Best Pizza Joint

[algotrader]

No pizza in Peoria will ever come close to what we have here in Chicago.

But man do I miss me some Avanti's bread. I wish we had an Avanti's in Chicago. We have La Bambas here but why not Avantis?

[tornado]

off topic but not much basketball stuff to talk about now...
...and since April 6 celebrates 54 years since the opening of the very first Portillo's...


Things moving slowly with downstate Portillo's for the fans of the long-time Chicago restaurants..

-Portillo's has already been open in Rockford a couple years with plans of "25 more stores" largely in downstate over the next 5 years - LINK

-more than a year after talks of a Bloomington-Normal Portillo's, now things are further delayed - but hopefully it'll be up and running by fall - LINK

-Peoria was once in the talks for a downstate Portillo's, but maybe now - NOT - LINK

-Portillo's has already broken ground for a restaurant in Champaign and are hiring - LINK - LINK - with former hope of being open by end of April - but now looks like late May after 40,000 students head home- LINK

-a Portillo's knockoff-type restaurant is opening in Kewanee - LINK

article from Nick Vlahos -

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170414/nick-in-am-portillos-in-peoria-perhaps-but-not-yet

The current word is that Portillo's "likes Peoria" but there's no current plans to put a Portillo's in Peoria!

however - I have heard an unverified rumor but comes from a pretty good source - that someone from Portillo's has inquired about certain real estate locations in Morton - doesn't necessarily mean they are offering or buying but certainly means they are thinking about the future...
--Personally - since Portillo's has such a huge drive-thru lunch crowd - you'd think they might seriously consider a location right across from downtown Peoria, say near BWW or Qdoba ....or right off I-74 between Kohls and Par-A-Dice

[BraveDevil012]

article from Nick Vlahos -

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170414/nick-in-am-portillos-in-peoria-perhaps-but-not-yet

The current word is that Portillo's "likes Peoria" but there's no current plans to put a Portillo's in Peoria!

however - I have heard an unverified rumor but comes from a pretty good source - that someone from Portillo's has inquired about certain real estate locations in Morton - doesn't necessarily mean they are offering or buying but certainly means they are thinking about the future...
--Personally - since Portillo's has such a huge drive-thru lunch crowd - you'd think they might seriously consider a location right across from downtown Peoria, say near BWW or Qdoba ....or right off I-74 between Kohls and Par-A-Dice

I would imagine EP will get the Portillo's. Local pizza is simply ok. I would recommend Giovanni's in El Paso and Kep's in Washington. Giovanni's is BYOB!

[tornado]

The current word is that Portillo's "likes Peoria" but there's no current plans to put a Portillo's in Peoria!...

plans for a Peoria Portillo's may be moving forward...

Portillo's themselves are now advertising for hiring "all levels of Restaurant Management!"
???Portillo??™s is coming to Peoria, IL in 2018!"

https://portillos.jobs.net/job/portillos-is-coming-to-peoria-il/J3J5N66TJ8HY3CKN6KD/

http://www.careerbuilder.com/job/J8G4NP65SNZXNNJ562G

In just a few hours...almost 1000 people have either "Liked" or responded positively to the announcement on Facebook!


PJS reporter Nick Vlahos seems to throw cold water on all this but uses quotes form the Portillos CEO that were made several months ago.

[tornado]

... Bloomington-Normal Portillo's... hopefully it'll be up and running by fall - ...

Bloomington-Normal Portillo's opened today!

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/dog-delivered-portillo-s-opens-normal-restaurant/article_e63b4ac5-7571-5579-ba8f-5dd5493e9cd8.html

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/photos-enthusiastic-crowd-at-portillo-s-opening/collection_713ba95e-c73c-5e1a-913c-70bfb1b77b1f.html

[braves16]

http://www.videtteonline.com/news/welcome-to-normal-portillo-s/article_64c9e6f6-81d9-11e7-a702-cf2927ddc53a.html

[tornado]

plans for a Peoria Portillo's may be moving forward...

