Family opens Panini Cafe
As with many Italian families, almost everything for the Realmutos revolves around the dining room table.
"Most things in the Italian culture revolve around food," said Joanne Realmuto. This tradition and her family's dream to get into the restaurant business resulted in a new Italian-themed specialized sandwich shop.
The Schaumburg family, originally from Italy, recently opened Panini Cafe in Roselle.
Brothers Nick, 22, and Ezio, 23, run the day-to-day operations. The shop, at 857 E. Nerge Road near Plum Grove Road, specializes in panini sandwhiches and features Italian desserts and pastries.
The thrust of the menu is made up of 11 paninis served on ciabatta bread seasoned with rosemary, oregano and a touch of olive oil. The vegetarian selections are popular in addition to the Mambo made up of ham, salami, capicollo, cheese and homemade pesto. The Siciliano consisting of mortadella, salami and capicollo is another favorite.
The sandwiches cost $3.75 for a half-panini and $6.50 for a full sandwich, which is almost a foot long, Nick said. The sandwiches are often served with soup or salad.
The panzerotti, similar to a calzone but with a sweeter taste, is another highlight. Other favorites include the meatball sub sandwich with marinara sauce and cheese or the Italian beef.
The family has found that there's nothing like this in the area. They often drove to Chicago for the quality Italian meats and pastry. "We thought why not bring a little of that to Roselle," Joanne said. She and husband, Cesare, assist in the operation on the weekends while continuing to work at their full-time jobs in the banking industry.
Coffee and gelato are other favorites. The Italian dessert is similar to ice cream, but smoother, has less fat and is creamier. The family imports the ingredients for the gelato and coffee from Italy.
"The main idea of the restaurant is serving your typical Italian food. It's as genuine as what you'd find in Italy with a little variation to accommodate the different tastes here," Joanne said.
Nick and Ezio both graduated with bachelor's degrees in business management from Robert Morris College. Ezio attended culinary school before launching the business. "Growing up, we spent a lot of time in the kitchen," Nick said.
The brothers were 5 and 6 when their parents moved to the Schaumburg area.
The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call (847) 307-7718.
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