Elmhurst To See New Breakfast-Lunch Restaurant

ELMHURST, IL – A new restaurant is planned for the downtown Elmhurst space left vacant last year by Krafted Burger Bar.

French Toast restaurant is set to open in December at 111 E. First St., pending final inspections, the owner said.

The family-owned restaurant will be a breakfast, brunch and lunch place. It is expected to offer menu items such as skillets, omelets, benedicts, pancakes, waffles, French toast, burgers, sandwiches and salads.

The eatery also aims to offer craft cocktails, mimosas and bloody marys, along with a selection of barista-prepared beverages, including espressos, lattes and other specialty coffee drinks.

"We prepare our food in-house with an emphasis on freshness, seasonal ingredients and quality," owner Ari Lleshi said in an email to Patch. "That includes homemade soups and hash browns, something fewer restaurants take the time to do today. We'll also feature signature dishes I've developed throughout my career as a chef and owner."

Lleshi said he has been in the restaurant business for more than three decades as both a chef and operator. He said his wife has been in the front.

"We've been personally involved in every phase of French Toast, from the original concept and menu development to the design and buildout," Lleshi said. "(My wife) will oversee the front of the house while I lead the kitchen."

In July 2025, Krafted Burger closed its Elmhurst and Bolingbrook locations. It opened in 2023 in Elmhurst.

Krafted had issues with its liquor licenses in both Elmhurst and Bolingbrook.