhouse, plus the planned pickleball and entertainment venue, and this corner of Route 64 and Kirk Road could look considerably different once the development is fully operating.
FAQs
Where is the new Lou Malnati's in St. Charles?
The restaurant is located at 3050 E. Main Street, St. Charles, Illinois, near Kirk Road and the Fox Haven Square development.
When will Lou Malnati's open in St. Charles?
Lou Malnati's currently says the restaurant is expected to open in fall 2026. An exact opening date has not yet been announced.
Is construction underway?
Yes. Construction on the restaurant began ahead of its planned fall 2026 opening.
Will the St. Charles Lou Malnati's have indoor dining?
Yes. This will be a full-service restaurant with a main dining room, private dining, a full bar and an outdoor patio, in addition to carryout and delivery.
How large will the restaurant be?
The new Lou Malnati's will occupy approximately 6,200 square feet, with early plans calling for seating for around 200 guests.
Final Thoughts
St. Charles residents have apparently been asking Lou Malnati's to come to town for years.
Now it's actually happening.
Construction is underway on a 6,200-square-foot full-service Lou Malnati's at 3050 E. Main Street, with the restaurant still targeting a fall 2026 opening.
But we're equally interested in what this says about the surrounding area.
Fox Haven Square is bringing restaurants, entertainment, pickleball and new commercial activity to a part of St. Charles that's seeing significant investment.
Once Lou Malnati's, Fire + Wine, Rosebud Steakhouse and the other planned concepts are operating, the intersection of Route 64 and Kirk Road could become one of the city's newest dining and entertainment destinations.
We'll be watching for the official opening date.
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