Hot Dish Pantry will officially make its public debut today at 2 p.m., serving up a menu of comforting housemade sandwiches, sides and specialties like pierogi and hot dish.

Full warning, there’s not yet signage to clearly mark the restaurant at 4125 S. Howell Ave. So, if you’re paying a first visit, it might be helpful to watch for the “Iron Grate” sign which still towers above the restaurant, or maybe the little yellow minion smoker that still marks the entrance to the parking lot. 

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Once you’re there, you can enter through the side door closest to the parking lot and place your order at the window to your right as you walk in.  From there, feel free to take a seat in the hallway or make your way into the dining room, where you can wait for a text telling you that your food is ready.

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The dining area, painted in bold blue with yellow accents, features both high and low-top seating, including banquette-style accommodations along the southern wall, finished off with help from co-owner Laura Maigatter’s cousin Sam Keil.

From there, the entire room is filled with a treasure trove of artful objects, books and tchotchkes, all of which contribute to an aesthetic which Maigatter likes to call “Grandma maximalism.”

The bulk of the look was created vintage pieces, some purchased and others collected over the years. But some elements were donated by friends.

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Maigatter's mother, Linda. pulled together vases of fresh hyacinths for the restaurant’s opening, while Chef and owner Nathan Heck’s mother, Janet, donated a collection of card and board games, which guests are welcome to enjoy during their visits.

Meanwhile, friend and urban pepper farmer Michael Arms of PepperRich Farm, donated a small collection of what Maigatter calls “creepy cat figurines,” which can be found throughout the dining room and ordering area.  If you’d like, you can challenge yourself to find all seven of them.

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Heck says the couple is grateful for all the support they’ve received which has led to the restaurant’s opening, including the completion of odd jobs – including electrical work and other projects – by handyman Lonnie Odell.

 “We also wanted to thank our staff for waiting so patiently for us to reopen,” he says, “And for being the absolute best group we could ever hope to work with.”

On the menu 

You’ll find a peek at a good portion of the Hot Dish Pantry menu in the opening article I ran last week.  There you'll find a few photos, plus descriptions of pierogi, hot dish, sides, their signature “Lucy Goosey” burgers and their take on the Hoosier-style pork tenderloin sandwich (see below).

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But when you visit, you’ll also find some additional options, including saag paneer dip, a warm spinach dip redolent with Indian spices topped with cubes of toasted paneer,  crispy lentils, chutney and red onions. It’s served with fried aloo chaat dough for dipping ($6). 

There’s also a take on everyone’s favorite party staple: “Fancy Taco Dip” featuring a base of seasoned cream cheese and chevre topped with shredded lettuce, arugula, cured black olives, cherry tomatoes, farmers cheese, red onion and cilantro ($6).

Very soon, guests will also find an entire section of the menu dedicated to potato pancakes with options like classic pancakes served with sour cream and applesauce; latkes with smoked salmon spread and hashbrown-style pancakes with ham, cheese and egg.

Heck says customers can expect more additions to the ever-evolving menu, along with specials to keep things interesting.

In addition to non-alcoholic options, guests can also enjoy a selection of bottled and canned beer, cocktails and wine, with slushies and batched cocktails to be added in time.

For now, guests must order in person for carry-out. But within the next couple of weeks, Maigatter says Hot Dish will launch an online ordering service, allowing for pick-up at either the restaurant’s indoor counter or outdoor pick-up window.

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Shedding happy tears

Thanks to the generosity of friends, loyal customers and kind strangers – who donated to support the couples’ GoFundMe, which will remain active at least through their first week in business – both Heck and Maigatter are also entering into their opening weekend with a newfound sense of gratitude.

“If it had been just myself and Nate that this had impacted, we would have just pushed through,” says Maigatter. “But because our lack of funding impacted so many of our people, it really pushed us to swallow our pride and make the ask.”

“We can’t thank people enough,” Heck says, a visible tear welling up in the corner of his eye. “It was awesome. And we’re looking forward to paying it forward by helping other folks who are in similar positions.”

More to come

Maigatter says they’re looking forward to making a variety of improvements, particularly to the exterior of the building.  

That includes planting a pollinator garden near the exit doors on the front of the building and pulling together the patio for the summer months.

Later this spring, they also hope to make improvements to the facade and obtain signage, probably with the assistance of city grants. If possible, they’d also like to use city funds to revive the original lit Blue Boy sign on the top of the building.

Next year, they hope to expand the patio to include more seating, a gathering area with fire pits and gardens where they can grow herbs and some basic vegetables to use at the restaurant.

“The restaurant will be an evolution for a while,” says Maigatter, “But we’re really looking forward to it all. And we’re so grateful for everyone who helped to get us this far.” 

This weekend, Hot Dish Pantry will be open Thursday through Sunday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Beginning April 20th, guests can expect expanded hours of Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Be sure to follow Hot Dish Pantry for news and updates on Instagram and Facebook.