Taste of the Town: Villa Verone celebrating 20 years

GENEVA – When Pietro Verone moved to the United States in 1971, he had a desire to open a restaurant.

He thought he could be successful, but never could he have dreamt of what he’s built today.

Villa Verone, located at 416 Hamilton St. in Geneva, is celebrating 20 years in business this year.

“Twenty years is a long time,” Verone said. “Being here for so long, you see places come and go all the time. It means so much to us to have the fantastic support we have from not only the Geneva community, but St. Charles, Batavia and all around the area. We want to say thank you.”

The Italian cuisine served at Villa Verone is one reason the restaurant has stayed in business for so long.

But its owner has focused on more than just food. There is something else very important to him, and that’s family. His daughter, Nicole, also works at Villa Verone, saying she “does a little bit of everything” but holds the title of vice president of operations.

Not only is Villa Verone a family-owned restaurant, but it also is a place where customers are made to feel like family.

“Honestly, our whole thing is making our customers feel like they are part of our family when they walk through the door,” Nicole Verone said. “Most of our customers have stuck with us since the beginning, and we have seen their kids grow up and their kids have kids now. It’s crazy to think about. We want our customers to feel like they are part of this with us because we wouldn’t be where we are today without them.”

A specific luxury provided at Villa Verone is the Upper Club, a space where customers can enjoy live music on weekends or just unwind and enjoy time away from home.

After enjoying a meal, Pietro Verone wants his customers to “enjoy the experience and make a night out of it.”

“A lot of places, people rush in for dinner; that’s not us,” Nicole Verone said. “We want our customers to enjoy their time with us and remember their experience, take their time eating then go upstairs, enjoy some music and take in the entire experience. There’s not too many places around like that, and I think people enjoy that part.”

Back to the menu at Villa Verone, Pietro Verone said he has added items over the years but has always stuck to what he knows best.

“I’m not going to put something on there that I wouldn’t eat,” Pietro Verone said. “I’ve stuck to what I know ... the traditional stuff. A lot of restaurants have good food, but there are also a lot out there saying ‘from the farm to the table’ and things like that. I’m going to be straight. Most of our food is from the suppliers to me, and from my kitchen to your plate. We mix things here, too.”

Being in business for 20 years has not always been easy. Pietro Verone said with a laugh that he’s “getting up there in age” when asked whether the business could stay around for another 20 years – though he doesn’t have any doubt that his family could make it happen.

Simply put, his passion for Villa Verone is the same as it was the first time he opened his doors.

“This is a hard business, and you have to love it,” Pietro Verone said. “If you go into this business for the paycheck – at the end of the day – you’re missing out on it all. The amount of time I spend here ... I’m here every day because I love it. We couldn’t be where we are without loving what we do and also because of the wonderful people of the Tri-Cities area.”

OUTBOX

If you go

What: Villa Verone, 416 Hamilton St., Geneva

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday and Sunday

To learn more: www.villaverone.net or 630-232-2201