Our Story
As early as she could remember, Chef Andrea had a vision of opening her own restaurant in her home town of La Grange Park. Before culinary school. Before her time at renowned restaurants like Lula Café and Eataly. Even before she found her passion for making great meals cooking with her parents as a child.
That vision began taking shape in 2020, when she and her mother Donna put pen to paper and built a plan for what would become Happier Now Café & Market.
Their shared mission and guiding principals became immediately clear. Treat guests to a casual, but gourmet dine-in experience. Foster a sense of community and focus on all things local. Create a relaxing and welcoming space to gather with friends and family, bring the kids, or work remotely with a glass of wine. Offer a market with variety of pre-made foods, beverages, and other goods that can be enjoyed at home.
What Makes Us Happier Now
Building A Community
We opened Happier Now Café to create a welcoming and inclusive space in the neighborhood that all can enjoy and feel a part of. A place to relax, to work away from home, catch up with friends, read, play board games, enjoy special event nights, all while enjoying delicious food and beverages.
Not only are we a women-owned small business, but we’re also independently owned and operated, with no outside investors, meaning every decision is done with the La Grange Park community in mind. We’re always thrilled to partner with the La Grange Park Chamber of Commerce on all the fun and exciting things happening throughout the year.
When you shop our in-store market, you’re also supporting other local businesses and artisans in the community, such as:
Craft beers from our friends at nearby Buckle Down, Noon Whistle, Alter, and Burnt City, and many more!
Art pieces from our resident artist Isabela Thornton
Pretty Cool ice cream bars
Unique gifts from Special K Beer Candles
Casual Gourmet for Everyone To Enjoy!
Chef Andrea puts a great deal of thought and consideration into all aspects of the menu and beverage selection. The menu is curated to be unique yet unpretentious, and enjoyable by all.
From sweatpants to summer dresses, drop ins to fancy date nights, Happier Now is the place to be! Whether you’re looking for a quick bite, a cup of coffee on the go, sharing plates with friends, or sitting down for a full meal, our all-day menu suits all occasions. Think of us as your neighborhood coffee shop, wine bar, restaurant, and boutique market.
In addition to our signature dishes like Donna’s Tuna Salad, Beat Sandwich, and classic Cheeseburger and Fries, you’ll always find something new as well. Check out our rotating list of seasonal dishes and other special items. See more in our online menu here.
Fresh & Healthy Ingredients
When it comes to the dishes we serve, these are some of the things we value most in our kitchen:
Options for all diets. Our menu offers a wide selection of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options.
Emphasis on all things fresh and local! We source most of our produce from local farms.
No processed foods, high-fructose corn syrup, artificial dyes or coloring.
Nearly every ingredient in every dish is made by hand in house using fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Even the condiments like ranch, aoli, and hot sauce are made by us!
Chef Andrea
Chef Andrea grew up in LaGrange Park and has always dreamed of opening a restaurant in her hometown.
After graduating from Columbia College Chicago and working in marketing for several years she decided to follow her heart and attend culinary school. Andrea graduated from Kendall College and proceeded to work at some of the most interesting restaurants in the Chicago area, including Lula Cafe, Eataly, and Found Kitchen and Social House. Most recently she worked as a regional corporate chef for a large food distribution company.
Though formally educated at Kendall College, Chef Andrea has been cooking with her parents since she was a small child. She is influenced by her father's Eastern European background and the many types of cuisine you are able to eat in Chicago! Her experience ranges from comfort food to casual fine dining.
During her time working and learning Andrea was able to really focus on the type of restaurant she wanted to open; Happier Now Cafe and Market was born.
Donna Slivka
Donna was born in Philadelphia and grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. She moved to Illinois with her husband in the late 1970’s and has been a resident of LaGrange Park for over 40 years.
Over the course of her career Donna worked at Princeton University, Forsgate Country Club, and Real Estate Education Publishing. She received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Benedictine University while working at BorgWarner Automotive. After working there for 22 years Donna retired as a Payroll Specialist.
Donna is the proud mother of Andrea and Daniel and grandmother to Emma and Reilly.
She also has a dog child named Rigby who is her actual favorite.
