Castelli’s Yum!

On a recent trip to Alton, Illinois I stopped for lunch at Castelli’s restaurant with my friends Annie Jansen and Jane and Beth Elliott.  Stephanie Tate from the Alton Regional Visitors Bureau had recommended the restaurant and hosted my lunch.

Jane knew exactly where to go and we headed to Fosterburg Road to a lovely part of town.  The restaurant has been added to and expanded since it began back in 1937.   It was started by Alfonso and Teresa Castelli and their son Pete.  They opened their restaurant (formerly “Moonlight”) in August of that year with an Italian theme.

Today Castelli’s is run by the 4th generation of the Castelli family.  Both .Jane and Beth had both dined their before and told me that the chicken is what they are famous for. In fact, the chicken is even trademarked with the Talk-N-Chic name! You can order it fried, baked or skinned.  Checking out reviews online, one customer added, “If you don’t try this fried chicken you’ll be missing one of the great tastes of the east side” and another mentioned that the toasted ravioli, which I almost tried, is homemade.

Jane has fond memories of going to Castelli’s in the early days when she said you would line up on what was the front porch then go on in.  She remembers Pete Castelli and that he was a farmer too.  “He would get off the tractor and come in,” Jane said.

Today the restaurant is quite elegant and the food quite good.  After hearing about the chicken, I had to try the friend chicken breast and it was wonderful.  Beth also recommended the salad dressing which our waitress said was a family secret!  It was a Cesar type of dressing with fresh cheese that Beth thought was romano.  I loved it!

We sat and dined and visited for a good hour enjoying the meal and the conversation.  If in town, I recommend stopping at this great place where the food is good, reasonably priced and service was excellent!