Doug Hunter knows he’s filling big shoes, and he embraces the opportunity and challenge.
Jacob’s Pub is a new enterprise in the former North Main Street home of DiLegge’s Restaurant, which Italian food lovers enjoyed from 1986 to 2022. When owners Dan and Gina DiLegge closed their dining room and transitioned to catering, they passed the baton to Hunter, who in August 2024 rebranded the property.
Hunter had plenty of ideas of his own, like offering savory grinders, thick burgers, and tempting sandwiches. Sensing an opportunity, he began serving the full DiLegge’s menu in January. Those longtime DiLegge’s favorites — try not to let your mouth water thinking of that baked ziti, clams and linguine, four cheese ravioli, chicken scampi, manicotti, and lasagna — are living on under the same roof.
Only the name has changed.
“It’s still the original recipes with the original chef,” Hunter says. “And we’ve been blessed to have her.”
The DiLegge’s fare brought additional heft to what was already a robust menu with plenty of hearty selections — steaks, especially. Hunter takes pride in the porter- house, a 24-ounce cut, as well as the 16-ounce black Angus ribeye, both of which come with either tasty garlic pasta underneath or a baked potato alongside.
That same ribeye can also be served as Bistecca E Gambretti (alongside six shrimp). If you’re hankering for steak but slightly less hungry, grab the Filetto di Manzo, a 6-ounce seasoned tenderloin atop the garlic pasta.
The DiLegge’s influence is felt elsewhere on the Jacob’s Pub menu, too. Original DiLeg- ge’s house dressing is poured on the Insalata DiLegge and Greek salads. Glance at the dessert choices for even more tastes of Italy: There’s spumoni gelato, Italian cream cake, and cannoli.
Hunter looked to the Midwest for even more menu inspiration: He says that comes from his partner, Rachel, who hails from the Chicago, Illinois, area.
The Jacob’s Pub Chicago Hot Dog is no ordinary frankfurter. It comes loaded with mustard, diced onion, sweet relish, tomato, pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt. The Italian beef sandwich, meanwhile, is where Italy and the Windy City collide, and it’s prepared either hot or mild, with Italian gravy.
Don’t call Jacob’s Pub’s big sandwiches strombolis, though. Here, they are grinders. Wrap your hands around any of four — the Italian sausage, eggplant parmesan, meatball, or chicken parmesan. You’ll also discover Evansville favorites such as a German bologna or pork tenderloin sandwich, plus the Jacob’s Pub burger, which is a grind of brisket, short rib, and chuck, served with cheese and bacon on a pretzel bun.
Hunter says his house-made chips are a crackling match for any of those grinders or burgers. He prepares them with a salt, pepper, and garlic blend and no vegetable oil.
“They’re a hit,” he says. “They’re extra crunchy and have none of the nasty seed oils.”
Let’s back up to the beginning. Jacob’s Pub has filling appetizers, too. Hunter says the mushrooms stuffed with crab meat and herbs and topped with Alfredo sauce have been popular with diners. Other sharable choices for your table include smoked salmon antipasto, bruschetta, shrimp scampi, toasted ravioli, and cheese curds.
Hunter previously owned the local Heady’s Pizza chain, which ended its nearly 20-year run last year. He says his interest in taking over the former DiLegge’s location sparked on something of a whim: “I happened to drive by and saw a for-sale sign in the window.”
The name is a nod to the Jacobsville neighborhood, and it also honors a First Avenue steakhouse of the same name from many years ago. Hunter says he and his family dined at that original Jacob’s Pub when he was growing up.
Early returns have been positive – diners are flocking in. Hunter says he’s seeing a good mix of customers with Jacobsville residents rubbing elbows with those arriving from elsewhere in town.
They come to drink as well as well as dine. Jacob’s Pub has an ample bourbon and beer selection and plenty of wines, which pair well with the DiLegge’s Italian dishes. In fact, Jacob’s Pub looks much like DiLegge’s once did, with the same exterior façade, hardwood floors, and fun atmosphere.
Hunter is thankful for the community’s early show of support and for the DiLegges’ decision to hand down their well-known Italian recipes. “It’s been such a blessing to just have it take off as fast as it has,” he says. “It’s kind of been a whirlwind.”
