NORFOLK, Va. — Norfolk native Zack Close jumped at the opportunity to open his own restaurant in the historic Freemason neighborhood. Now, Ilo Bistro is quickly becoming a local favorite.

“Yeah, a lot of people say ee-lo,” Close said with a laugh. “I kind of knew that was going to happen, but it is Ilo.”

Close, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, named it after his mother, Irene.

“Ilo is actually a nickname that a couple of my parents’ friends call my mom,” he said. “So [it's] a little tribute to [her].”

Close attended culinary school at Manhattan's French Culinary Institute. He lived and worked in New York City for nearly a decade, but returned to Hampton Roads in 2019. Until 2024, he lead the kitchen at Norfolk's Glass Light Hotel & Gallery. Now, the New York–trained chef blend

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