Last Tuesday Rizzi’s Italian Restaurant had their 30th anniversary celebration. They’ve been operating their wonderful, cozy, authentic Italian restaurant in the same spot on Sheridan Road here in Peoria for 30 years now.

Let’s go join this celebration of an iconic and fabulous Peoria Italian restaurant!

Here we are at Rizzi’s Italian Restaurant and there’s the banner declaring their 30th year in business in this location on Sheridan Road. What an accomplishment!

Let’s go inside and check out the celebration!

There was a nice balloon display at the entrance and celebratory decorations on the tables inside.

A nice crowd of friends have gathered inside the restaurant to celebrate this festive occasion!

People are celebrating back here in the bar area, one of my favorite spots in the back of this comfortable and cozy restaurant!

PJ Star photographer, Matt Dayhoff was there covering the event, so of course I had to play a round of dueling photographers with him.

There was another woman with a camera recording the event that I snapped a photo of. I didn’t get her name, but I love her smile!

Cassidy Waigand, the PJ Star’s Food and Dining Reporter was also on hand to celebrate and take notes on tonight’s festive celebration! Check out her wonderful story on Rizzi’s by clicking on this link.

There’s a familiar smiling face in the crowd, second generation owner and operator of Rizzi’s, Bekim Rizvani! Let’s meet the whole Rizvani family!

From the left, it’s: Dave, Lauren, Sindis and Bekim Rizvani!

Dave and Lauren are the founding owners of Rizzi’s and they opened up Rizzi’s, in this location in 1995. Dave and Lauren’s son Bekim started out washing dishes here when he was 12-years-old and now he and his wife, Sindis have taken over as the owners and operators of this fine Italian restaurant.

They’re really nice people and they treat each and every customer like family and have created one of Peoria’s best and friendliest dining establishments.

The food here is truly amazing, I lived in New York City for 19 years and can testify that Rizzi’s Italian Restaurant is just as good, if not better Italian cuisine than any I’ve had in the many restaurants I’ve dined at in Little Italy in New York City.

Thanks to the Rizvani family for providing such a fun and wonderful Italian restaurant to the city of Peoria for the last 30 years!

Lauren Rizvani gave a nice and entertaining talk outside the restaurant about the origins and history of Rizzi’s Italian Restaurant that she opened with her husband Dave, 30 years ago in this very location.

Bekim and his wife, Sindis then cut a red ribbon to celebrate the start of the next 30 years here at Rizzi’s Italian restaurant!

There’s Bekim and Sindis’ daughter wearing the ribbon and celebrating with her mom! She’s a frequent and fun co-star in their online video’s with her mom!

Back inside their was their tasty food for the guests and it was a fun evening and well-deserved celebration for 30 years of offering fine and delicious Italian cuisine for the Peoria area in a wonderful restaurant.