Diners hoping to tap into a good time can do so at Pub 56, a family-friendly gastropub located on Butterfield Road in Aurora.
Since January 2016, Pub 56 has been on a mission to “raise the bar” when it comes to providing a restaurant that serves great food and drinks.
“You can have a bar with a restaurant, but in our case, we wanted to do a restaurant with a bar,” manager Matt Osborne said. “We wanted to focus on the food and the atmosphere and make this a cool place that people and their families could go.”
Mission accomplished.
Pub 56 is tucked into a strip mall just east of North Farnsworth Avenue, guests will find an impressive menu and equally impressive interior decor. Here’s the dish on this local eatery.
What’s on the menu? Pub 56 has what you would expect from a classic pub menu, along with pastas, made-from-scratch pizzas and smoked meats that are all made in-house. While you may come for the food, you’ll come back for the extensive beer menu — more than 40 draft beers — and a kids menu that is sure to delight the littlest sports fans.
About the owner: Named for its location on Route 56, the pub is owned by Sugar Grove resident Sal Zeciri. While this is his first pub, Zeciri has decades of industry experience and owns other restaurants in the area.
A mission statement or philosophy: “My goal is for people to come here and have a good time and a good meal,” Zeciri said.
What’s the decor like? Spacious and upscale, Pub 56 has plenty of table and booth seating as well as an impressive bar that runs the length of the back of the restaurant. Neutral tones, high-end finishes, stonework and 21 televisions make it a great place to hang out with friends, take a date or gather for a family outing.
Food specialties: While the Kobe beef burgers are a big hit, the Pub 56 burger is a favorite. It is topped with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese and crispy onions, and is served on a pretzel bun. Customers also rave about the pulled pork, brisket and ribs which are roasted for 14 hours, or the made-from-scratch pizzas, chicken and broccoli Alfredo, and the drunken fish and chips.
We’re different because: This family-owned eatery is anything but your average sports bar. With an emphasis on gourmet food, an extensive beer menu and excellent service, it’s a gathering place for sport enthusiasts and those seeking a great meal.
Extras: Pub 56 takes reservations and can also accommodate parties, meetings and special-event groups with a customized menu. There are gluten-free options, such as gluten-free buns for the burgers, and since everything is made to order, Pub 56 accommodates special requests.
Price range: Appetizers start around $6 for fried pickles or classic wings, pizza at $10 and a gourmet Kobe beef burger served on a pretzel bun with choice of fries is around $9. Sandwiches, wraps and gourmet salads are around $9, and kids meals are $6.
Logistics: Pub 56 is at 1555 Butterfield Road, just east of North Farnsworth Avenue, in Aurora. It is open from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, go to www.pub56.com.
Jane Donahue is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.
