Sorrento’s to host two-night Grand Opening celebration next weekend
Ribbon cut 4 p.m. Friday

[November 15, 2018]  On Friday, November 16th and Saturday November 17th, Sorrento’s in Lincoln will host a two night Grand Opening events in celebration of their new location at 614 Broadway in Lincoln.

On Friday evening at 4 p.m. the night will kick off with a ribbon cutting. Afterward the public will be invited inside the see the lovely new restaurant and enjoy refreshments.

For those who choose to stay for dinner, ten percent of the night’s receipts will be donated to the Lincoln YMCA. Owner Lisa Drew noted that Sorrento’s wanted to use the celebration as a means to raise some money for a program they believe is very valuable to the community. She noted that the YMCA does some amazing work for area youth and the community on the whole. She concluded that Sorrento’s wanted to give back to the community that has been a tremendous support of the restaurant since 1969.

On Saturday evening, the doors will open at 4 p.m. From 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. guests will be able to enjoy live entertainment while they dine. Kyle Yap, a musician from the Bloomington area that performs classic rock and alternative music will be performing throughout the evening. Drew noted there will also be grand opening specials as well as drawings for prizes.
 

Sorrento’s has been a big part of Lincoln since 1969. The restaurant was first opened at the corner of Pekin and Chicago Streets by Lisa Drew’s late husband, Sam Sorrento. The restaurant moved from one corner to the other soon after opening, then later it would move again to its first location on Broadway Street. Lisa said that after her husband passed away, she ran the restaurant and it was located in the 500 block of Broadway Street in the building now occupied by Salon Trio.

Later, the restaurant would move a block into the 600 block of Broadway where it was the next door neighbor to the Lincoln YMCA for 15 years. Lisa and Jim Drew were married in 2005 and Jim became a big part of the restaurant with Lisa.

In late 2016, Melody Shew of MKS Jewelers announced that she would be retiring and the popular jewelry store would be closing. After some consideration, Jim and Lisa decided it was time for a move. They acquired the building and began an extensive remodel, setting up to be a beautiful and relaxing place for a family to enjoy an evening together.

The store front of the building is now a crisp white with a black and white striped awning that makes it standout nicely in the center of the block. Inside, the décor is reminiscent of old world Tuscany, Italy with areas of exposed brick on warm colored walls. A lovely painting on the back wall leaves the impression of looking off of a balcony in that old country onto a village with a mountain backdrop.

The new restaurant is much larger than the last location Sorrento’s occupied, and Lisa Drew said that they are really very, very happy with their new location. She noted that with the new space there is ample room for larger families to gather together, something she said she felt has been lacking in the downtown eateries. While all can accommodate small groups, larger families of eight or 10 have struggled to have a good place to go in the downtown area.

The Drew’s employee approximately 15 to 20 part time employees and are open seven evenings a week. Sunday through Thursday, the hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings the restaurant is open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The Drew’s are anxious to share their lovely new location with the community and are hopeful that many will come out on Friday and Saturday evening to help them celebrate this new chapter in the history of the restaurant.

The ribbon cut on Friday evening will be led by the LDN ribbon cut crew. The public is invited to attend the ribbon cutting. After the cut, plan to spend time checking out the new location, enjoy some refreshments, visit with the Drew’s and congratulate them on their accomplishment.

[Nila Smith]