Mattone Restaurant and Bar celebrates its eighth anniversary on May 1, but before then co-owners Franco and Vito Francese are making some changes. They’re working on adding a patio that they hope to open as part of the anniversary celebration and completed a remodel of the interior in December.
“It’s very different,” said Franco. “We had a lot of deep reds and burgundies and greens in the scheme and we’ve gone to navy, grays and browns. You always have to invest in the way your restaurant looks and stay ahead of the times. You want to keep attracting people and stay up with the current trends.”
The brothers have owned the restaurant since they took it over from their father in 2010 and changed the name from D’s Little Italy to Mattone, which means “brick” in Italian. The centerpiece of the space is a brick oven used to make wood-fired pizzas.
“It gives us a chance to show how you make your product,” Franco said. “There’s a connection you make with the customer when you see the food being prepared. They experience it and hopefully appreciate our expertise and what we’re trying to bring to our customers.”
That experience has won Mattone a loyal following that doesn’t just extend to locals. Lombard resident Sue Cimino said she first came to Mattone for her father-in-law’s birthday and liked it so much that she visits any time she’s in the neighborhood.
“The appetizers are really good and we like the atmosphere,” she said.
Mattone’s menu maintains some favorites from D’s Little Italy, which their father opened after buying the building in 1991, mixing Southern Italian fare with American classics such as burgers and steak. To go with the new look, Mattone also rolled out a new menu Feb. 23, adding dishes such as an Italian spin on poutine made with garlic fries, mozzarella and Bolognese sauce.
“We did it as a special and people tended to like it,” Franco said. “(Poutine) started popping up at a lot of very popular restaurants. I thought if it’s catching on, why can’t we have an Italian version of it?”
The pizza oven has found a new purpose with sandwiches served on fresh baked bread. Franco said they plan to roll out one new sandwich every month starting with The Benny, a mix of salami, ham, prosciutto, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and red onion, named for Vito’s 9-month-old son. Menu specials are offered every weekend and used to try new ideas.
“We want to give our regular customers something new to stray from their normal cuisine, but it’s also a way for us to test what grabs people’s attention and keeps our menu items fresh,” Franco said.
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Many customers to stick with favorites though, like Linette Georgen of Western Springs who said she regularly comes to Mattone for a weeknight dinner.
“I always like to get the eggplant parmesan,” she said. “It’s just comfort food.”
Being close to the Brookfield Zoo means Mattone gets diners from throughout the Chicago area, but Franco said the restaurant is mainly “a neighborhood place.”
“The town of La Grange Park is a great community,” he said. “It’s a great mix of younger families and older people. It’s a mix of blue collar and white collar. We have a little bit of everything.”
Samantha Nelson is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Mattone Restaurant and Bar
Address: 9 E. 31st St., La Grange Park
Phone: 708-352-7588
Website: mattonerestaurant.com
Email: [email protected]
Hours: 4-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday