Rome’s esteemed pizza-maker Gabriele Bonci will open a pizzeria in Chicago. Rick Tasman, president of Bonci USA, confirmed in an email from Rome on Friday that a lease has been signed for 161 N. Sangamon St., which he said is in the 900 West Randolph project in the West Loop.

"We are so very excited about the opening," Tasman wrote, noting he is in Rome this month learning from Bonci. Tasman, a former chief operating officer for P.F. Chang's, will operate Bonci's Roman Pizza in the United States. Rome-based food writer Katie Parla broke the news earlier Friday on her eponymous website.