Egg Harbor Cafe offers brunch lovers a wide selection of creative dishes at their cozy yet spacious spot at the heart of downtown Evanston, the chain’s newest location.
Located at 1701 Maple Ave., Egg Harbor opened last fall. The late Jack Wright (Kellogg ’52) started the breakfast chain in 1985 with his wife Paula. Today, the chain has multiple locations across Illinois, Wisconsin and Georgia.
The Evanston location has ample indoor seating and a large outdoor patio that diners can enjoy as temperatures continue to rise. Egg Harbor offers a variety of breakfast delights, lunch sandwiches and an expansive gluten-free menu.
We visited the restaurant on a Monday afternoon and were excited to treat ourselves with Egg Harbor’s brunch offerings.
It’s not brunch unless you start the meal off with a cup of joe. Egg Harbor has a comprehensive barista menu with hot and cold drinks. Coffee fanatics will enjoy the selection of lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos and Haborccinos — Egg Harbor’s take on a frosty espresso drink.
On a warm, sunny day, we opted for iced coffees — two iced brown sugar lattes. Served in a glass mason jar, this beverage had hints of vanilla and cinnamon. The coffee flavor was rich and slightly bitter, which helped offset the sweetness of the drink.
We also ordered the iced salted caramel toffee macchiato. The sweet caramel and toffee flavors were alive in every sip. Paired with the sharp taste of the coffee, the drink satisfied our morning sweet treat craving.
Whether you’re craving a sweet or savory breakfast item, Egg Harbor has just what you need. Egg Harbor has a number of pancake and french toast varieties. You can go the classic route of blueberry or chocolate chip pancakes or the adventurous route with the strawberry crunch french toast and blackberry banana pancakes.
We tried the red velvet french toast, which was as decadent and illustrious as it sounds. The three thick slices of red velvet cake were pan-fried and topped with powdered sugar and fresh strawberry slices. The highlight of the dish was the cream cheese frosting. We were scraping every last bit of the sweet, tangy frosting off of our plates.
The menu also offers a variety of egg dishes, including omelets, skillets and scramblers. We opted for the shakshuka, which consists of three eggs inside a Moroccan-spiced tomato, pepper and onion sauce, all topped with goat cheese. The dish — which came with a toasted English muffin — was the perfect savory accompaniment to the red velvet french toast. The spices blended together deliciously, and the goat cheese added a hint of saltiness to balance out the dance of flavors.
Even if you’re feeling full, do not skip the maple bourbon bacon at Egg Harbor — the sugary crust creates the perfect sweet and salty combination.
With no shortage of brunch classics to choose from, Egg Harbor is a must-try brunch spot that is sure to delight.
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @kunjal_bastola
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @rschlueter26
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