Remembering Santino’s, Quincy’s First Full-Service Mexican Restaurant
Remembering Santino’s: When Mexican Dining Found a Home in Downtown Quincy
QUINCY, Ill. — Before Mexican restaurants became a familiar part of Quincy’s dining landscape, a husband-and-wife team introduced the city to something that, at the time, was relatively new: a full-service Mexican restaurant with an inviting atmosphere, authentic dishes, and a touch of south-of-the-border hospitality.
For those who remember dining at Santino’s Mexican Restaurant, the name may still bring back memories of sizzling fajitas, fried ice cream, and evenings spent with family and friends.
Located at 512 Hampshire Street in downtown Quincy, Santino’s opened in June 1991 under the ownership of Larry and Pam Cadwell. According to a January 12, 2000, feature published in The Quincy Herald-Whig, the Cadwells were the first to open a full-service Mexican restaurant in Quincy.
It was an important addition to the city’s restaurant scene, offering diners a different kind of culinary experience in the heart of downtown.
A Taste of Mexico on Hampshire Street
Santino’s was known for more than its menu. The restaurant featured Mexican artwork, colorful decorations, and a festive interior that helped establish the atmosphere of a traditional Mexican dining experience. 
In its January 2000 feature, the Herald-Whig described Santino’s as a restaurant known for its friendly, family-oriented atmosphere.
The restaurant’s Mexican chef, Juan Vasquez, brought extensive culinary experience from both Mexico and California. That background allowed Santino’s to offer authentic dishes that, according to the newspaper, were not readily available elsewhere in Quincy at the time.
Among its specialties were fajitas, Pappas con Pollo — a dish described as potatoes with chicken — and freshly squeezed lemonade.
For dessert, customers could enjoy fried ice cream or Apple Crispitos, two offerings highlighted in the newspaper’s restaurant profile.
The restaurant also offered daily lunch and dinner specials, making it a destination for both midday meals and evenings out.
At the beginning of 2000, Santino’s operated Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. The restaurant was closed on Sundays. 
In the restaurants later years, it re-located to 4480 Broadway.
A Family Business With Deep Community Roots
The story of Santino’s was closely tied to Larry and Pam Cadwell, whose experience in the restaurant industry extended beyond Quincy.
Before their Quincy operations, the couple had operated a Santino’s restaurant in Canton, Missouri.
Their restaurant business eventually grew to include two locations in Quincy, becoming a familiar part of the local dining scene during the 1990s and early 2000s.
But the Cadwells’ contributions to the community extended well beyond operating restaurants.
Larry served as president of Santino’s Inc. and was active in the Great River Restaurant Association. He also participated in the advisory committee for John Wood Community College’s Restaurant Management Program, helping support the next generation of hospitality professionals.
Outside the restaurant industry, Larry was involved in Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers and Berean Christian Academy. He and Pam also spent years working with the youth group at Central Baptist Church in Quincy.
Their involvement reflected a commitment to the community that went beyond the walls of Santino’s.
The Changing Years
Larry Cadwell died on March 28, 2002, at the age of 52.
His passing marked a difficult chapter in the history of the family business, but Santino’s continued under Pam’s leadership.
She operated the restaurant business until 2006, bringing an end to an enterprise that had been part of Quincy’s dining history for approximately 15 years since the opening of its downtown location. Pam later worked at Stoney Creek Inn in Quincy, serving as a night clerk and bookkeeper. She remained active in her faith community and was involved with Rock Church of Quincy.
Pam died on November 12, 2023, at the age of 73.
A Restaurant Remembered
The Quincy restaurant scene of 1991 was quite different from the one residents know today.
National chains had already established a presence, while locally owned restaurants continued to give the city much of its culinary character.
Santino’s helped expand those dining options, introducing many customers to dishes and flavors that were less common in Quincy at the time.
Its location at 512 Hampshire Street placed it within the downtown business district, a setting that has experienced significant changes over the decades.
Today, Santino’s belongs to a growing list of Quincy restaurants that have disappeared from the local dining landscape but remain part of the city’s collective memory.
Its story is one of local entrepreneurship, family, and a restaurant that helped introduce a different dining tradition to the Gem City.
And for those who once sat around its tables, the memories may be just as enduring as the food itself.
Do You Remember Santino’s?
As part of Quincy Current’s Restaurants of Yesteryear series, we’re inviting readers to help preserve the memories of restaurants that once called Quincy home.
Did you dine at Santino’s on Hampshire Street? Do you remember the fajitas, fried ice cream, or Apple Crispitos? Perhaps you worked there, celebrated a special occasion, or have an old photograph or menu tucked away.
We’d love to hear your memories of Santino’s and the people who made it a part of Quincy’s history.