Portillo's themselves are now advertising for hiring "all levels of Restaurant Management!"
“Portillo’s is coming to Peoria, IL in 2018!"

https://portillos.jobs.net/job/portillos-is-coming-to-peoria-il/J3J5N66TJ8HY3CKN6KD/

http://www.careerbuilder.com/job/J8G4NP65SNZXNNJ562G....

it appears Portillo's is looking to locate in front of Westlake Shopping Complex on Sterling - right off I-74 - with hopes to have it open by spring of 2018.

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170908/nick-in-am-possible-peoria-portillos-clears-early-city-hurdle

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20170912/peoria-council-oks-hearings-on-sales-tax-hike-for-portillos

http://www.pjstar.com/opinion/20170913/editorial-how-about-portillos-without-public-help

Likely this building will be demolished and the new restaurant will be built

https://www.google.com/maps/place/AmeriCash+Loans/@40.7412967,-89.6322745,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xebf0296c2ca6bea4!8m2!3d40.7412967!4d-89.6322745

https://www.google.com/maps/place/SUBWAY%C2%AERestaurants/@40.7411504,-89.6322754,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xc6d052a40cabb588!8m2!3d40.7411504!4d-89.6322754

The Subway is already closed and the AmeriCash store is closing to move elsewhere- so those properties are already acquired by the developer...

[Da Coach]

I went past the new Bloomington Portillos a couple days ago around lunch time, and it was incredibly busy.

[pfcmsh]

Rockford Portillos

The Rockford Portillos is always busy and there are 2 lines for the drive up!

[tornado]

I go to the Chicago area a lot and always make a point of hitting a Portillo's
...but save your receipt & read the fine print...
- they are almost always good for $5 off your next order and no expiration date!

[pfcmsh]

I'll Be Checking

Tornado, thank you for the tip on the Portillos receipts. I didn't know that and I'll be checking.

[tornado]

I checked - and some are worth the $5 off if you do the survey - but some are worth a free order of french fries

[pfcmsh]

Thanks

Ok on that. The food at the Portillos here is always good. They have great chili dogs, Italian beef, salads and the chocolate cake is awesome. They are not inexpensive for faster food, but you do get what you pay for. It is one of my favorite places to go for lunch.

[tornado]

Portillos makes the announcement that they will be building in Peoria

They plan to build on the land that is on Sterling in front of the Toys-R-us...but...they have not yet fully secured that property and it somewhat hinges on a tax deal...
it has also been revealed that they have the rights to a backup parcel of land in EAST PEORIA in the Levee District

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20171023/portillos-makes-it-official-peoria-site-planned-for-2018

http://www.pjstar.com/news/20171023/peoria-councilman-opposes-sales-tax-for-portillos

[Da Coach]

The Sterling Avenus property is far from a done deal. There is significant opposition on the city council to granting a special sales tax incentive called an SSA (Special Service Area) which, as proposed, would add an extra 1% sales tax that would only apply to the single small parcel of land owned by a developer who is working to bring Portillos to that site in Peoria. That means Portillos would add an extra 1% sales tax to everything sold there for as long as 30 years, the money would go to the city of Peoria, and then paid directly back into the pocket of the developer, just like a kickback reward.
It is a virtually unprecedented incentive directed at a single parcel of land and basically amounts to millions of dollars of reward money for the sole developer of a small parcel of land just to get a Portillos in the city. It seems ludicrous to me, especially since Portillos is almost certain to come to the Peoria area even if this SSA is not passed. They are already hiring and training management personnel locally, more evidence they intend to open a restaurant here anyway.
All the other restaurants and developers in the city, and every business in Peoria would have loved to get such a sweetheart deal like that.
There are many other concerns, including the traffic in the area, and the effects it will have on longtime, loyal restaurant owners in that area like Kouri's, Donnelly's Pub, 5 Guys, Sterling Family Restaurant, and others, who never got such a deal. The city will hold public hearings on this in November, and expect a lot of people to voice opinions, pro and con. Also, expect many other businesses, and developers to ask for the same kind of SSA perks.