Sweet Cafe could open this summer on former Big Top Restaurant site on Higgins Ave.

by BRIAN NADIG

The Sweet Cafe diner could open as early as August in the Jefferson Park area on the site of the former Big Top Restaurant near Higgins and Nagle avenues.

“We are just trying to finish up (the construction). I’m excited to get it open. … Our countertops come in next week,” said Tommy Isirov, one of the cafe’s three owners. “I think you’ll like what you see. Everything is new.”

The Big Top had operated at 6348 W. Higgins Ave. for more than 40 years when it closed in 2019.

Isirov said that getting construction materials has been difficult at times, causing delays in the restaurant’s opening, but that he and his partners want to make sure everything is properly in place and there are no loose ends. “When we open, we want to make sure we stay open,” he said.

The menu is being finalized, but plans call for breakfast and lunch to be served daily and late-night dining hours are being considered for the weekends, Isirov said. A local bakery will be supplying sweets, and for those in a hurry, cappuccino and other items will be available for quick takeout, he added.

The cafe is seeking liquor licenses, including one for an outdoor patio. The licenses would allow for the serving of mimosas and wine with brunch, Isirov said.

One of the cafe’s owners is George Prassas, who in 2009 reopened the iconic Sugar Bowl in Des Plains and later opened the Sweet Diner in Milwaukee.

Alderman James Gardiner (45th) announced plans for Sweet Cafe in 2021.

(photo by Rob Mandik)