Rock Falls diner, former Gazi’s Restaurant, under new ownership

ROCK FALLS - The former Gazi’s Restaurant, now Ana’s Cafe, has undergone a makeover courtesy of the new owners, Fadil and Nete Bekteshi.

The diner, located at 901 First Ave. in Rock Falls, was purchased by the couple in November 2023. It is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, offering pick-up and dine-in services.

Gazi’s, originally established in February 2009, was a Rock Falls community favorite. Ana’s Cafe and its new owners have gotten tremendous support from the community even though they’ve changed hands, Fadil said in an interview with Shaw Local.

The support was evident at noon Monday, April 8, with an almost completely full dining room.

The pair moved to Rock Falls from Salem and bought the building 5 months ago to start their family business.

With a soon-to-be kindergartener and first grader, their idea was to create a place where the kids could be involved, and they would have a flexible schedule. A breakfast and lunch spot was exactly what they’d been looking for, Fadil said.

The restaurant closed for two weeks to undergo renovations. Two contractors from Chicago and DeKalb were hired and their crews installed wood floors, replaced some walls, and did window treatments with new blinds.

“They worked nonstop, and we got to participate too... [the kids were] fooling around when they were painting and they had to redo it, but they were participating,” Fadil said.

Along with the structural revamp, the owners have opted for a new color scheme, ditching the red and green to go for a modern black and white design. While the interior set up has remained the same, with booths lining the walls and tables in the middle, all the tables and booths have been replaced, including a new check-out counter.

Fadil says they’ve only just gotten started and are planning to do a lot more down the road. On their checklist is updating the back kitchen area, redesigning the bathrooms and remodeling the exterior. They also plan on rebuilding the drive-thru and offering delivery through DoorDash in the future.

“It’s a really great community and we plan on being here for many years to come,” Fadil said.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for next week to celebrate the new ownership.