Chef Vince's Zeal Menu (Update 2025)
Welcome to Chef Vince's Zeal, where Italian cuisine meets a vibrant tapas bar experience in Schaumburg, IL. This innovative spot offers a broad, gluten-free menu designed to tantalize your taste buds with expertly crafted dishes.
The highlight of the menu includes unique tapas like Rolled Stuffed Eggplant, richly layered with ricotta and mozzarella, and Grilled Calamari Steak, perfectly marinated and grilled for a refined touch. For a playful twist, try the Cheesy Beef Egg Rolls, where Chicago's famous Italian beef meets crispy egg rolls.
Don't overlook their refreshing Very Chopped Salad, bursting with fresh ingredients, or indulge in the Ultimate Caprese Salad featuring decadent buratta cheese. And for sliders that redefine indulgence, the Double Kobe slider is a must-try.
Chef Vince's Zeal promises not just a meal, but an engaging dining experience perfect for gatherings, kids, or a casual night out.
Tapas / Appetizers
Rolled Stuffed Eggplant
Lightly breaded eggplant cutlets stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella cheese and baked in the oven with marinara
Stuffed Melrose / Ancient Sweet Peppers
Sweet peppers stuffed with sausage in an addicting sherry marinara sauce. Bet you will be dunking your bread!
Grilled Calamari Steak
Marinated calamari pounded into a filet, seasoned, and grilled, topped with balsamic reduction, on a bed of mixed greens, grilled asparagus and roasted red pepper
Cheesy Beef Egg Rolls
As seen in the Daily Herald. Chicago's very own Italian beef stuffed inside crispy egg rolls, served with mild giardiniera relish
Calamari French Fries
Tender calamari cut into a french fry-shape, dusted in panko and seasoning, served with cocktail sauce for dipping only at Zeal!
Pork Wings
Pigs really do fly! Five wings served crispy, sauteed in a sweet n tangy Thai sauce, topped with crunchy noodles
The Umbriago Salad (Our Caesar with More Stuff)
Romaine, celery carrots, tomatoes, red onion, cabbage, cucumbers, ditali pasta, gorgonzola and crushed butter toffee nuts, served with mango chardonnay dressing
The Meatball Salad
A house chopped salad with carrots, celery, tomatoes, red onion, and fontinella cheese topped with two homemade meatballs, drizzled with marinara and topped with shredded asiago served with balsamic dressing
The Zeal Salad
Mixed greens, diced Volpi Genoa salami, fontinella cheese, hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, tomato and red onion, served in balsamic dressing
The Very Chopped Salad (#1 Seller)
Romaine, celery, carrots, tomatoes, red onion, cabbage, cucumbers, ditali pasta, gorgonzola, and crushed butter toffee nuts, served with mango chardonnay dressing
The Ultimate Caprese Salad (Buratta Style)
(Served Whole Only Not Available as Half) Sliced beefsteak tomato with fresh buratta cheese, basil, balsamic pearls. Did he say balsamic pearls?
Salads
Sliders on Steroids
Double Kobe
Renowned for its flavor and tenderness, served with cheddar cheese and a dab of Sriracha mayo and baby arugula (also available as a bacon double cheeseburger)
The Double Kobe Kansas City Slider
Extra bacon, onion straws, BBQ, cheddar cheese
Double Short Rib
Tender boneless short rib with a dab of caramelized onions and horseradish sour cream, served on a mini brioche roll
Lobster Roll
Chunked fresh lobster with a hint of diced celery, shredded lettuce, cracked black pepper, kosher salt and mayo on a buttered lobster roll
Chef Vince's Steak Burger Saltimbocca (8oz.)
Grilled steak burger, baked prosciutto & bacon, imported parmesan, spinach, in a wine reduction on a brioche bun
Kansas City Steak Burger (8oz.)
Steak burger, BBQ, bacon, onion straws, cheddar cheese on a brioche bun
Steak Burgers
Additional Burger Specialties
Holiday Turkey Burger (10oz.)
Fresh ground turkey topped with smoked gouda, lettuce, tomato, cranberry mustard on a toasted pretzel hamburger bun
Lamb Lover Burger (10oz.)
Fresh ground lamb, arugula, feta cheese, tzatziki sauce on a brioche bun
Triple Cut Toasted Cheese Steak Burger
Two 4 oz. steak burger patties, lettuce, easy onion, pickles, easy special sauce on a triple cut sesame seed bun, with extra sauce on the side for dipping
Traditional Italian Beef
Big Grilled Italian Sausage
Served on a 10 inch hot dog bun, less bun more sausage
Chicken Milanese Sandwich
8 oz. chicken, lightly breaded, pan seared in garlic butter and herbs, sprinkled with parmesan, topped with provolone and roasted sweet peppers, served on toasted French bread
Pepper n/Egg
Why not every day?
