Popular Belleville pizza restaurant is moving to another familiar spot in the city
Bennie’s Pizza Pub will move to a new home in early 2021.
There’s no need for fans of the popular downtown Belleville restaurant to worry. The new location is across the street.
Bennie’s Pizza Pub will occupy the spaces that previously housed Panera Bread Co. and Beatnik’s, located respectively at 113 and 115 E. Main St.
Panera closed the downtown Belleville location to relocate to Belleville Crossing in December 2016. Beatnik’s moved to its current location at 215 E. Main St. in spring 2015. Both spaces have been empty since.
Owner Bennie Parr Jr. said they’ve been planning the move since May and would close on the property Oct. 30. After that, the work really begins.
Parr said it’s been hard to hash out the renovation details without access to the building. Starting this weekend, Parr will be able to get in, take some measurements and really start making plans.
Work plans for the Panera side of the new space will be more cosmetic than structural. Parr is interested in the history of Belleville and values the original luster of the old buildings downtown. He wants to rediscover the original elements of the space and bring out the exposed brick and original woodwork and remove the drop ceiling panels to reveal the original ceiling.
Parr wants the new space to have the same homey, welcoming atmosphere and many of the same elements as the original location. His vision for the former Beatnik’s location is to convert it to an inside/outside courtyard area.
Parr is working with the city government to bring a bit of historical Belleville back to the forefront.
Parr is “hoping and praying for, like, March 1” as the opening date. “In the spring,” he said, “downtown’s gonna be a new place.”
Opening in 2018, Bennie’s Pizza Pub has provided patrons with pizza and salads as well as a fun and welcoming atmosphere to hang out and perhaps share drinks with friends.
Business continues to do well, despite the pandemic and its restrictions. Bennie’s Pizza Pub provides carry-out orders and outdoor seating for customers.
Orders can be placed online at benniespizzapub.com. Hours are Monday - Wednesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. to 1:45 a.m. They are closed Sundays.
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Help the BND report on new restaurants and other businesses in southwestern Illinois. Share your tips and questions about openings, closings and other business topics by contacting reporter Jennifer Green at jgreen@bnd.com or 618-239-2643.
This story was originally published October 31, 2020 at 7:00 AM with the headline "Popular Belleville pizza restaurant is moving to another familiar spot in the city."
