Egg Harbor Cafe celebrated its grand opening at 1111 South Blvd. in Oak Park on July 16.Nestled between the bustling Downtown Oak Park and Pleasant District and right across from the busy Oak Park Metra station, Egg Harbor is a calm, family-friendly haven offering affordable and high-quality breakfast and lunch options. Walking into Egg Harbor, guests will notice the smell of fresh coffee, bacon, and syrup, said Angel Gutierrez, who manages the Oak Park location. “We want people to walk in and feel the good vibes,” he said. “We want to make sure that when you walk in you feel comfortable, you feel safe, and that you feel a home away from home.
Founded in 1985 by college sweethearts Jack and Paula Wright, their daughter Aimee and her husband Mike Farrell in Hinsdale, Egg Harbor now has locations in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Georgia. The South Boulevard cafe is Egg Harbor’s 24th location. The company has grown significantly across its nearly 40-year history, yet it has maintained its family feel and commitment to support the local community. Today, the cafe remains family-owned across three generations.
Lynda Dautenhahn, who stopped by the cafe at the end of a visit to Oak Park before returning home to Springfield, said the cafe was “bright and clean.” The “environment felt welcoming to young families as well as to an older person who might come in by themselves and wish to quietly read a book or write a note while they had lunch or breakfast,” she said.
In the cafe’s dining room, booth and table seating are available under the glow of the cafe’s sky light. In warmer months, guests can choose to dine on the shaded patio located in front of the entrance on South Boulevard.
The cafe has a history of investing in local businesses and prides itself on providing high-quality meals for an affordable price (prices average $18.50 per customer). Egg Harbor buys its bread from Turano Bakery, pottery from Deneen Pottery based in St. Paul, gluten-free baked goods from Sweet Ali’s bakery in Hinsdale, and a proprietary roast created exclusively for Egg Harbor by Big Shoulders in Chicago.
The menu features classic American breakfast options such as skillets, omelets, frittatas, pancakes, and breakfast bowls, as well as lunch options such as sandwiches and salads. Popular dishes include the Door County Chicken Salad (made with dried cranberries, apples, and pecans after a suggestion from a customer), Strawberry Crunch French Toast, Smoked Salmon Benedict, and Maple Bourbon Bacon. An alternative menu is also available for gluten-free guests.
Egg Harbor offers more in addition to these standards, such as the delicious Middle Eastern and North African favorite, Shakshuka. The cafe makes its own jam, made from blackberries, blueberries and strawberries, and banana bread. Egg Harbor also offers Natalie’s Orange Juice, espresso drinks, frozen espresso “Harborccinos,” mimosas, and Bloody Mary’s. For special occasions and events, the cafe offers a catering service.
The cafe is devoted to creating a family-oriented environment. Just inside of the Oak Park cafe is a “Kidz Korner” providing toys, books, and screen-free entertainment for younger guests. Egg Harbor also has a paper kid’s menu, offering $8 break-fast and lunch options. On the back of the kid’s menu is an egg coloring contest; every month, the staff chooses winners that will win a free kid’s meal and have their art displayed at the cafe.
Above all, the company strives to “support the communities and the employees,” said Gutierrez, who started working at Egg Harbor as a server over 20 years ago. Egg Harbor is committed to developing leaders and helping employees to grow careers. Beyond its staff, the company has established a reputation for community involvement. At previous locations, Egg Harbor has invited school groups to visit the kitchen and hosted winter clothing drives.
Egg Harbor Cafe
1111 South Blvd., Oak Park
Open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day