The Flattened Meatball Sub
A meatball sub that is easy to eat! Flattened meatballs, with thin sliced provolone and easy marinara, stuffed inside an asiago cheese fold bread roll. Served with dipping marinara
Strictly Chicago
Chef Vince Exclusive
"The Bootie" (#1 Seller since 1990)
A double layer of mozzarella and Italian beef baked in the oven and given a quick dip in zesty beef juice
The Skinny Bootie
A half portion of our big bootie
Chicken Francaise
Boneless chicken breast whisked in flour and egg, sauteed in white wine and lemon, served over angel hair pasta
Chicken Suprema
Chicken breast, eggplant cutlet, beefsteak tomato and basil, buffalo mozzarella, baked in the oven and served over angel hair pasta with suprema sauce
Chicken Spiedini
Chicken breast, prosciutto, spinach and provolone, sauteed in a sherry cream sauce over angel hair pasta
Chicken Parmesan (#1 Seller since 1992)
Boneless chicken breast pounded, then lightly breaded, pan seared, topped with mozzarella and served over linguini marinara
Zeal Chicken Entrees
Zeal Serving Poppa Clemenza Pizza
Toppings #1
Garlic, Black Olives, Green Olives, Mushrooms, Toasted Onions, Spinach, Hot Giardiniera, Jalapeno, BBQ, Tomato, Basil
Toppings #2
Extra Cheese, Sausage, Pepperoni, Sweet Italian Red Peppers, Sweet Italian Green Peppers, Grilled Zucchini, Grilled Squash, Grilled Asparagus, Ricotta, Eggplant Cutlets, Pineapple, Anchovies
Toppings #3
Marinated Italian Beef, Meatballs, Grilled Chicken Breast , Goat Cheese, Buffalo Mozzarella, 8 oz. Hamburger, Lots of Bacon, (Seafood Market)
The Bootie Pizza
(when Italian beef sandwich meets pizza): Layer of pizza sauce, layer of mozzarella, marinated Italian beef, roasted peppers, a hint of giardiniera, topped with another layer of mozzarella
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Layer of ranch, layer of fresh sauteed buffalo chicken topped with mozzarella, gorgonzola crumbles and diced celery
Pizza Vincenzo
(Simple and tasty): A little extra sauce, double sausage, sweet peppers, mozzarella, parmesan, Romano, and thinly sliced toasted onions and cut in little squares
The Lasagna Pizza
(Yes, lasagna pizza, noodles & all!) Layer of homemade sauce, easy garlic, fresh spinach, ricotta, lasagna noodles, tomato & basil, skim & whole mozzarella with a hint of provolone
Specialty Pizza
Zeal Homemade Pastas
Homemade Gnocchi Suprema
Chef Vince has been making them light as a feather since 1992
Four Cheese Baked Trottole
Ricotta, mozzarella, asiago, parmesan over trottole pasta, baked in marinara sauce. (Like scoopable lasagna, mmm)
ZEAL Ravioli
Homemade jumbo ravioli stuffed with Italian sausage and broccoli, served in supremo sauce
Porcini Pasta Bags Arrabbiata
Homemade pasta bags stuffed with a porcini mushroom and sauteed in an EZ-spicy, smokey marinara
Veal Tortellacci Bolognese
Jumbo homemade tortellini stuffed with veal and sauteed in beef, pork and veal
U-Call it Pasta
Choose your pasta, choose your sauce, with meatball or sausage
Stuffed Meatballs over Polenta
Two generous meatballs stuffed with crispy prosciutto chips, bacon, parmesan, and buffalo mozzarella, served over creamy herb polenta
ZEAL Jambalaya
Blackened jumbo shrimp, Italian sausage, chicken breast, roasted peppers and grilled onion in a zesty red sauce, served with our trottole pasta
Grilled or Blackened Tilapia
8 oz. filet grilled or blackened in an iron skillet served with confetti rice and grilled vegetables
Chef Vince Exclusive - Grilled Never Ever Amish Chicken Breast Platter (Lo Carb)
12 oz. chicken breast, served with grilled vegetable of the day
Zuppa De Peche or Zuppa D' Mari
Chopped clams, whole clams, razor clams, mussels, calamari, prawns, and lobster tail served in a zesty red broth over linguine (D' Mari is olive oil, garlic and white wine)
Lollipop Lamb Chops
Marinated lamb chops grilled and served with our yukon gold mashed potatoes topped with a vesuvio reduction
Tenderloin Tornadoes
Two four ounce filets seasoned and grilled, topped with caramelized onions and horseradish sour cream, served with roasted chipotle potatoes