Four places for a weekend brunch or a slow weekday breakfast, from scratch-made plates on Campbell Street to biscuits and bonuts just east of downtown.
Brunch downtown mostly happens on Campbell Street and along Vail Avenue, a few minutes' walk from the Metra station and the Vail Avenue Garage. Parking in the blue zones is free all day on weekends, which helps.
We picked these four for different kinds of mornings. Some of the specials mentioned below change from season to season, so check each restaurant's site before you go.
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Everything here is made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients, and it shows in the simple stuff: eggs, pancakes and sandwiches done properly. The menu leans breakfast and lunch, so it's the pick for an early start. Families do well here too. Check their site for the weekly specials, which have included free soft-serve with kids' meals on Wednesdays.
2Go for the biscuits and the bonuts (a biscuit-donut hybrid), then decide between the Southern Bliss pancakes and the banana bread French toast. There are vegan and gluten-free options if your group needs them. It's on Kensington Road, a short drive east of the downtown core, and it's open daily from early morning until mid-afternoon.
3Salsa 17 runs a full brunch menu alongside its regular Mexican lineup, and the patio is one of the better spots on Campbell Street in nice weather. Start with the table-side guacamole and a house margarita. It works well for a bigger group that wants a little more noise than a quiet cafe.
4Cortland's Garage serves brunch on weekends from its corner spot on Vail Avenue. The signature Garage Rolls (Reuben, buffalo chicken and mac and cheese egg rolls) are made for sharing, and the full bar makes it an easy call when there's a game on.
