DINING Mike Coli, owner of Parma Pizza Bar at 107 W.
Van Emmon St., Yorkville, grew up in a family that owned Georgios Pizza in Crystal Lake and South Barrington, so it came as no surprise to him when a Yorkville businessman asked him to take over management of his pizza restaurant. “In 2019 I was hired by the original owner of
Parma to create a concept, hire and train staff and create a menu,” Mike says. “I was the operator. Four months later, we had the hottest restaurant in Yorkville, with a two-hour wait.”
But then Covid hit. Sales dropped. Te former
owner offered Mike the opportunity to take the restaurant over. Mike decided he wanted to take the risk. “I grew up in a household where my father, Mike
Coli Sr., always encouraged us to go out there and do the best you can. Nothing is just handed to you. Tis was an opportunity for me to break out there and do my own thing, and also save 45-50 people’s jobs.” He says as of the beginning of 2022, things were getting better. Having a culinary degree and business management experience is helping him weather the down times. Also a recent partnership with Emily Weber and YPac, which bought an adjacent theater, has helped. “We do all the food and drinks for them for their events,” Mike
says. “I put a bar in there. Tere’s also a private party area for 76 diners attached to Parma on the back side of the theater. And Emily and her husband Brian come in every week for date night. Tey’ve been great customers.” He describes his menu as “upscale casual Italian.” “We produce our own menu and make our items in-house,” he
A pizza is shoveled into a Parma stone oven.
said. “We bake our own focaccio bread. We import our Motzarella cheese from Parma, Italy, 80-pound round wheels of it. I just acquired two new chefs, Adam and Rodrigo, and we are going to be expanding our menu because of them. In addition to pizza, pasta and sandwiches, we now also will have steaks and chicken breasts, seafood and some kind of risotto.”
Hours: Tues. - Turs. 4 to 8 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Phone: 630-385-2295 To order online:
ParmaPizzaBar.com
Parma Pizza Bar
Parma Pizza owner/manager Mike Coli, center, with two new chefs - Adam Williams and Rodrigo Rodriguez. Photos by Paul E. Burd Photography.
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