Filoxenia in Greek means being a friend to the stranger. You can find this message on the dining room wall at Townee Square Restaurant in Libertyville:
“In our home, all are welcome. Townee believes the most important thing a person could do is demonstrate ‘filoxenia’ by showing hospitality, generosity and friendship to any guest in your home, big or small. So welcome to Townee, serving up homemade food that’s good for the heart and the soul.”
Co-owner Christine Karahalios said she and husband George felt the word “townee” really resonated with them. “Because we had a vision for our restaurant to be a gathering place for the ‘townees,’ we thought that ‘square’ would be a perfect pairing.”
The menu offers all the traditional breakfast and lunch items, from skillets and omelets, to French toast, pancakes and waffles, to salads, wraps, burgers, melts and soup, available all day. And Townee Square is home of the double-egg order, where customers get two eggs for every one ordered.
“Our greatest crowd pleaser continues to be our homemade Greek yogurt,” she said. “The greatest addition to our menu continues to be our selection of Greek yogurt parfaits, made with Christine’s homemade Greek yogurt. And just this month, we’ve added a full fresh-fruit smoothie bar to our Greek yogurt menu.”
About the owners: George and Christine Karahalios have owned Townee Square Restaurant for 32 years. They previously owned Petit Palais in Niles. “Our story started in 1986, when we took a drive north in search of our next opportunity, after we decided to sell our restaurant in Niles,” she said. “We remember the moment when we first entered Libertyville.” She remembers she was overwhelmed at how much it reminded her of her hometown in Greece. She was overcome with emotion and the couple knew immediately that this was where they wanted to raise their children.
Philosophy: “Our love for our family, together with our belief in God, is always what provides us our strength, drive and determination. Most of our relatives, who emigrated with us in pursuit of the American dream, are in business for themselves. So failure was never an option,” she said. “We wanted more for our life and our family’s future. We refused to make excuses. So this was it.”
Decor: “We love that our restaurant resembles an old generation diner, a look that many customers are still very drawn to,” Karahalios said. “They love the nostalgia, especially for Libertyville, as the restaurant is also full of historic photos from old-town Libertyville, some of which date back to the late 1800s.”
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Specialties: “For breakfast, the Cinnamon Roll French Toast is definitely a crowd favorite for those with a sweet tooth,” Karahalios said. “For the fans of the savory, our Meatlovers Skillet is always a great hit. For lunch, we boast a fantastic Reuben sandwich.”
We’re different because: “The Townee does more than just sell food. It helps people connect with their community,” Karahalios said. “We have been truly honored to serve the food we love, in the town we love, to the people we love. Coming to the Townee is not a ‘job’ for us. It’s a daily chance to come and spend time with our dearest friends.”
Price range: Egg dishes from $5.99-$14.59. Homemade oatmeal from $4.59-$7.99. Waffles, French toast and pancakes from $5.59-$11.59. Soup for $2.59 and $3.99. Soup and salad from $6.99 to $7.99. Salads and cold plates from $4.99-$13.99. Pastry and toast from $1.99-$4.99. Sandwiches and wraps from $5.99- $9.99. Burgers from $7.99-$12.99. Club sandwiches from $8.59-$9.99. Gyros for $7.99 and $10.99. Kids’ meals from $3.99-$5.59 for breakfast and $4.99-$6.59 for lunch. Sides from 99 cents-$5.99.
Logistics: Townee Square Restaurant is at 508 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville. Hours are 6 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Sundays. Call 847-367-9144 or go to www.towneesquare.com.