No more Fuel for downtown Wilmette

Changes in downtown Wilmette continue, and this time a departure is shaking things up.

Farm-to-table restaurant Fuel has gone out of business, confirmed property owner Mike Chookaszian.

It is unclear why the restaurant shuttered, but it happened “abruptly,” Chookaszian said. According to a brochure published online, Fuel was listed for sale at some point in 2024.

The Record could not reach Fuel owner Tim Lenon by press time (Tuesday, Sept. 10). A sign taped to the restaurant’s locked front door reads, “Thank you for 15 years Wilmette, (love) Fuel.”

Fuel, 1222 Washington Court, is actually an acronym that stands for “Food U Eat Locally,” and Lenon brought the restaurant to Wilmette in 2009 under the concept of local sourcing.

Fuel was primarily a breakfast and lunch spot but also was open for dinner Thursday through Saturday.

Fuel’s departure comes as downtown Wilmette continues to grow, specifically in the breakfast/lunch space. Egg Harbor Cafe will soon open in the Optima Verdana building on Green Bay Road, while EvaDean’s Bakery and Cafe opened its doors earlier this year on Central Avenue. Hotcakes on Wilmette Avenue is another breakfast spot in Village Center, while the beloved Walker Bros. Original Pancake House is just down the street on Green Bay Road.

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