Whether it is a warm, family-oriented atmosphere, a restaurant rooted in community, or dim lighting and downtown ambiance, Glenview’s newest restaurants are bringing different flavors and traditions to the local dining scene. Each spot, The Foxtail, Zenzi Den, or Spiro’s Deli, offers its own unique experience.
After a year-and-a-half of construction, The Foxtail, located at 1843 Glenview Rd., opened Aug. 19, bringing coastal Mediterranean cuisine to Glenview, General Manager Duke Ross said. Replacing the historic Glenview House, the restaurant features 290 seats, heated floors, and screens that lower from the outdoor patios, allowing the space to remain open during the winter, Ross explained.
“When I was younger, I celebrated my 21st birthday at The Glenview House,” Ross said. “The building in the area means a lot to us. We have our Foxtail restaurant in Des Plaines, and we had an awful lot of success with that, so we decided to bring The Foxtail to Glenview.”
With everything made in-house, the menu offers a wide variety of options, including hummus, pita, sushi, tuna poke bowls, lamb kefta, and seafood, though Ross’s favorite is the brick chicken. While the menu is essential to every restaurant, hospitality is The Foxtail’s number one goal, Ross said.
“The Foxtail wants to provide a place where people can come for two or three hours to sit, have dinner, forget about what is happening out there, and just laugh and smile, that is the most rewarding thing,” Ross said. “Food is a caveat to laughter, and that is all we want to offer.”
Japanese izakaya-style diner Zenzi Den, located at 1822 Glenview Rd., opened May 19, and brings a downtown-inspired atmosphere and a menu that goes beyond sushi, William Flores, Hiring and Training Manager, said. The restaurant’s design features dark wood and textured details, while its menu includes various noodle options, robata-grilled entrees, rice options, and sushi such as sashimi, nigiri, and makimono rolls, Flores said.
Zenzi Den currently accommodates up to 250 guests on weekdays and up to 300 on weekends, gradually increasing its capacity as the staff refines its service and works to improve the dining experience, Flores said.
“We want to offer Glenview an elevated service,” Flores said. “We want people to be proud that we are in their community, but we want to offer them more than anything a delicious experience.”
Family-owned and operated by owner Peter Nestos for the past 32 years, Spiro’s Deli is no new face to Glenview, having first opened in the 1960s, Nestos said. However, the restaurant is moving to 1880 Glenview Road, where construction began last July and is expected to be completed in two weeks, Nestos said.
After decades in the community, having a new location will allow Spiro’s Deli to continue giving back through its food and service, Nestos said.
“We treat everybody as family when they come through the door,” Nestos said. “The customer service and the quality of the food is number one. We want everybody to have that personal experience.”
Originally a full-service Greek gallery seating up to 75 people, Spiro’s Deli offers classic counter-service sandwiches, with an Italian beef sandwich called The Bomber among its most popular items, Nestos said. As the restaurant prepares to open its new location, seeing the project near completion is especially rewarding for him, Nestos said.
“I see the finish line now,” Nestos said. “My parents started the business, I consider myself just the caretaker. I told my kids, ‘This is something you never sell. Spiro’s Deli has a permanent home. It is valuable now. And nobody can take it away from you.’”
