Single Dad Buys Restaurant From Parents, Eyes Improvements

MOKENA, IL - Annie's Cucina, a hometown favorite restaurant in Mokena, will reopen this week as Anthony's on Front. What's changed is the name and the owner, although it will remain in the family. Remaining the same will be the food as Anthony Meza, the only regular cook Annie's has had since it opened six years ago, becomes the owner.

Meza purchased the restaurant from his parents in the summer of 2017 and operated it under their name until the end of the year. Now, with everything switched over, Anthony's has secured all the necessary permits and plans to open at 11104 Front St. as early as Tuesday.

"They were moving to Florida and were selling the place," Meza said. "I said hey, mom and dad, this is my offer. At first they said no but then said 'if it's your dream,' they would."

Meza, 34, has been hard at work since taking over the popular Front Street restaurant. He's constantly on a tight schedule. Not just as a new small business owner but as a single father as well. Meza lives with his 8-year-old daughter, Kloe in Mokena and has no other immediate family in Illinois.

"I'm on a very strict time schedule," he said. "I have to wake up at a certain time, get my daughter to school, shop for the restaurant and get back here at a certain time so it's ready."

Once Anthony's gets back in the groove, regular Lincoln-Way diners can expect some added conveniences.

First off, Meza says he plans to begin delivery service and will offer a $1 delivery fee for the first month they are open. Every Monday, there will be a kids trivia night and plans are in the works to partner with the owner of a local art studio on having wine and canvas nights.

"We are trying to bring back Front Street," said Meza. "We'll have consistent hours and will expand with delivery to the area."

Meza says his driver, Wesley Lincoln, will deliver within a few miles of the restaurant.

"We'll deliver to Mokena and parts of Frankfort and New Lenox as long as it isn't too far away," he said.

Also planned are regular drink specials and television sets in the bar area, something Annie's never had.

"We're hoping to get gaming too," Meza said.

Cooking great food is nothing new to Meza, who grew up on Chicago's South Side and graduated from Oak Forest High School in the early 2000s. He's been the primary cook at Annie's since it opened and is the former kitchen manager at The Swamp, a popular eatery in Gainesville, Florida.

But managing the business side of a restaurant is something new to him. And to help him out, he'll need some help in the kitchen.

Anthony's is hiring a cook to join the team that already consists of Meza, helpers Marjie Anders and Hannah, bartender Brett Lafevre and Lincoln.

"It's tough to do payroll, taxes, scheduling and managing while also being the only cook," he said, admitting that the small business ownership process proved to be a little more difficult than he once thought. "Once we get someone in here who can run the kitchen, things will run much smoother."

When things start running, Meza says Anthony's will look to partner with local organizations like St. John's Church and the Mokena Park District. He'd also like to join the Mokena Chamber of Commerce and become active in the community.

Anthony's on Front will be open six days a week, from 11 a.m.. until 8 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. They will be closed on Sundays.

Photo: Anthony Meza looks forward to making Anthony's on Front a destination in Mokena. Courtesy of Anthony Meza