Chico is the Man at Select Restaurant

Select Restaurant is arguably a hidden treasure in Montgomery. Tucked far back in a corner of the Boulder Hill Market shopping center at Route 25 and Boulder Hill Pass, the family diner might have evaded your senses, if you're not a local. 

Owner Bonifacio "Chico" Cano, 49, has been serving up homecooked meals at the restaurant for about 30 years.

Cano started working at the restaurant as a bus boy, then a dishwasher and later as a cook. Cano, who moved here from Mexico when he was 16 years old, bought the restaurant seven years ago from the former Greek owners. 

Cano still cooks in the kitchen and can often be spotted in the cutout window behind the diner's counter. Cano works in the kitchen with his two sons, Rene and Noel. Maribel Cano, one of his daughters, works as a server at the restaurant. And last, but not least, his wife, Rosalina, also helps out. 

The Canos' work ethic is obvious; the sparkling interior, the plentiful menu including a fresh salad bar and attentive service are all signs of the family's dedication. 

Maribel, who is also a part-time student at Waubonsee Community College, said that her dad worked at the restaurant 26 years before taking over ownership. The former owners, Chris and Ana Vardouniotis, retired and gave Cano a shot at owning it, she said. 

After taking it over, Cano kept things mostly the same. He added a Fiesta night that features Mexican food once a month and kept the popular monthly German night that the Vardouniotis started.

Select Restaurant opened in the Boulder Hill shopping center in the early 1970s and moved across the parking lot in 1975 to its current location. 

The diner serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is famous for its broasted chicken, fish, homemade soups and bread. Make sure you don't leave the restaurant without a loaf of Cano's bread to take home. 

Maribel, who works part-time at the restaurant, said that business fluctuates day to day and weekends are usually busy. The roomy sitting area with several booths and tables can easily accommodate the occasional rush.

No matter what time of day, the Cano family welcomes you.

"I love the people, the customers, the family business," said son Rene, who is a jack of all trades at the restaurant. "It's a fun place to be."

is located at 29 Boulder Hill Pass. Call them at 630-892-0231.