La Grange restaurateur will bring Casa Margarita to Hinsdale

HINSDALE – Twenty years ago, Al Lotfi opened his first restaurant, Al’s Char-house in La Grange. Since then, Lotfi has become a staple of the La Grange restaurant scene and has grown his business to include Casa Margarita, a Mexican restaurant with locations in La Grange, Bolingbrook and Orland Park.

Lotfi of Oak Brook now can add Hinsdale to the list, as a new Casa Margarita is being planned for development at the Hinsdale Metra train station. Lotfi plans to have this new restaurant appeal to morning train crowds.

“It’s another Casa Margarita, but it will serve breakfast,” Lotfi said.

With its location at the Metra station, Lotfi hopes to cater to morning commuters with a selection of quick-to-order and easy-to-take breakfast items.

“We’ll have some Mexican breakfast items,” Lotfi said. “But we’ll also have lots of regular American breakfast wraps, sandwiches, bagels and takeout. People won’t have to wait.”

The Hinsdale Casa Margarita also will serve coffeehouse items, such as espresso and lattes, according to Lotfi. The restaurant will still have all the amenities of the other locations, including a lunch and dinner menu, bar and outdoor seating.

The Hinsdale Village Board is expected to give final approval for the plan at their meeting Tuesday.

Timothy Scott, director of Economic Development and Urban Design for the village of Hinsdale, said the decision to choose the right business for the Hinsdale Metra station was both long and comprehensive.

“Ultimately, we have this beautiful and historical train station,” Scott said. “We have this wonderful aesthetic, so we wanted to maximize its utility.”

According to Scott, Casa Margarita with fit well with Hinsdale because of their ability to adjust their menu, to welcome the early morning train commute and still be able to operate like its sibling restaurants.

“There was no shortage of good ideas,” Scott said. “The board’s final decision [in selecting Casa Margarita] was what made the most sense.”