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East Dundee restaurant owners to open new Italian deli in former Piece-A-Cake Bakery

Owners of Aliano's Ristorante in downtown East Dundee are creating a spinoff deli concept in an adjacent building that formerly housed Piece-A-Cake Bakery.

Nonno's Italian Kitchen and Cafe is expected to open this spring at 304 N. River St., where an extensive interior renovation is underway, operator Lisa Seng said.

The specialty shop will offer authentic Italian-style sandwiches, homemade soups, Italian ice and baked goods, she said. A selection of grocery items - pastas, olive oils, sauces and more - also will be available.

Seng and her husband, Jim, took over Aliano's about 2½ years ago and are now partnering with a private investor on the new business. The Batavia couple have developed a strong customer base in the Dundee community, Seng said, and they have an understanding of the products and services desired by visitors.

"There's nothing else around like (Nonno's)," she said, noting she wants the shop to emanate a sense of family. "That's what East Dundee is about. It's a relationship-building kind of town."

The 304 N. River St. building in the heart of downtown East Dundee previously was home to Piece-A-Cake Bakery, which rented the space for 25 years before ceasing operations in December.

The mom-and-pop shop had been struggling for a while due to a changing industry and some family health issues, owners said. When the site was sold last year to a local investor, they took it as a sign that "we were free to move on and retire and go to the next season of life," said Diane Ahrens, who ran the bakery with her husband, Roger.

The property now belongs to Frank Tomasello, who also owns the Aliano's building and outdoor patio next door at 310 N. River St.

Though the Nonno's concept is technically being run as a separate entity, he said he believes the shop will complement the restaurant and build upon its success. It is expected to have late-night hours and limited outdoor dining.

"They're going to do very well," Tomasello said. "I love the area. I think it's a growing area, and I like what the village is doing downtown."

The interior of the shop will get an entirely different look, from the floors to the lighting to new bathrooms, Seng said. Operators hope to complete renovations and open the deli by May, just in time for summer events and festivals. "We've been working really hard to put out a great product," Seng said. "At Aliano's, it's really about the quality, and we want to do the same thing with the store."

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