15 Jul Downtown Dining: Galleries In The District

Rock Island has long been known as a melting pot of different cultures, but thanks to a new downtown restaurant, it’s also a melting pot of flavor. It’s not every restaurant you can walk into and order a plate of tacos with a side of tzatziki and some linguine alfredo. But not every restaurant is Galleries in the District.

“We focus on giving the best service to our guests,” says co-owner Carlos Ronzon. “We try to offer a unique type of experience including the food selection that isn’t offered anywhere else.” What to make of this culinary culture clash? The owners of Galleries like to call it “Mexi-Terranian.”

First and foremost,” says Ronzon, “here at Galleries, we enjoy food and it’s our passion. We’ve always liked tasting food from other cultures. That being said, we wanted to bring many of those choices all under one roof and make it convenient for our guests to enjoy.” For Ronzon, it’s been a lifelong passion. “I began my journey when I was 11 years old working with my mother in Veracruz, Mexico,” he says. “Seeing the reaction of people’s faces when they would get their food made me realize it was something special.”

In his late teens, Ronzon took his love of food to New York City, where he landed a job as a dishwasher in an Italian restaurant. “After washing dishes, being a prep cook, and helping with salads, I finally got my chance to be in the kitchen working with the full menu, pizzas and all the pastas.”

After five years at the Italian restaurant followed by work alongside the well-known chef Dennis Cruz, Ronzon made his way to Chicago, where he worked in various restaurants from Mexican to Italian. Eventually, he made his way to the Quad Cities and opened

Find Galleries at 1806 2nd Avenue in downtown Rock Island. See their hours, menu, and specials at www.facebook.com/GalleriesInTheDistrict.