at the heart of local FAMILY RESTAURANTS

By Melissa Rubalcaba Riske

For local restaurant owners like Annette Rizza, it’s more than a business to serve good food It’s about family

When Rizza and her partner purchased JBD White Horse Inn nine years ago they had a vision that would keep the location’s tradition but incorporating some changes, starting with food Rizza, who grew up in her family’s restaurant businesses, said good food was key

“We knew we had to extend the kitchen hours,” Rizza explained “In the beginning I was cooking We had five tables for dining, so we knew we had to expand our space ”

The changes may have ruffled the feathers of a some of the ‘old timers’, but now, many of them have come around, enjoying her pot roast, burgers and daily menu specials Expanding the businesses, renovating the interior and building out a menu she and her partner have crafted a business where her dinner service is likely to include families gathered around a table and coworkers meeting for a drink and appetizers�

“We wanted to cater to families We wanted to make a place for our kids to come in with their kids,” Rizza said

She credits the success to hard work and her incredible staff, many of whom are longtime fixtures.

For Rizza and other local, familymanaged restaurant businesses in the New Lenox area, the community is a part of the recipe to the businesses’ successes, through the tough times and celebrations too�

And it’s about supporting other local businesses too� Rizza said she maintains the business partnership buying her meat from C�P� Meat Market in New Lenox�

“It’s nice to be supporting other small businesses,” Rizza said At Gatto’s in New Lenox, brothers Frank and Chuck Gatto love to see friends and family gathered around the tables at their Italian restaurant After opening the original location in Tinley Park, they chose New Lenox for their second location, which opened in 2006