Craving Italian? Buonaro's has what you need

Nestled in the 5th Avenue Station building is a Naperville institution, Café Buonaro's.

The Italian restaurant opened in 1990; 21 years later it is as busy as ever.

“Our Friday and Saturday nights are nice and busy,” said manager Michelle Hedl, adding that reservations are highly recommended.

Café Buonaro's is a family-owned and operated restaurant: Ron and Regina Buonaro opened the establishment with their two daughters (Hedl is one of them). Ron has since died, and Regina and her daughters have taken charge of the eatery today.

According to Hedl, everything is made from scratch. The menu is written on a chalkboard, so “if we run out, we just erase it,” she said.

Lunch features a selection of sandwiches, salads and pasta dishes starting at $6.50.

In the evening, appetizers include calamari, baked clams, bruschetta and roasted red peppers. Entree choices range from ravioli to veal parmesan, with prices starting at $8.95.

One of the most popular dishes is the chicken Marley — a boneless breast of chicken, rolled in cheese and bread crumbs and sauteed in a butter sauce with a touch of white wine.

Another hot item is the baked spaghetti.

“Ah, the baked spaghetti is excellent,” Hedl said. “It is tossed with our secret Alfredo sauce. They bake it with mozzarella cheese and top it off with marinara and mushrooms.”

All entrees come with a salad, and meat dishes are paired with a side of pasta — perfect for next-day leftovers. “It's a lot of food,” Hedl said.

The man behind the food is Fidel Agripino, who has served as chef since the restaurant opened.

“He is great at coming up with new things,” Hedl said. “He is a very consistent chef, and his brother also helps in the kitchen. Both of them are very good.”

Agripino isn't the only employee who has been at the eatery since the beginning.

“Ninety percent of our employees have been with us since we opened,” Hedl said.

What is Hedl's favorite part of her job?

“We have a lot of regular customers, and I love catching up with them,” she said. “I also love meeting the new ones.”

Café Buonaro's

300 East 5th Ave., Naperville, (630) 717-0006, cafebuonaros.com

<b>Cuisine:</b> Italian

<b>Hours:</b> 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday