Cattleman’s offers wide selection of homemade burgers, craft beers in Algonquin

Burgers and brews: Cattleman’s Burger and Brew, 205 S. Main St., takes these two American traditions seriously.

The new restaurant will have a grand opening March 1, but staff have been serving residents since earlier this month. The downtown restaurant boasts more than 70 beers and massive burgers.

“It’s burger and brew, so our burgers need to be top of the line and our beer selection needs to be 100 percent,” manager Kippy Gagliano said. “I have old-school beers. ... I have all of the local breweries.”

She said her longtime friend, Tony Bellino, was inspired to open the restaurant when the location became available.

Bellino is the founder of the original Cattleman’s Burger and Brew, which opened in the 1970s at the northwest corner of Routes 62 and 25.

That location closed in the early 1980s, when Bellino decided to pursue a career in real estate, Gagliano said. The building housed Reese’s Restaurant until it closed a few years ago.

“He went into the real estate business, and then when [the building] became available here in downtown Algonquin – he lives close by – he thought it was time for Cattleman’s to come back,” she said. “He’s an awesome guy. Everyone loves him. Everyone in Algonquin knows him. ... He always wanted to do it again.”

The restaurant’s philosophy is posted on its website: “Treat everyone as if they are family.”

An old, dry ice bin holds a trove of toys to keep children entertained through meals.

There also is a separate area for adults who want to spend a few hours on a video poker machine. The restaurant is “cozy,” Gagliano said, partly because it’s decorated with material from the old Cattleman’s.

When it comes to the food, Gagliano said, everything is made fresh and in-house. She said all burgers are hand-packed and made of 100 percent Angus beef.

“Quality. Quality,” she said. “Our burgers are half-pounds, but we actually make them a little larger. They’re the largest half-pound burger you’ll see.”

The menu also includes non-beef entrees.

“We have a nice cedar-planked salmon, lobster mac and cheese, amazing salads and lots of great starters,” she said. “People are super excited about this place. It’s unique.”