Caesar Pierogi & Cafe mixes it with pierogis and chocolate-filled empanadas with old Polish books

Thousands of books including ancient Polish tomes, gluten-free pierogi, ice cream, Belgian drinking chocolate and a wall of tea from around the world are just a few of the eclectic offerings at Caesar Pierogi & Cafe in Portage Park.

Owner Caesar Ferrari, half-Italian and half-Polish, opened the restaurant at 5749 W. Irving Park Road in spring 2022. He thought there were no good pierogi in Chicago restaurants, even though the town has one of the best pierogi. the largest Polish communities outside Poland.

The restaurant presents its recipe for the quintessential Polish ravioli, as well as gluten-free pierogi made from rice and buckwheat flour. Besides traditional toppings such as potatoes, onion and meat, there are also blueberries, chocolate, spinach and feta.

“It’s fun and challenging to create new flavors,” said Cristian Ferrari, 23, who runs the business with his father. “You have to be special in some way, otherwise people won’t come back.”

Caesar Ferrari sorts books at the unnamed bookstore adjacent to Caesar Pierogi & Cafe, 5749 W. Irving Park Rd.

Last year, they opened an unnamed bookstore in a space connected to the restaurant. CĂ©sar Ferrari’s mother-in-law previously ran the Globe International Antiquarian Books there before she died several years ago.

Most of the books in the reopened space come from Poland, including some that were banned during the country’s communist era. But Caesar Ferrari also offers books in Italian, Spanish, French and English, a reflection of the store’s multicultural influences and trends, as well as its family.

Around 2,000 books are lined up on wooden shelves and around 30,000 books are still in storage. The books cover genres such as fiction, history, art, religion, history, romance, fantasy and cooking.

Caesar Ferrari’s favorite book in the store is a 16th-century Bible, kept in a secret location. There is also a tapestry dating from the 17th century, he says.

The bookstore has gained popularity in recent months as restaurant customers notice the adjacent store.

A once-banned book titled "Historical notebooks" rests on a table.

A once-banned book in the bookstore next to Caesar Pierogi & Cafe.

Cristian Ferrari said the goal was to preserve history and antiques, and for the restaurant to become a local destination.

“We would like this place to be a staple in the community. Not just because of the food, but also because it makes people happy and they love the space. We did a lot to make it unique and comfortable,” said Cristian Ferrari.

There’s a sofa in the bookstore, paintings on the brick walls of the cafĂ©, and lots of trinkets on display or for sale, like colorful glassware and teacups from around the world. A pianist also comes to play the piano in the restaurant.

“As we grow, people leave gifts like statues and plants. We keep them here and they are part of the store. They come back and see that they are part of it,” said Cristian Ferrari.

The restaurant’s menu has also expanded to include offerings such as pizza, empanadas, soups and, in recent weeks, 200 varieties of tea from around the world like Japan, China, Nigeria, Brazil and l ‘South Africa.

“At first we only planned Polish food, but we expanded to more international options and unique flavors,” said Cristian Ferrari.

César Ferrari, owner of César Pierogi & Café.

César Ferrari, owner of César Pierogi & Café.

CĂ©sar Ferrari arrived in Chicago in 1995 from Krakow, Poland, where he was a doctor. He also lived in Milan and was born in Germany. In Chicago, he was an editor for the Polish yellow pages and host of a Polish radio station.

Cristian Ferrari grew up near North Beach and is a self-described “mutt” whose mother is of Spanish and French descent. “That makes me all of the above,” he said.

Cristian Ferrari learned recipes from his grandmother during his visit to Poland. He later took cooking classes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

At first, business at Caesar Pierogi & Cafe was slow, but it now serves about 500 pierogis every day. It is especially popular among gluten-free customers, who previously were not allowed to enjoy traditional flour-based pierogi. The ravioli are handmade by a group of Polish women in an industrial kitchen in Bensenville.

“Soon we hope to make thousands of pierogi,” said Cristian Ferrari. “At the rate we’re going, I can only see it increasing.”

Cristian Ferrari, who runs Caesar Pierogi & Cafe with his father, CĂ©sar, outside the cafe.

Cristian Ferrari, who runs Caesar Pierogi & Cafe with his father, CĂ©sar, outside the cafe.

Customers can be seen eating inside Caesar Pierogi & Cafe, while a man rides a bicycle near the cafe.

Lunch time at Caesar Pierogi & Cafe at 5749 W Irving Park Rd.

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