Brunch Café has added its name to the list of breakfast destinations along Randall Road, one of several businesses opening on Carpentersville’s far west side.
The restaurant is located in the former Meat and Potatoes restaurant, which was owned by the same family that owns Brunch Café, General Manager Nicki O’Connor said. Their first location is in Fox River Grove, and the Carpentersville location is its 10th, she said.
Nearby, the village’s second Starbucks is under construction.
Village officials approved the 2,200-square-foot coffee shop at 2276 Randall Road in the fall. Construction has started, but no opening date has been announced and company officials could not be reached for comment.
However, the newest local addition to the national chain will be be similar to the one at 78 S. Kennedy Drive, with an outdoor seating area and a drive-thru lane.
Carpentersville will have two new options for coffee because another shop is planned for a location near Discount Tire in the 2100 block of Randall Road, Village Manager John O’Sullivan said.
Different options for consumers is always a plus and he doesn’t expect the competition will hurt if both serve good coffee, he said.
Village officials are looking into whether some type of traffic control is needed on Woodside Drive, off Randall Road, where the Starbucks and Brunch Café are located, O’Sullivan said. “We are having some conversations about what to do,” he said.
The more attractive the area is to business, the more customers will come and the more traffic issues will surface, something the village wants to avoid if it becomes a deterrent to customers, he said.
As for Brunch Café, he’s glad to see them open, O’Sullivan said.
“It’s fabulous. We are happy to have several good breakfast places in town. It’s very exciting,” he said.
It’s a good location for that kind of business, its general manager said.
“I just think Meat & Potato wasn’t doing as good as they thought it was going to do,” O’Connor said. “They thought a breakfast restaurant would be more beneficial in the area.
“You have a little bit of both residential and business,” O’Connor said, noting that nearby Woodman’s and Menards are within walking distance as is a neighboring subdivision.
“We are very family-oriented. We strive to make people feel comfortable, as if they were at home,” she said.
Brunch Café offers a wide range of menu options, including Belgian waffles, skillets, crepes and avocado toast, salmon toast, red velvet French toast, salads, sandwiches and paninis. It also has an extensive catering menu, O’Connor said.
“We make our own homemade potato chips. I would say we are really known for our chicken salad. It’s one of the most popular items on the menu,” she said.
The timing of the opening is perfect because one of their busiest days of the year, Mother’s Day, is only a few weeks away. They are taking reservations for that day, which this year is May 14, she said.
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
