New breakfast spot Nora's Cafe opens in Naperville
The namesake of the new Nora's Cafe in Naperville is a fan of the pancakes.
Four-year-old Nora Besiri, the daughter of restaurant owners Tim and Zena Besiri of Westmont, likes hers shaped like Mickey Mouse.
Other customers at the breakfast and lunch spot on Ogden Avenue near River Road have been enjoying the omelettes, skillets, fresh-cut hash browns and house-made chips the restaurant has been serving since it opened Nov. 3, Tim Besiri said.
With years of experience in the restaurant industry, the Besiri family, including Tim's father, Cerim, long had wanted to open a restaurant.
"This has been a dream of ours to have our own," Besiri said.
They made their dream come to life when the long-standing Wilma's Cafe closed earlier this year.
"We found the perfect location with a very good history," Besiri said about the storefront at 1224 W. Ogden Ave. Unit G. "We just wanted to continue in that tradition."
Nora's is aiming for a family-friendly, warm and cozy feel. The restaurant's small size contributes to the coziness, as do renovations the Besiris made to the dining area and the kitchen before opening their new eatery.
"You can tell it's not a chain; it's a family-oriented small business," Besiri said.
Nora's Cafe is open daily 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.