Buona Beef and The Original Rainbow Cone set to make debut in Loves Park

September 6, 2024|By Kevin Haas|In Restaurants, Eat & Drink, 815 News, Trending, Business, Loves Park
Buona Beef and The Original Rainbow Cone, two family-owned chains that are staples in Chicagoland, will mark their grand opening in Loves Park on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, on Riverside Blvd. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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LOVES PARK — A new dual-brand restaurant featuring dining and dessert staples from Chicagoland will make its debut here later this month.

Employees are training this week at Buona Beef and The Original Rainbow Cone, 7350 E. Riverside Blvd., in preparation for soft opening hours next week. The new dual-sided eatery is set to host its grand opening at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17.

The new restaurant has been in the works for more than a year, and it’s the first Buona Beef and Original Rainbow Cone in the Rockford region.

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The restaurants have locations across suburban Chicago, as well as a couple in southern Wisconsin and western Indiana.

Both brands are rooted in family tradition.

Joseph and Katherine Sapp opened the first Rainbow Cone ice cream stand in 1926 in Chicago, and the business was passed down to their son and then granddaughter. It began partnering with the family-owned Buona Beef in 2018.

The ice cream shop’s signature treat is its five-flavored cone that bears the same name as the shop. The Original Rainbow Cone is made with slices of chocolate, strawberry, Palmer House (New York vanilla with cherries and walnuts), pistachio and orange sherbet.

The Original Rainbow Cone was founded as an ice cream stand in 1926 in Chicago. Its first location in the Rockford region will celebrate its grand opening on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, at 7350 E. Riverside Blvd. in Loves Park. The property is shown Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

Buona Beef was founded in 1981 in Berwyn by Joe and Peggy Buonavolanto. Today it’s run by third-generation Buonavolantos and is the largest family-owned Italian beef restaurant group in the country, according to its website.

Its menu features slow-roasted, thinly sliced Italian beef sandwiches as well as chargrilled burgers, all-beef hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, personal pan pizzas, pasta and chopped salads.

Grand opening | Buana Beef and The Original Rainbow Cone

When: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 17 (doors open at 10:30 a.m.)

Where: 7350 E. Riverside Blvd., Loves Park

More info: Facebook event page HERE

Interest in working there: Go to the hiring page HERE

Buona Beef and The Original Rainbow Cone is at 7350 E. Riverside Blvd. in Loves Park. It’s shown on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, ahead of its grand opening on Sept. 17. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
The Original Rainbow Cone is known for its five-flavored signature cone. The new Loves Park location is shown Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, on Riverside Boulevard. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas