Joliet Restaurant Reopens With New Name, New Menu: 10 Photos

JOLIET, IL ? With the arrival of 2024, well-known Joliet restaurant owner Tom Grotovsky has replaced his Great American Bagel at 1101 Essington Road by launching a new restaurant called The Curator's Cafe.

The Curator's Cafe has nothing to do with bagels.

"I think the best way to sum up the new restaurant would be to say, 'Soothing as in down home Southern comfort soothing.' Just a good place to relax and unwind with friends," remarked Coal City resident Randy Hurst, a long-time customer of Great American Bagel.

The Curator's Cafe is now open six days a week, from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. It's closed Sundays. Grotovsky's menu includes a half dozen different breakfast sandwiches for $6.59, and there's also the Grab & Go Egg Bake for $4.99, with hash browns, eggs, cheese and bacon.

He also continues to feature an assortment of fresh brewed coffees that all come from Hawaii.

So, why did Grotovsky decide to part ways with Great American Bagel, which is a national restaurant franchise?

"I am 62 years old and historically, our slowest month is always January," Grotovsky remarked during Tuesday's Joliet Patch interview. "I had to make a change for personal growth, family life and a better life for myself. I want it to be known as having good food, pleasant atmosphere, good service and local and national artists on display. I think that's really important."

Grotovsky named several of his signature sandwiches after world renowned artists.

The Van Gogh, pictured below, is a lunch sandwich made with chicken, ham, smoked Gouda and tomato with horseradish peppercorn sauce for $9.69.

And there's the Panini Toscani sandwich, in honor of Italian artist Michelangelo; the sandwich includes ham, salami, pepperoni with mozzarella, tomato, onion and Italian dressing served on pressed baguette for $9.69.

The Munch My Salmon sandwich is named after Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. That sandwich features smoked salmon with chive cream cheese, tomato, onion and capers for $15.99.

The Curator Cafe's sandwiches are made with locally baked fresh breads that come from Milano's, according to Grotovsky. Customers can choose marble rye, sour dough, cinnamon raisin, oatmeal wheat, croissant, white, baguette or wrap.

"Try it toasted to perfection or pressed as a panini," reads The Curator's Cafe menu.

During Tuesday's first day of being open, one of the most requested lunch sandwiches was the sandwich called "Pile It On."

It's a half-pound helping of corned beef, Swiss cheese and spicy mustard on marble rye for $15.99.

"We've sold several already today," Grotovksy said.

When Joliet Patch asked Grotovsky what Joliet restaurant is most similar to The Curator's Cafe, he quickly answered, "there's nothing to compare. Eventually, I want to cut a hole in the back of the wall and get a beer and wine license, that's my plan," he explained.

"We closed down Great American Bagel on Saturday, and we ran out of bagels. We took everything down and we painted it. We are going to be having our artists back. We are going to be doing a couple of shows here and there, maybe once a quarter."

Grotovksy said his girlfriend, Diana Gibson, is also a partner in The Curator's Cafe. Gibson is a visual artist and photographer from St. Charles.

As for their lunch sandwiches, "the Van Gogh, I think that's a really, really, good one. That's my own creation," Grotovsky explained. "The Beef, Bacon & Bourbon Panini is also a really good one."

The Curator's Cafe offers several soups and salads including a traditional Greek salad made with tomato, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, Kalamata olive, pepperoncini and Greek dressing for $11.99.

"The Greek salad is a classic Greek salad, no lettuce on it," Grotovsky said.