DINING
Cocina Madre
1965 South Bridge St. Yorkville
630-385-2768
Hrs: Mon.- Sat. 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Sun. noon to 7 p.m.
Facebook: Cocina Madre
Josh Lopez, above, manager of Cocina Madre, displays some of the restaurant’s favorite menu items. Yorkville resident Alexander Lopez says he named his restaurant Cocina Madre, My
Mother’s Kitchen, when he opened at 1965 South Bridge St., Yorkville in 2020 because all of the recipes used there come from his mother Juanita and great grandmother Bertha Lopez. “Tey go back to the 1920s,” he says. Some of his customers’ favorites include the birria pizza, which Alex says is marinated and cooked for 18 hours, and comes with two cups of consomme for dipping the pizza in; madre fries which are deep fried and smothered in nacho cheese, the customer’s choice of meat, onions and cilantro; and al pastor, marinated pork which is grilled and served on a taco. Shrimp and fish tacos also are very popular. Alex says he entered into the restaurant business
following in his father Felipe’s footsteps. “He was in restauranting for 12 years,” Alex
Felipe Lopez, left, and his
son, Alexander Lopez, in front of Cocina Madre on Yorkville’s south side.
Photos by Jerry Bannister
Photography for the Yorkville Area Chamber of Commerce.
added. “He started off selling Mexican street corn out of a corn cart in DeKalb and then ended up with a place in Elburn. When we moved to Yorkville in 2019, we decided to look for a place here. Tis is a family-run and owned business. My father, my brother Frankie, my sister-in-law Brenda,my uncle Jose, and my cousin Corina, they are the stars. Without them, I wouldn’t be here today.” Even with the pandemic, Alex says business has been good. Te restaurant has had a lot of
carry out and deliveries, and in February opened up for in-door dining. “Te Yorkville community has been phenomenal. It’s all thanks to them.”
Renee Tortorella of Blue Heron Estate Sales and also Blue Heron Homes,
Yorkville - Keller Williams Realty Infinity, Plainfield, joined the Yorkville Chamber three years ago to make people more aware of her services and to be part of the community. She became an Ambassador in January of 2020. “It was another way to help out with the Chamber,” she explains. “I had
just grown my business so much and I want to be able to share with new people. Te best way for me to do that is to spread the news of the benefits you can reap and guide them through all the events and resources the Chamber has to offer. “I’m a people person. I enjoy meeting with my Ambassador buddies and
helping promote them.” Far right, Ambassador Renee Tortorella presents a Chamber membership plaque to Alexander Lopez.
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