Chicago Cubs: Maddon’s Post restaurant set to open in Wrigleyville

While Joe Maddon’s future with the Chicago Cubs may seem tenuous at best, the Cubs’ manager will be putting down roots in Wrigleyville by opening a Polish-Italian restaurant, “Maddon’s Post,” on Tuesday, located right next to Wrigley Field.

A noted wine connoisseur and worldly man of many talents, it feels like Joe Maddon could take over for the retired “Most Interesting Man in the World.” Or, maybe fill in for Tyrion Lannister if there’s ever a Game of Thrones spin-off that takes place in the future since Maddon also drinks and knows things.

Given his propensity for getting into various areas and arenas, it should come as no surprise to anyone who has followed Maddon since his days in Tampa (or even since he became the Cubs’ manager in late 2014) that he’s opening a restaurant that sits right smack dab on the corner of Clark and Waveland.

With a new restaurant opening up in the middle of the 2019 season, does this mean that Maddon will be sticking around Chicago a little bit longer? Or, on the flip side, does it mean Maddon will be trading in his lineup cards for menus in the not so distant future?

I don’t think anyone can look into it like that, as this is a business venture that has been in the works for a while. And, Maddon still has a restaurant in Tampa, Ava, that he opened in 2014, just before he left Tampa for Chicago (let’s hope that’s not a sign).

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I think the only read-in regarding Maddon’s new venture in Wrigleyville is that he’s passionate about food and drink, and he sees an opportunity to do well with a restaurant right next to Wrigley Field. As one of the most successful managers in franchise history and the guy who helped bring a trophy to Chicago after a 108-year drought, I’m sure he figures he can capitalize on that a little bit too.

You may be asking what makes this new restaurant such a big deal (other than the fact that Maddon is involved). Perhaps, in true Maddon spirit, the menu will feature rotating lineups of food on a daily basis, pleasing some customers and baffling others who yearn for a set “menu” where they see their favorite “dishes” on the menu every day.

Or maybe your plate will be cleared a bit prematurely when it’s clear you could have shoveled in a few more pierogi. Perchance there may even be animals paraded around the restaurant or bar area when you’re in the middle of a rough week of work.

In all seriousness though, Maddon’s Post will be delivering both Italian and Polish cuisine, which may sound a little odd, until you remember that Maddon himself is Polish (maternal) and Italian (paternal- his last name was originally Maddonini).

According to the Maddon’s Post website, the restaurant will be “paying homage to first generational roots, celebrating the simple, and giving a nod to favorite family recipes.” That second part, in particular, sounds a lot like Maddon’s philosophy on the diamond, where he celebrates “Doing Simple Better.”

To deliver this food and vision, Maddon has teamed with James Beard award-winning chef, Tony Mantuano, who adds (per the restaurant website), “We’re combining the idea of Polish and Italian food as a tribute to our respective roots. This is the kind of cuisine that wasn’t so much restaurant-driven, but passed down through several generations of family cooking in the home kitchens- not to mention it further lends to the rich Polish and Italian neighborhoods found throughout Chicago.”

As many around the country and in Chicago already know, the Windy City does boast a large percentage of people who have Polish ancestry. There are also many in the city who come from Italian heritage as well. The idea of bringing the food of these two cultures may seem a bit strange on the surface, but makes a whole lot of sense when you consider the clientèle awaiting Maddon’s Post when it opens its doors to the city on Tuesday. Regardless of what happens with Joe Maddon and the Cubs (and I hope there’s an extension coming in the near future), it seems like Maddon’s Post has been set up to be popular well into the future.

Even if Joe Maddon doesn’t sign an extension with the Cubs to manage past this season, Maddon’s Post will undoubtedly be a staple around Wrigley Field for many years to come, a symbol and testament to Maddon’s irrefutably successful run as Cubs’ skipper.