Sonny’s Pizza moves into a vintage building in University Heights. (By Kimberly Motos)

Diner Coming to Hillcrest; Sonny’s Opens in University Heights

By Frank Sabatini Jr.

In our recent chat with restaurateur Matt Sieve regarding his newly opened Sonny’s Pizza in University Heights, it was revealed that he and business partner, Jeff Fink, plan to open Penny’s Diner in the Hillcrest space previously occupied by Panera, at 1270 Cleveland Ave. The two men also operate Madison on Park in University Heights and Madi in Normal Heights.

Sieve told us that renovation to the indoor/outdoor Hillcrest address will begin in the coming months, with the goal of opening the retro-style diner in November.

“We’ll have a 15-seat lunch counter, booths and neon signage,” he added.

He said the all-day menu will include biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, burgers, chicken-fried steaks, milkshakes, and more—and that service will extend until “around 10:00 at night” each day.

In the meantime, over at Sonny’s Pizza, the venture is off to a rousing start with pizzas that Sieve describes as “a hybrid between Neapolitan and New York style.” They are made by longtime pizza master Jose “Franky” Pereyra, who takes his craft so seriously “that he even has tattoos of pizzas on his body,” Sieve added. The pizza maker previously worked at Blind Lady Ale House and Pizzeria Luigi.

Sonny’s is housed in a 3,500-square-foot structure that dates back at least 100 years. In earlier days, it functioned as a storage garage for trolley cars. It was later an auto shop and a floral store.