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Papa Chris’ Place celebrates 40 years in Edgebrook area
by BRIAN NADIG
Papa Chris’ Place, a local Edgebrook-Wildwood eatery at 6235 W. Touhy Ave., has been a neighborhood staple since the day it opened in 1986.
“The line was out the door (on the first day),” said Nick Sideris, who operates the fast-food restaurant along with his sister Pam Cosmos. Papa Chris’ Place celebrated its 40th anniversary on Aug. 29.
Sideris said that he was running the family’s suburban hot dog stand, which was sold a couple years later, and had to rush over to the new establishment to help with the crowd.
Sideris said that the family has been blessed with loyal customers for 40 years and a supportive neighborhood.
“We’ve had kids (who were customers) grow up and bring their kids here,” Sideris said. “We’ve had bridal parties (come here) to take their picture.” One of those brides showed up during the restaurant’s 40th anniversary celebration.
Sideris said that in the mid-1980s his father Chris — also known as “Papa Chris” — was driving by the Touhy site and asked his son if he would be interested in joining him in opening a restaurant there and he said “yes.”
At the time, it was a vacant building, whose previous occupants were a convenience store and a doctor’s office.
The location seemed perfect given the industrial companies located along Touhy and the residential neighborhood right behind the site, Sideris said. He added that the area has since evolved with retail stores replacing many of the manufacturing facilities.
The restaurant’s menu includes hotdogs, hamburgers, salads, gyros, chicken, ribs and shish kebabs.
What’s Sideris’ favorite? He said it’s all good but it’s a near-guarantee — “98 percent” — that the ribs will bring new customers back for more ribs.
It’s open 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
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