Raymond Timpone grew up learning to make pizza at his family’s restaurant. Now, he’s bringing a little bit of Italy to the streets of Urbana at the local restaurant Timpone’s located on 710 S. Goodwin Ave. Timpone said the restaurant business has always been in the family.
“My parents brought pizza to U of I in 1947 with their first restaurant on 6th Street in Champaign, and after that had a restaurant called Thunderbird on Daniel,” he said.
Timpone’s menu consists of an array of Italian cuisine from gourmet pizzas and pastas to fresh meats and pastries. All of their food is homemade with fresh ingredients and they always try to opt for organic.
“We’re a neighborhood restaurant serving food that is seasonal and locally grown when possible,” Timpone said.
Growing up in Urbana, Timpone has had a variety of experiences in the restaurant business from his family’s numerous restaurants to the Jolly Roger Jr. in Champaign where he was exposed to different cooking techniques. He also studied culinary arts in Italy and California, where he became an accredited chef, which influenced him to always search for prime ingredients for his unique entrées.
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“Farm to table is an important part of Timpone’s and we use a lot of organic and local foods,” he said, ensuring that his customers receive top quality meals.
The restaurant itself was opened in 1986 and has been successful ever since.
“Everything is made from scratch and food is fresher because of that,” he said. He credits much of the hard work and homemade food to “the best chef we have, my wife Ginger,” he said. Every pastry is personally made by her from scratch, as well as the pasta.
According to Timpone, one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes is their Wild Mushroom Pizza, which he describes as a nice change from the average sausage pizza. This gourmet dish consists of Italian sausage, gorgonzola cheese, caramelized onions and oregano.
Timpone begins by using four thinly sliced yellow onions and cooking them in olive oil with salt and pepper to caramelize them, which takes about 30 to 60 minutes. Once they are brown, he lets the onions cool. Then the homemade pizza dough is laid out and covered with the onions. After he adds the Italian sausage and mozzarella cheese, he mixes the gorgonzola cheese on top. The previously sautéed wild mushrooms are the last ingredient and he finishes with oregano on top.
Not only is the restaurant known for their unique dishes but Timpone is also a wine collector and enjoys having an array of options for his customers.
“We have an unbelievable wine list,” he said. He started Wine by the Glass in 1976 which allows customers to enjoy a variety of wines rather than having to stick to one bottle.
Timpone also prides his restaurant on being a part of the Fresh Fish Program which provides his restaurant with fresh fish weekly from all over to ensure the best quality in their dishes.
With a menu that is consistently changing to add the element of variety and providing an appealing atmosphere to students, faculty and locals, Timpone’s is often the host to an array of parties and events for both families and recruiters.
Timpone said, “We’re a chef driven restaurant and knowing the food is what we hang our hat on.”
Christen can be reached at features@dailyillini.com
