Gabriele Bonci, the esteemed Roman pizza maker, has set a target date for the opening of his upcoming West Loop pizzeria."I will be in Chicago on August 15 for the opening of my new pizzeria,” Bonci wrote in a Facebook message (in Italian, in response to my questions written in Google-translated Italian). This will be his second trip in quick succession; the pizza maker was recently here taking in the Green City Market and visiting fellow pizza maker Jonathan Goldsmith at Spacca Napoli in Ravenswood. 

But Rick Tasman, president of Bonci USA, was less willing to commit to the Aug. 15 date, citing past delays in the project.“That’s (the date) we’re shooting for,” is all he would say when reached by telephone today. The pizzeria, to be located at 161 N. Sangamon St., will have 30 counter seats and a 12- to 20-seat outdoor cafe.