And Her Baker
Good morning and welcome to Chicago, Illinois, one of my most favourite destinations in the world. All good things happen to me here. This is my 34th trip to this city, and today I am going to take you with me for a bite of breakfast.
Surprisingly, after two weeks of slogging around with the flu, I am full of energy this morning, and out of bed by 7a.m. Psst, the rest of the crew is still asleep.
We’ve recently had a hotel change, and now my beloved Wildberry is out of jet-lag-stumble reach. So here I am, trying out a new breakfast spot: Goddess & The Baker. Somebody on a recent trip recommended it to me, but I am yet to try it. So please tag along!
The name alone puts a massive smile on my face. And then there’s the menu. But let’s get the basics down first, this is where we are headed:
River North location
44 East Grand Ave., Chicago, ILL 60611
(312) 624-8536
grand@goddessandthebaker.com
Mon-Fri 7-4 / Sat 8-4 / Sun 8-3
It’s quiet when I first arrive, no other patrons. So I am at liberty to wander around and look at everything. It’s a wide open space, with a coffee bar on the right, a bakery counter straight ahead, seating to the left, and a large communal table in the centre. The decor is in a lovely robins-egg-blue, with one wall covered entirely with a painting, and upbeat pop music is playing from the speakers.
If I hadn’t been bouncing around with abundant energy already, I would have started now.
One of the baristas waves me over to the bakery counter, where all orders are placed. The menu is a little overwhelming at first, so many delicious-sounding choices, so I pick more or less at random; can’t really go wrong on the first visit, can you?
I pick the Breakfast of the Goddess, which is two eggs any style, turkey bacon, crispy hash browns, and toasted sourdough, and a Liquid Chocolate Buzzed, basically a hot chocolate with a double shot of espresso.
Then I pick a small table for one and settle down. The hot chocolate arrives first, and it is a beauty! It is delicious, comes with a waffle on top, and buzzes the jet lag right out of me.
That’s my kinda start to the day.
Then the food arrives. A nice, reasonable sized (not massive, not tiny) plate with carefully arranged food that looks and tastes delicious.
Colour me impressed.
As I eat, more patrons arrive. Two tables down from me a young woman is typing away on her laptop, at one of the larger tables an informal business meeting is about to kick off, and the large communal table is soon home to a couple and their various plates of hot foods.
People pop in and out for takeaway and orders from the coffee bar, and even a few delivery drivers poke their heads in to pick up deliveries (not that I would consider missing the coffee shop vibes, but maybe you prefer the privacy of your own hotel room this early in the morning).
Before I leave I have a long look at the really sizeable display of merchandise (which totally gives Starbucks a run for their money…) and decide to treat myself to a pretty new coffee mug, and an enamel pin for my writing pouch, as well as a rewards card, which is linked to me debit card, so points are collected automatically, and I already have a voucher to spend on the merchandise.
I am in heaven.
I really do think Goddess and The Baker is a worthy replacement for my beloved Wildberry. My only regret: not having tried anything from the bakery counter. But the next Chicago trip is already on my roster.
So I hope I will bump into you here some time in the next few weeks, or after. Please come and say hello if you think you have recognised me!
N.
Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored (much as I wish it was), I spent all my own money, wrote down all my own opinions, and information, links and availability were correct at the time of writing.
The Stewardessen Breakfast Club 