Business & Tech
Algonquin Sees a New Rainbow
Nick Dimitrelis, owner of Rainbow Restaurant in Elmhurst, gets ready to open a second location in Algonquin.
What has become a staple restaurant in Elmhurst soon will be a part of Algonquin as well. A second Rainbow Restaurant location is scheduled to open at Algonquin’s Fox River Center in January.
Owner Nick Dimitrelis decided to open a second location to share what he has to offer with Algonquin. “I love this town. It has really nice people,” said Dimitrelis, who owns the Fox River Center strip mall. “There’s no restaurant like this in Algonquin. I wanted to give the people in Algonquin what I gave the people in Elmhurst.”
Dimitrelis has been in the restaurant industry since he was 16. Originally from Greece, Dimitrelis began working as a busboy and eventually became a chef. He and his wife, Maria, opened the original Rainbow Restaurant in Elmhurst more than 30 years ago. Their daughter, Kelly, now also works at the restaurant.
Rainbow’s specialties include homemade soups and omelets. “We provide quality, variety and quantity,” Dimitrelis said. “We want people to feel like they are in their own kitchen. In Elmhurst, we have people who request the same booth every time, because it feels like home to them.”
Dimitrelis expects equipment to be delivered to the new location in the beginning of December, and they are in the process of acquiring permits from the village. Some of the staff from the Elmhurst location will spend time at the new restaurant to help train any new employees.
Algonquin’s Rainbow Restaurant initially will be open from 5:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., seven days a week, but extended hours for dinnertime is a future possibility. “If after a couple months, everyone is asking for dinner hours, we will take care of those people,” Dimitrelis said. Once the restaurant is open for business, Dimitrelis also plans to offer special grand-opening discounts and coupons.
“We just want the people to be happy,” Dimitrelis said. He promises large portion sizes and affordable prices. “We believe in doing a good job and being honest. We are here to serve the Algonquin community and develop relationships with the people.”
Rainbow Restaurant will be located at 1229 S. Main St., Algonquin.
