Chefs Mary Libisch and Chris Spagnola said they are looking forward to keeping the focus on the kitchen rather than the wine list.

La Grange officials approved the first of the village’s new Bring-Your-Own licenses to Knead Marketplace when the Village Board met Oct. 26.

The Class H BYO license authorizes the licensee to allow customers to bring their own beer or wine for consumption within a licensed establishment but only in conjunction with a meal.

The husband and wife team, owners of Knead Marketplace on La Grange Road, said they are expanding their hours and adding a dinner offering from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The restaurant currently serves breakfast and lunch.

Libisch and Spagnola formerly owned Sunflower Bistro, which closed earlier this year.
Spagnola said the license is designed to compliment the new dinner offerings.

“We want people to enjoy a beer or wine while they are enjoying their food,” he said.
Libisch said there is more to it than just savoring a Bordeaux with dinner.

“Chris and I are chefs and we really want to concentrate on the food,” Libisch said. “A lot of time in a restaurant you’re involved in other things, like managing liquor lists.”

Spagnola described the new offering as “cafe dinners” with Blue Plate Specials that include fish and pasta dishes. They are also going to showcase a “Dinner Deluxe” option that leans more toward comfort food, such as meat and potato dishes.

The menu will also feature traditional such traditional fare as steaks and chops.

Trustee Jim Palermo said he hoped more restaurants in the village would follow Libisch ad Spagnola’s lead.

“I think it’s a great concept for La Grange,” Palermo said. “Hopefully more businesses will take us up on this option.”

Restaurant staff will go through the Training for Intervention Procedures program, a course for those who serve alcohol to the public. The training is designed to help servers prevent intoxication, underage drinking and drunken driving.

The La Grange Village Board voted unanimously in favor of the changes to the liquor code Aug. 10.

Some restaurant and bar owners raised concerns regarding the inclusion of a BYO license to the liquor code during a La Grange Liquor Commission hearing April 17. Those concerns centered on whether severs in BYO establishments would undergo TIPS training.