In Italian, “avanti” means forward.
True to its name, Avanti’s Ristorante continues forward after six decades as a beloved and enduring staple in the Peoria area. It is a place where memories have been made for patrons and employees alike – from first dates and proposals to meaningful family traditions and a “sense of family” for staff.
Founder Albert Zeller owned the local restaurant brand for just over 50 years before son Stefan Zeller took the reins and led the family business into its sixth decade.
‘Big shoes to fill’
A Swiss cheesemaker, Albert Zeller immigrated to the United States at just 19 years old. He settled in Walnut, Illinois – around 64 miles north of Peoria – and began working for Walnut Cheese.
His brother, Guido, soon followed suit and worked as a driver for the same company. Stefan Zeller said his uncle’s route regularly took him to Peoria, where he came across a restaurant for sale along West Main Street by Bradley University. Guido told his brother about the eatery, Lardano’s Italian Restaurant, and Albert worked at the establishment for a short time before purchasing the business.
Around a year later, Stefan said his father changed the name to Avanti’s. The name offered a nod to Walnut Cheese – a subsidiary of Avanti foods – and ensured the restaurant appeared early on in the Yellow Pages.
Growth came quickly for Avanti’s Ristorante. In 1971, Albert opened a location in Normal – operated by his brother. Guido later purchased the Normal restaurant and became its full owner, Stefan said. Today, Guido’s sons own and operate Avanti’s storefronts in Normal and Bloomington.
The restaurant’s Rockwood location came in 1979. Stefan remembers clearing the land of grass and shrub with his brother and father.
Six years later, the restaurant opened in East Peoria. Avanti’s Knoxville location came over two decades later in 2009 – with the Pekin storefront opening the following year.
For Stefan, the restaurant has long been part of his life. He began bussing tables at 12 years old and continued working at Avanti’s through high school.
In college, he recalled helping relocate the restaurant’s Main Street storefront, now closed, across the street. He then spent the summer “working open to close every day.”
He majored in hotel and restaurant management at the University of Denver and went to work for the family business upon graduation. For Stefan, being involved at Avanti’s was somewhat of a given.
“Of course, I had big shoes to fill with my father’s footsteps…” Stefan said. “Of course, every son wants his father’s praise and recognition, you know, and so, I always strive for that and had to compete very hard for that.”
Stefan said he worked to do the best job possible – both for his father’s recognition and to prove he earned his position at Avanti’s.
On Nov. 1, 2018, Stefan took ownership of the family business.
Albert was 79 at the time. Still, Stefan said it “was so hard for him to let go.”
‘This is my family’
When it comes to carrying the restaurant forward, Stefan said he “couldn’t do it” without the support of long-term employees. He described the staff as an “integral part of my life and (upbringing).”
“This is my family growing up,” he said. “These are my friends because I worked so many hours and dedicated my life to it.”
This dedication extends to many Avanti’s employees, as well.
Stefan said some staff members have spent more than four decades at the establishment. Others have worked at the Italian eatery for more than 10 or 20 years.
“We couldn’t do it without them – all that knowledge, you know, that they have and that they can pass on to others,” he said.
In turn, Avanti’s works to ensure employees are well taken care of and feel appreciated – from making the kitchen as comfortable as possible and hosting holiday gatherings to organizing fundraisers or celebrations for staff members. Along with this, the restaurant regularly recognizes employees through spotlights on social media.
Rachel Johnson is one such employee – recognized in early February. She boasts around 18 years of experience at the restaurant and has worked at multiple locations over the years.
“What keeps her coming back is the sense of family,” the spotlight noted. “She describes Avanti’s as more than a workplace – it’s a close-knit community.”
Her daughter has since joined her at Avanti’s, making the local Italian eatery a multi-generational endeavor for CEOs and staff alike.
The spotlight said Johnson’s “story is a testament to the heart behind Avanti’s — where long-standing employees, shared experiences, and genuine care for one another turn a restaurant into a true family tradition.”
With such a longtime business, however, change is inevitable. Stefan said cherished colleagues have passed away in recent years.
“I’ve said too many farewells,” he said, “and I know that will only continue.”
Navigating changes and challenges
Avanti’s has navigated a variety of changes and challenges over the years.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge in itself. Around the same time, Stefan said there was a shift toward delivery and carryout.
“During COVID, everyone’s at home. Everyone’s on their phones. Everyone’s on social media,” he said, “… and that really, I think, made a huge impact.”
How deliveries happen had to change, as well.
Stefan said Avanti’s employs its own drivers but has had trouble hiring with the rise of third-party delivery services such as DoorDash and Grubhub – which offer flexible work. As such, the restaurant’s reliance on outside delivery services has increased.
Rising costs, he said, have also led to a delicate balancing act as the restaurant works to maintain its prices. Stefan said they save where they can and take losses where they must until costs come down. While it can prove challenging to “maintain profitability” at times, Stefan added:
“We want to be fair to the customer.”
Amidst changes and challenges, difficult decisions must sometimes be made.
In 2022, Avanti’s closed its West Main Street storefront. While ultimately Stefan’s decision, he said many outside factors were at play.
Business was “devastated” by the updated intersection of Main and University streets, as Stefan said it became more difficult for downtown workers to get to and from the business quickly. Then, he said the city closed an alleyway used by 80% of patrons.
“I saw the writing on the wall, so we were gone,” he said.
Growth is still the goal moving forward, Zeller said. Opening another storefront would mean finding and training enough employees, though, while ensuring existing storefronts are adequately staffed.
Ultimately, Zeller wants “to make sure we do it right.”
‘A big part of our life’
As Avanti’s moves into its sixth decade, there are many memories to look back on for employees and patrons alike.
Avanti’s employee Emily Tucker, who handles marketing and community relations, began working for the restaurant shortly after moving to the area in 2012. She met the man who would become her husband after only a month or two at the establishment and said, “it was definitely love at first sight.”
The happy couple would eventually have their rehearsal dinner at the restaurant.
“Avanti’s has been a big part of our life,” she said.
Tucker and her husband are not the only ones whose love story is intertwined with Avanti’s. Stefan said another employee decorated the Main Street storefront after hours to propose to his future wife.
Many first dates have taken place at Avanti’s for community members, as well. Years later, Tucker said couples return to the booth they met at or order the first meal they enjoyed together.
One customer, now married with four children, went to Avanti’s with his now wife in 2006 during their first date. He later recreated the date, which included a trip to Avanti’s, before proposing.
His story was one of many shared with the longtime Italian eatery.
To celebrate 60 years, Avanti’s asked the community to send in their memories of the restaurant. The eatery, in turn, has shared some of these stories to its social media.
“That’s been, yeah, a lot of fun,” Tucker said. “You don’t realize the impact you make on other people until you read these stories.”
One patron, Jamie Lin, said Avanti’s quickly became a go-to spot after relocating from Texas.
Her husband brought her food from Avanti’s after the birth of their son and then again when their daughter was born. Over the years, she said the restaurant became “a family tradition.”
“Over the past three decades, Avanti’s has been a consistent presence in our family’s life and celebrations,” Lin wrote. “We are deeply grateful for the many memories created in your establishment and for the quality and care you bring to your work. We look forward to continuing this tradition and to many more years of enjoying your excellent food and service.”
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: First dates and family traditions: Peoria restaurant marks 60 years
Reporting by Cassidy Waigand, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
