Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe in Chicago

Mike and I finally decided to embark on the 36 mile journey along Chicago’s beautiful Lakefront Path. This fantastic multipurpose trail connects most of Chicago’s best tourist attractions. Before heading out on this lengthy trail, we wanted to fill up with a delicious breakfast. We have always wanted to try out the highly regarded Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe, known for fabulous specialty pancakes and crepes, French toast, and filling omelets.

We figured that a pre-workout breakfast at Wildberry would be the perfect opportunity to fuel up and experience a new downtown restaurant. Wildberry is located just a few short blocks from the path, making it the perfect option for those spending the day enjoying a bit of fun-in-the-sun on Lake Michigan.

Great food to fuel up prior to a long bike ride!

Wildberry offers a wide variety of pancakes, waffles, and French toast varieties, even a few vegan and gluten-free options! I did not want to load up on sweets before embarking on a 30+ mile bike ride, so I opted for more protein. I decided to go with the Veggie Omelette, which included a hearty assortment of onions, broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, tomatoes, and mushrooms.

Veggie Omelet at Wildberry Cafe in Chicago

What a nice combination of vegetables! I have never seen asparagus on an omelet, however, it went well with the other selections. And, I also loved the fact that they used larger sized vegetables, instead of those tiny chopped pieces that you see on most omelets. The dish included hash browns (just the right amount of crispiness) and your choice of bread (the rye was delicious).

Mike ordered the Breakfast Burrito (eggs, cilantro, avocado, and cheese packed inside a whole wheat wrap). You can make this option vegetarian by skipping the chorizo. Mike appreciated the easy substitution (no chorizo) and the option for fresh fruit as opposed to hash browns.

Breakfast burrito at Wildberry Cafe in Chicago

Of course, if you have a sweet tooth, you will want to try the iconic Wildberry pancakes. Recent selections have included Blueberry Danish, Banana Coconut Cream Pie, and Oreo S’Mores.

As a bonus, they serve renowned Intelligentsia coffee and offer a full espresso menu.

This restaurant was reasonably busy for a weekday morning. After experiencing the excellent food and service, I can see the reason behind the popularity and excellent reviews (currently number 2 on Trip Advisor of all Chicago restaurants)!

Dining room of Wildberry Cafe in Chicago

Additional Details

Prime location: Wildberry is conveniently located on Randolph Street, within walking distance of Millennium Park and the Magnificent Mile. Start your day off right by enjoying the breakfast specialties, classy atmosphere, and refined service at Wildberry! Note there is also another location on Pearson St.

Address: 130 E. Randolph St. Chicago, IL 60601

Hours: Everyday from 7am-2pm

Parking: Pay per hour street parking or parking garage. There are several garages in the area including one right across the street which offers an excellent morning special ($15 if in between 7:30-9:30 and stay for at least 5 hours).

Also be sure to check out my full guide to the best Chicago summer attractions!