One of Chicago’s most renowned Italian chefs is returning to Forest Park with a new concept born out of the pandemic-related closure of Francesca’s Fiore on Madison Street. Scott Harris, whose company now operates 14 Francesca’s restaurants and a handful of other dining spots, said the relaunched business at 7407 Madison St. will feature a simplified pizza-centric menu at affordable prices when it opens its doors, he hopes, by the end of the year.

The restaurant’s new name, Fiore, is both an homage to the now-shuttered business and a nod to the newly casual setting, Harris said with a laugh. Fiore is the Italian word for flower, or, in this case, the flour used in pizza dough.