Antonucci’s Italian Ristorante and B.B.C. (Breakfast, Burgers, Chicken) are now open for business in Baldwin City.
Antonucci’s Italian Ristorante opened its doors to customers Sunday. It is open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and although the current menu seems small, the restaurant wants to slowly work up to including more food selections.
Related Stories
Sweet shop opens in downtown Baldwin City
Dinner train to operate between Baldwin City and Ottawa
“It was the perfect opportunity,” co-owner Brent Boyle said.
Boyle is also the owner of the Baldwin Diner, across the street from Antonucci’s, on Ames Street.
“The restaurant is right in the main part of our town and I felt like, one, if I want competition, then I would rather it be myself, and two, we needed a place in town to go on a date, which I am trying to convince my wife to move down here, so I decided we needed a fun, nice place to come eat.”
The location has been home to a couple of different restaurants that have come and gone, but the new owners left no traces behind. From paint on the walls to a different interior, the building has a ‘warmer’ feel to it and a very simple look. There are big couches set up to compose a lounge area and a bar where tall tables and chairs set the tone.
“What I am hoping to get from this restaurant is really, really good food, and just really give back to the community,” Boyle said. “The Baldwin Diner meets a lot of the people’s needs, but I want to accommodate the needs that haven’t been met here.”
Another aspect of Antonucci’s is that it has the first culinary chef out of any Baldwin City restaurant. Tad Ingles, who has worked in the kitchen industry for many years, found his way to this restaurant through connections and wanting also to serve the community.
“I got this job on a whim, where I called Boyle (who I have worked with in the past) to see if he had any work,” Ingles said. “I decided on the job for the community, the small town feel, and I really thought this was a great opportunity to bring something a little bit fancier, a place to bring a date, to a town that is really craving it.”
Ingles wants the food to be priced within reason and for service to be quick. For lunch, Ingles said he would like dishes to be mainstream Italian options with some other elegant and higher-end options for dinner.
“I am really excited for the variety we will be able to offer,” Ingles said. “Especially with the bar area we will have, we have the opportunity to broadcast games, this includes Baker games, and have a special game day menu.”
Antonucci’s is making its grand opening and will release its full menu in a couple of weeks.
Another new restaurant, which was originally going to be called Chester’s Chicken, is now renamed as the B.B.C (Breakfast, Burgers, Chicken). The restaurant, 522 Ames St., opened its doors with a soft opening Oct. 5.
“(Coming to Baldwin) was more of a necessity because we couldn’t find a major fast food restaurant that wanted to come here,” Owner Frank Foye said.
Just like Antonucci’s, the B.B.C does not have a full menu yet, but is working up to a full functioning kitchen, menu and intercom system for the drive through. It offers breakfast options, such as biscuits and gravy, then burgers and chicken for lunch and dinner. It is open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and opens at 7 a.m. Sunday.
“We hope as we get a full staff and get a little bit more equipment in, that we can operate a little bit more efficiently and maybe stay open until 10 p.m., like McDonald’s did,” Foye said.
