The driving force behind the Lake Forest dining institution that is the uniquely American South Gate Cafe and the Bank Lane Bistro, owner Larry Ross, grew up in Lake Forest, but nearly entered into his chosen profession far from home.
"I graduated from the University of Virginia in 1968, then spent a couple of years sailing and writing in the Caribbean and California," says Ross. "I had thought about opening a restaurant for some time and almost did in California, but then decided to come back to the Midwest to do it here."
His first restaurant, an innovative endeavor called The Gallery, opened in Lake Forest in 1972. Later Ross, looking for a location that would allow outdoor dining, sold The Gallery to the chef and opened the South Gate Cafe in 1981. Since that beginning, the enterprise that is the South Gate Cafe, Bank Lane Bistro and the Bank Lane Bakery has served as a culinary and social focal point for both locals and visitors in this charming northern suburb.
"The town has changed quite a bit since I was a kid and even more since we first opened The Gallery," says Ross. "It’s seen considerable growth in terms of other restaurants, retail, and office space. We see many more business people, whereas, when we first started, many of our current lunch customers would have been working in Chicago. Things inevitably change over time, however, and we just have to stay in touch with what people are looking for and try to give them a memorable and interesting experience."
Larry and his wife Maggie have three sons and live in Lake Forest.
