La Grange Pizzeria Surviving Crisis

LA GRANGE, IL — Many restaurants are struggling during the pandemic, but the owner of Antonino's Ristorante in La Grange says it is weathering the crisis. Known for its pizza, the restaurant at 701 W. Hillgrove Ave. has been in town for 34 years.

"We know most of the people who eat here by name," said Sam Pecoraro, who owns the restaurant with his wife, Nanette. "The community has been overwhelmingly good to us. It's been pretty humbling."

Pecoraro said the restaurant has seen no significant reduction in income and has kept all of its employees, which he attributes to the eatery's loyal customers. A few servers have chosen not to come in because of the pandemic, he said, while the others have moved to answering calls for carryout and delivery. Antonino's has actually hired more people, he said.

Before the crisis, about half of the restaurant's business was carryout and delivery, Pecoraro said. It delivers to La Grange, Western Springs, La Grange Park, Brookfield, Westchester, Willowbrook, Burr Ridge and parts of Hinsdale.

In 2019, the Restaurant Guru website rated Antonino's as having the best pizza in La Grange and Western Springs, Pecoraro said. Antonino's has held a few contests in recent weeks for free pizzas as a way to keep up business. And it has donated pizzas to local hospitals.

The Pecoraros took ownership of Antonino's five years ago from the Genna family, which had owned the establishment since its founding in 1988.

For more information on Antonino's, check its website.

La Grange Patch continues to write profiles on La Grange-area businesses during the ongoing health crisis. La Grange Patch has a simple online survey for local small businesses to fill out to let everyone know they are open and their current hours of operation. If you want to add your business to La Grange Patch's list of open and closed businesses, you can do so here.

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