Cemeno's Pizza
our story
It all started with a dream, a pizza oven, and a family determined to build something of their own.
On July 19, 1976, Joseph and Janice Cemeno opened the doors to a small storefront pizza shop on Jefferson Street in Joliet. As the first non-family Aurelio’s Pizza franchise at the time, the restaurant quickly became a local favorite, with lines stretching down the sidewalk as guests waited for a table.
From the very beginning, it was about more than pizza. It was a place for family, friends, and community to gather.
As that community grew, so did Cemeno’s. In 1985, the family expanded to a second location in the Twin Oaks Shopping Center, adding banquet rooms and Joe’s Dugout, a sports bar inspired by Joe’s love of Chicago sports.
In 1996, the Cemeno family took another leap, purchasing land along what was then a sparsely developed Essington Road and building the restaurant we still call home today.
Then, in 2002, we proudly stepped away from the Aurelio’s franchise and introduced Cemeno’s Pizza.
The name may have changed, but the traditions didn’t. Many of the recipes and techniques that shaped our food were passed down through generations-including those of Grandma Tressie, who famously used her hands as measuring cups when making homemade sauces and meatballs.
A New Generation
Nearly three decades after opening on Essington Road, the Cemeno’s story began another chapter.
In 2024, we partnered with the Joliet Park District to open Cemeno’s At The Park. What began as an opportunity to bring Cemeno’s to the Inwood complex has grown into a restaurant with an identity all its own-combining Cemeno’s favorites with exclusive menu items, a sports-driven atmosphere, and service throughout the surrounding Park District facilities.
In January 2026, our family grew in a completely new direction with Cup of Joe by Cemeno’s, our first coffee shop.
Named in honor of Papa Joe-whose mornings always started with a cup of coffee and a piece of toast-Cup of Joe brings the Cemeno’s tradition into a different part of the day, serving quality coffee, homemade bagels, breakfast favorites, and more to a new generation of regulars.
And back where it all began, we’ve continued reinvesting in Cemeno’s Pizza-including the introduction of The Sepper Club, named after Joe Cemeno’s longtime nickname and inspired by the homemade dishes and hospitality that have defined our family for generations.
50 Years - And We’re Just Getting Started
Today, 50 years after Joe and Jan first opened the doors, Cemeno’s remains proudly family-owned and operated.
What began as one small pizza restaurant has grown into a family of concepts, each with its own personality but connected by the same values: great food, genuine hospitality, family tradition, and a commitment to the community that has supported us since 1976.
We’re incredibly proud of the first 50 years-the generations of employees who became family, the guests who made Cemeno’s part of their traditions, and the countless birthdays, weddings, team dinners, first dates, reunions, and ordinary Tuesday nights we’ve been fortunate enough to share.
But we’re just as excited about what’s ahead.
The restaurants may evolve. The family may grow. But the reason we do it will always remain the same: serving great food, creating memories, and serving smiles.
From our family to yours, thank you for being part of our story.
The best is yet to come.