In 1968, Angelo Zilli and his wife Ellen, purchased a small Tasti-Freeze in Waukesha. Five years later, Angelo remodeled the 13-stool counter and transformed the stand into Ellen's on Grandview. The traditional family dining restaurant was open with seating for 70 and was the start of a successful Zilli family tradition.
The family worked hard on their new endeavor and with the help of sons Michael, James, Robert and Stephen, Ellen's on Grandview became the stop for all in Waukesha to enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner, along with a salad bar (rare in those days) and an array of daily specials.
As often happens in life, just when things are going well, bad seems to sneak up behind you. That is what happened to the Zilli family in 1977. While the restaurant was continuing to make a name for itself, the patriarch of the family, Angelo, was diagnosed with cancer and died soon after.
Ellen Zilli found herself a single mother of four boys, with a restaurant that was now in her hands to run. Ellen did something not many would expect. She and her sons decided rather than being satisfied with Ellen's on Grandview, they were going to expand.
In 1978, with a borrowed van, the family began catering in conjunction with the restaurant, and Ellen's Prestige Catering was born! After eight years, the small restaurant kitchen could not support both the catering and restaurant, so in 1986 the restaurant closed for two years and the building on Grandview went through a metamorphosis - and received a new name.
The doors opened in 1988 to Zilli's Grandview Inn, and guests enjoyed a traditional, upscale linen restaurant offering an array of culinary delights. The family grew in other areas as well, with a partnership in Manchester East Hotel in 1991, the purchase of Theurich Catering Service in 1992 and the acquisition of Kuglitches Accent on Catering in 2000.
As the Zilli family gained a reputation and recognition as one of southeastern Wisconsin's top caterers and best restaurants in Waukesha County, the family once again found themselves wanting to grow. This desire took them out of Waukesha County and to downtown Milwaukee where in 2003 Coast - A Zilli Restaurant catapulted into the Milwaukee restaurant scene. It was immediately recognized as the city's number one new restaurant.
Highlighting the best of American cuisine, Coast is an upscale, causal setting offering a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan. The unique wave bar features signature martinis, sangrias and domestic wines. The restaurant also offers private space for all occasions including rehearsal dinners, board meetings and holiday parties. Recent recognitions have been the 2004/2005 Zagat Survey and Milwaukee Magazine's Readers' Choice for the city's number one restaurant.
The Zilli Hospitality Group now "houses" Zilli's Grandview Inn, Ellen Zilli's Catering, and Coast - A Zilli Restaurant. Three generations of family continue to work together to create the best product possible and to build on the legacy that their father, Angelo, would be proud of.