Duke’s Inferno, Tropical Smoothie Cafe open in Woodstock

Diners at Tropical Smoothie Cafe might experience an escape from the cold weather outside. Duke’s Inferno diners might enjoy some wood-fired pizza.

Both establishments opened in early November.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe is a national chain that opened a new location Nov. 3 on Country Club Road in Woodstock, the third location for the restaurant in McHenry County. Other locations include Lake in the Hills and Crystal Lake, while Huntley’s Tropical Smoothie Cafe is just over the county line in Kane County.

The restaurant has a tropical vibe with warm colors inside, and while the menu features smoothies it also contains more substantial fare, such as buffalo chicken wraps and chicken pesto flatbreads, among other food items.

Manager Eva Crown said Tropical Smoothie Cafe has gotten a lot of support from the Woodstock community since its opening. The cafe has healthier food options and that there is a drive-thru at the Woodstock location.

As part of its grand opening, the restaurant gave away free smoothies for a year to the first 50 customers. Crown said some people had camped out since 9:45 p.m. the night before the opening to try to get the year’s worth of free smoothies.

Inside the restaurant, signs of the opening are prominent, with a large balloon display covering one wall of the building. However, Crown said Sunday the balloon display is coming down.

Crown said a lot of employees at her restaurant are Woodstock locals. She said Tropical Smoothie Cafe has plans to keep expanding across the Midwest.

While the restaurant has been busy since its opening, Crown and her staff have been enjoying the cafe.

“We’ve been having a lot of fun,” she said.

Duke’s Inferno, on Catalpa Lane in Woodstock, features wood-fired pizzas, salads and sandwiches. It opened Nov. 1.

The restaurant has the same ownership as Duke’s Alehouse in Crystal Lake, but the menu in Woodstock has some differences from Crystal Lake. Duke’s Inferno emphasizes its pizzas and wood-fired oven, and Duke’s Alehouse places its emphasis on burgers and similar foods.

Owner Zak Dolezal said he had “always wanted to do a wood-fired kitchen.”

He said he was able to go from signing the lease to opening the restaurant in about five weeks.

Dolezal said he gets a lot of the ingredients used at his restaurants from the Woodstock Farmers Market and enjoys the town.

“I’ve always loved Woodstock,” Dolezal said.

Although it is the second restaurant for Dolezal, he said he doesn’t have plans to expand.

Many of the menu items at Duke’s Inferno contain hip-hop references. Dolezal said his favorite genre of music was 1990s hip-hop, and music can be a catalyst for change.

“Food is something that can drive change, just like music has.”

One change Duke’s Inferno and Duke’s Alehouse prioritize is caring for the environment. Dolezal values being eco-friendly in his work, saying he is willing to spend a little more money on items in order to protect the planet.

Duke’s Inferno also strives to be planet-friendly in other ways, including using paper straws and LED lighting. Dolezal said the wood-fired oven runs on renewable fuel, and Duke’s Inferno plans to plant native plants on the property.

“Business can be run in an eco-centric way,” he said.