Maple cafe now open in Buffalo Grove

The new Maple Cafe has been open for about six weeks in the Woodland Commons Shopping Center in Buffalo Grove, serving breakfast, brunch and lunch with a Mediterranean flair.

"From stuffed chicken to spinach pie, I love to offer my customers something new, something they might not expect to find in a diner," said owner Ted Anast. "We're more of a boutique - we serve honey-cured bacon, fresh vegetables, our sauces are homemade, we make our own salad dressing with fresh ingredients, olive oil, vinaigrette; we make our own homemade soups."

The cafe is at 340 Half Day Road, the former home of Michael's Chicago Style Red Hots.

Many of the dishes are enhanced by Mediterranean flavors, such as stuffed chicken with spinach and feta cheese and vegetable eggplant with chicken and shrimp, prepared by European-trained Executive Chef Gus Kostas.

The completely remodeled space has seating for 130 people in two separate, high ceilinged rooms.

Maple Café is open every day from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.maple-cafe.com, or call (847) 383-5334.