Something new is coming to the south suburb’s downtown.
Locals of Lemont have noticed signage for a new concept called Palmyra coming to 319 Front Street. Owner Greg Karellas told What Now Chicago this will be a “summer-centric” restaurant for the village. Right now, he does not yet have an estimated opening date, but it will be sometime in late fall.
Karellas has previous restaurant experience as the minority owner of Hawthorne’s Backyard in West Chicago. This is a spot for burgers, wings, and craft beer. His brother-in-law Lou Kopinski is the majority owner.
Next Mex closed in November 2025 after serving the village for 15 years. It was known for upscale Mexican dishes and margaritas. The team at Palmyra found the space soon after the closure.
The new restaurant will operate at the base of the Front Street Lofts development, on the north side of front street. Neima Coffee & Cafe is next to the space, and What Now Chicago covered this recent opening in September 2025. This is near the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal, as well as the Lemont Metra station.
Those in the Lemont area can expect an October or November opening date for Palmyra. Karellas has not yet set up a website or social media pages for the concept, and will release more information at a later date.
