June 04, 2025
Business

Berwyn's Presto Cafe aims for high quality at reasonable prices

By JOE SINOPOLI

Presto Cafe owner (From right) Andrius Presniakovas, bartender and manager Evaldas Girdziunas and chef Sigitas Svabaitis wanted to brng something different to Berwyn – a high-end cafe at low prices. (Joe Sinopoli)

BERWYN

Andrius Presniakovas had an idea to bring a bit of Europe to Berwyn.

He found an empty store front at 3242 Oak Park Ave., called in four-star chef Sigitas Svabaitis and had designers and tradesmen transform the vacant spot into Presto Cafe.

The interior looks like a contemporary cafe in Rome, with warm gold tones, a wall lined with booths and a few small tables in the window. On the other wall is the bar, where manager and bartender Evaldas Girdziunas mixes up classics and creates new drinks using fresh fruit only, no concentrates.

In the back, there’s a gaming section with four machines. Beyond that is a banquet room for private parties or when the booths and tables in front are full.

There’s outside seating as well, with protection from the rain and sun.

Presniakovas came to the United States from Lithuania with his family in 2013 with the dream of becoming a businessman. He opened Platinum Players Cafe in Summit and then opened Presto Cafe in November 2014.

“We built this restaurant for people to come and relax, enjoy dinner – a date destination,” Presniakovas said.

Presto is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturday. The cafe is closed Sunday and Monday.

Chef Svabaitis has more than 20 years experience in the restaurant business in Europe. He’s worked in four-star hotels in Belgium and Portugal and also in the U.S.

Svabaitis said he is particularly schooled in Mediterranean cooking, drawing from French, Spanish and Portuguese styles. Seafood and lamb are what he does best, he said.

“I’m trying to bring European flavors and presentation of the food,” Svabaitis said. “We’re trying to make banquets like the modern European way,”

What Presto really offers, Presniakovas said, is an upscale menu with reasonable prices.

Sea bass with a cream sauce and baby potatoes is $14.95. Aromatic lamb meatballs are offered for $13.99. How about a half-pound sirloin steak? That’s $15.99.

“It’s so much more different than anything you will see in Berwyn,” Presniakovas said.

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Presto Cafe, 3240 Oak Park Ave., Berwyn

10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays; 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; closed Sunday and Monday

708-788-6262