First restaurant set to locate in The Reserve building in downtown Oswego

The owners of the first restaurant to locate in the new The Reserve at Hudson Crossing building in downtown Oswego plan to bring a new pizza concept to the village.

The Minor Threat Restaurant Group, owners of Crusade Burger Bar in downtown Yorkville and Sovereign Tap in Plainfield, plan to open RIOT!! Pizza, featuring a menu of pizza and craft beer in a 4,000-square-foot space at the corner of Washington (Route 34) and Harrison streets, according to a statement issued by the village.

The restaurant will be “heavy on atmosphere,” according to the statement.

“Think a gothy, punk version of The Max from ‘Saved by the Bell,’” owner/partner Rafael Gomez said in the statement. “RIOT!! Pizza will be to pizza what Crusade Burger Bar is to burgers. It’s a concept we’ve been wanting to do for years now. We were just waiting for the perfect spot. Once we saw The Reserve going up we thought that would be an ideal place for it.”

RIOT!! Pizza will be the fourth restaurant concept for Minor Threat, which in addition to Crusade Burger Bar operates Sovereign Tap and Juicehead Smoothie Bar, both in Plainfield. The restaurateurs are known for bringing city-style dining experiences featuring handcrafted cocktails, craft beers and creative menus to the far western suburbs.

RIOT!! Pizza will bring thin-crust, Connecticut-style pizza, an extensive craft beer list and frozen drinks, music, a game room and a family atmosphere to the space.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome RIOT!! Pizza to downtown Oswego,” said Village President Troy Parlier. “We just continue to experience immense success with a diversity of new restaurants from local operators in Oswego lately, and it’s great to see that pattern continuing with RIOT!! right in the heart of downtown.”

Gomez, who used to manage the Tap House Grill across the street, said he’s looking forward to being back in Oswego and providing complementary dining experiences that will grow the downtown as a destination for shoppers and diners.

“I’m familiar with Oswego, and I think we can really fill in the gaps that are missing to make it even better,” he said.

That includes adding more outdoor dining space to downtown Oswego’s current offerings. Gomez said he expects RIOT!! Pizza to be open by late 2021 for indoor dining, followed soon after by an outdoor bar and patio.

“Definitely by spring 2022 is when it’s going to rock,” he said.

Next door, an additional, divisible 6,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space will front the busy Route 34 corridor.