New Joliet Gourmet Restaurant Has Soft Opening This Week

JOLIET, IL — A well-known Joliet family is hoping that its new restaurant will contribute to the ongoing success and rejuvenation of downtown Joliet. Marzell Richardson III is having his soft opening for Richardson's Restaurant on Friday, coinciding with Joliet's annual Light Up the Holidays Parade that draws several thousand people to Joliet's downtown.

"We're going for cozy, comfortable and relaxing," Richardson said. "We're going with that New York deli vibe with the laid back California feel. It's a family ran business. My wife Samantha, she's a local teacher for District 86, so we want to keep everything Joliet."

Richardson's will open at 81 North Chicago Street, the four-story building adjacent to the Van Buren Plaza, which is across the street from the Rialto Square Theatre.

For Friday's soft opening, Richardson's will feature pretzel-wrapped hot dogs, regular hot dogs, cake pops, cinnamon rolls, hot apple cider, hot chocolate and barbecue beef sandwiches.

"All from scratch," Richardson added. "All our stuff is made in-house. We try to source local farmers, and we lean toward organic."

Richardson's will offer gourmet sandwiches, gourmet soups, gourmet salads, specialty items, catering and private room rentals. Ordinarily, Richardson's will be open from around 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

He hopes the cinnamon rolls become one of the signature menu items at Richardson's. As far as the regular menu, there will be a French toast bacon cinnamon roll and a Dutch apple caramel cinnamon roll. The French toast cinnamon roll includes all natural bacon, and all natural maple syrup frosting.

"We'll have breakfast sandwiches and waffle sandwiches, all baked in house, plus coffees and teas," Richardson told Joliet Patch during last week's interview.

For lunch, people can order chicken sandwiches, turkey sandwiches, Italian beef sandwiches and "once a week, we'll premier a new sandwich for that week. The first will probably be soul food, and we've got a lasagna sandwich."

The lunch meats for all the sandwiches are made in-house, he explained.

The soul food sandwich will feature corn bread split in the middle with a fried chicken filet, southern baked macaroni, with fresh Southern greens, Richardson explained.

"We will have a whole separate catering menu," he noted. "We are taking reservations for the private dining room in the next couple of weeks."

Richardson wanted to thank God for letting him open the new restaurant. Richardson's is located at the former space of Chevere Latin Cafe, which closed in February after five years of business.

Richardson graduated from Lewis University with a bachelor's in international finance and economics. He also worked at Silver Cross Hospital for 20 years, "so I definitely have a soft spot for the medical field, teachers, fire and police and the community as a whole."

As for Joliet, "I've seen the best and the worst, so I want to have a place people can come and leave the stress outside the door."

During the past five years, Richardson did meal preps, including the past three years with Undisputed Nutritional Company.

After this Friday's soft opening, Richardson's will remain closed to gear up for its grand opening event, tentatively set for Dec. 12.

Richardson's will stay open on nights there's a Rialto performance across the street. Richardson's will change up its menu depending on the performer. For Buddy Guy's two-day concert on Feb. 18 and Feb. 19, "we'll be doing soul food for that," Richardson said.

In addition, Richardson's will feature a number of healthy options including low-carb lettuce wraps for sandwiches, protein power bites and kombucha, "it's a good digestive tea," Richardson said. "We'll have regular coffee as well as mushroom coffee. We'll be doing regular teas as well."

Back in the 1980s and 1990s, Richardson's father, attorney Marzell Richardson II, had his law firm on the third and fourth floors of the very same building where his son is now opening his own restaurant, 81 North Chicago Street.

Back then, the storefront that now serves as The Blue Taco was a lunchtime hangout known as The Sandwich Shop, Richardson recalled.

Being able to open Richardson's inside the same building where his father had his law firm makes this a special occasion for the new restaurant operator.

"So my kids can grow up in the same building," he said. "I want to thank my wife for being patient with me during all this figuring out, and I love her.

"Our goal is to also bring in more high school students and college students. We have WiFi available and a banquet room to use it for a study room."

The banquet room can seat about 60 people.

In addition to CUT 158 Chophouse, Mousa Tapas Bar, Juliet's Tavern, Richardson also complimented having the Chicago Street Pub, Jitters Coffeehouse and the Blue Taco all along North Chicago Street.

"I want to be a good neighbor and asset to the city and Chicago Street," he said.

When asked if he had any final comments, Richardson said, "All are welcome."