This barbecue restaurant owner is opening a breakfast and lunch diner outside of Ankeny
A diner outside Ankeny will offer old favorites and more under a new name.
Darren and Sherry Warth announced this month they bought the former Sorriso Grille, 7015 N.E. 14th St., in the Carney area just south of Ankeny's city limits. Melinda Strable, the Warth's nearby neighbor who opened the restaurant in 2014, closed Sorriso in April and retired.
The Warths also own Smokey D's BBQ, The Ornery Chicken and The Crafty Mac. When Strable starting talking about retiring, Darren Warth said, "It was pretty simple: "Hey, I'll buy it." He had dined at Sorriso daily.
After the April 30 closure, construction is now underway at what will become It's My Jam Cafe. Work includes a new parking lot, patio repairs and updated kitchen equipment.
"My daughter named it because everybody knows I'm a big breakfast guy," Warth said. "I always tell people breakfast is my jam. It's my favorite meal of the day. I could skip the rest of them, but I must have breakfast."
More: Fast-casual Curbin' Cuisine moves from Beaverdale to Ankeny. What's on the expanded menu?
The menu will stay largely the same — hot beef on Tuesdays, chicken fried steak on Thursdays, the Carney platter, cinnamon rolls and biscuits.
But It's My Jam will take its own spin with some planned additions: ham balls, sausage made in-house and create-your-own options. Think Iowa comfort food made-from-scratch: It's My Jam will offer the same good meal and service at an affordable price, Warth said.
The opening date for It's My Jam Cafe is to be determined. The best case scenario would be early July, depending on how construction shakes out.
The goal is to hire as much of the previous staff as possible, Warth said. He also hopes to expand the hours to 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and have breakfast all day.
Chris Higgins covers the eastern and northern suburbs for the Register. Reach him at chiggins@registermedia.com or 515-423-5146 and follow him on Twitter @chris_higgins_
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Smokey D's owners buy Sorriso Grille outside Ankeny. When it reopens:
