'Zeelicious Tamales:' Joliet's 1st Stop Restaurant Nears Opening

JOLIET, IL — A lot of business strip malls around the Joliet region took a beating during the coronavirus pandemic. One in the 300 block of South Chicago Street still has signs for the Family Choice Restaurant, but that's been closed a while.

But, there's some good news on the horizon. Xenia Easter, a local woman who is well-known for her fresh homemade tamales, announced that she is affiliated with a new restaurant opening at the empty Family Choice Restaurant property, 318 South Chicago St.

The new breakfast and lunch café Joliet's First Stop, and will be opening in less than three weeks.

A flier for the new restaurant at 318 South Chicago St. proclaims that it's "Featuring Zeelicious Tamales by me Xenia."

Joliet's First Stop will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Easter is not the owner. The owner of the new Joliet restaurant is Patrick Fanning. One of the main featured items at his new restaurant will be a Philly cheese steak sandwich. The Philly cheese sandwich will also be available with pork and with chicken.

Fanning told Patch that his new restaurant will be open for dine-in and takeout customers.

When news of the new restaurant was unveiled in Brian Bessler's Joliet Area Small Business Guide, one person commented, "Omg, yeaaaa! Your tamales are seriously the BEST THING EVER. So exciting!"

"Right by my work!! I’m so excited!!" another person wrote.

A sign in the window proclaims that Joliet's First Stop has its grand opening April 1.

A flier indicates that its breakfast menu will include: three eggs; steak and eggs; a few different breakfast sandwiches featuring Milano bread; giant pancakes with choice of meat and potatoes.

The tentative lunch menu will include: a steak sandwich; a 1/2 lb cheeseburger with choice of potatoes; chicken sandwiches and more items.

The soon-to-be-opening restaurant has a large parking lot facing Third Avenue.

Joliet's First Stop is just up the street from the Dunkin' Donuts restaurant near the corner of McDonough Street and South Chicago Street, which is Route 53.