Outpost Mexican Eatery Coming To Downtown Downers Grove

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Anna Kamilis and chef Jesus Martinez opened the first Outpost Mexican Eatery location in Chicago two weeks before the coronavirus lockdown hit. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the duo hasn't lost any momentum. In fact, they're already prepping to open their second location in Downers Grove come April.

Kamilis told Patch it was actually the lockdown that inspired her and Martinez to open a second location in the suburbs.

She said in the early days of the shutdown, when everyone was confined to their homes, Outpost Mexican Eatery began offering home delivery of its fresh, fast-casual Mexican cuisine throughout Chicago's suburbs. Kamilis, who lives on the border of Downers Grove and Oak Brook with her family, reached out to preschool, school and sports groups she was part of and the idea took off. Soon, the restaurant was even delivering orders to Tinley Park and Winnetka, depending on the day.

"My 'mom groups' have saved our restaurant and brought me to this location in the suburbs," Kamilis told Patch. "Friends kept passing information on, and it grew and grew," she added.

Settling on downtown Downers Grove for the location was an easy choice, Kamilis said, adding that Martinez, whose first apartment was in Downers Grove, also has ties to the village. She told Patch, "It was a no-brainer to come back home."

“It’s just an amazing town," Kamilis said, "It has everything: schools, businesses, young families, established families, great foot traffic.”

Kamilis and Martinez, bring with them decades of combined experience working in high-end restaurants and steakhouses throughout the Chicago area. Martinez also taps into his upbringing, refashioning beloved family recipes into inventive dishes and crafting ingredients in-house.

“Everything is made fresh [and] authentic daily," Kamilis told Patch, from the housemade tortilla chips to the chorizo, which is made with the same recipe Martinez's father used in his own butcher shop and taco restaurant in Michoacan, Mexico.

Outpost Mexican Eatery's menu offers something delicious for everyone, Kamilis said.

"People love our steak tacos," she said, adding that the restaurant uses "steakhouse-quality meat" to get the flavor just right.

Vegetarians can fill their taco, burrito or burrito bowl with fresh veggies that include zucchini, squash, corn and tomatoes. The restaurant's rice and beans are made with vegetarian-friendly ingredients as well.

Breakfast items are served all day long at the Outpost, so diners can dig into breakfast burritos, chilaquiles or chorizo and eggs whenever they crave.

The Outpost Mexican Eatery will be located at 4948 N. Main St., which was formerly home to Guac N Tacos. The interior will feature raw materials, including wood grain and stone, along with images of "deserts and blue skies" to conjure a southwestern atmosphere, Kamilis said.

To begin, the restaurant will offer limited indoor seating due to the pandemic. Kamilis told Patch she plans to ask the village about adding a couple tables outside to allow diners to feast al fresco.

In the meantime, Kamilis said she and Martinez are eager to bring the food they love to the village they love. Kamilis told Patch The Outpost Mexican Eatery is looking forward to “being a part of this great community.”