Visiting The Nutella Café In Chicago

Chicago is a food paradise for foodies looking for the sweet and savory and the most mouthwatering dishes that the city’s culinary tourism – from quick bites to fine dining – is known for. In other words, it really is a city with molecular gastronomy that can fulfill all your different taste buds. After all, there’s a reason why the Windy City is known for some of the best eats in the nation. They didn’t invent the #absolutelynoketchup hashtag for nothing. From the pizza to the hot dogs, Chicago just does things better than everyone else.

But there’s another reason why visitors should visit this drool-worthy city and it really needs no introduction: Nutella.

The Nutella Café in Chicago is actually the first stand-alone location in the United States. The counter-loop counter-serve Loop cafe offers French and Italian-inspired breakfast items, sandwiches, salads and desserts along with an espresso bar. And it’s a must visit location in the city, regardless if you are a chocolate fan or not.

When it comes to the history of Nutella, Italian pastry chef Pietro Ferraro came up with an idea when chocolate prices skyrocketed during World War II. He stretched the rationed ingredients he had by adding ground hazelnuts. This product was originally sold as a solid block. In 1963, Ferrero’s son Michele Ferrero revamped it with the intention of marketing it throughout Europe. Its composition was modified and Nutella was officially born. The first jar of Nutella was sold on April 20, 1964 and has since become an international hit.

As far as the menu is concerned, the café offers everything from open-faced crostatas, baguettes, and crepes with you guessed it – Nutella filling inside. There’s also an assortment of Nutella specialties that include steel-cut oats, an assortment of liege waffles and buttermilk pancakes for breakfast and a croissant French toast that you can’t pass up.

If that weren’t enough, the café also has non-Nutella menu items available including a ham croissant panini, a bacon and cheese strata and a varied selection of artisanal paninis. The kid’s menu includes a grilled cheese sandwich and a sandwich with Nutella, which is actually the sandwich choice-to-go for many parents and children who are always on the run during lunch time.

For the café’s design and decor, the exterior is actually designed to make you feel as though you are actually walking into a jar of Nutella. The two-story space has an open floor plan with Nutella-colored embellishments and red accents everywhere. Communal tables and café-style seating are available on the first floor, while upstairs there are roundabout red couches. And yes, there is even a fireplace to help make you feel like you are at home.

Even though this chocolate and hazelnut spread contains saturated fat and sugar, it also supplies a good amount of key vitamins and minerals that are good for your health, believe it or not. You can enjoy Nutella in moderation while also knowing that it might boost the health of your heart and is a nutritious food that you can occasionally include in your healthy eating plan. It’s no wonder that Nutella is often just enjoyed with nothing more than a jar and a spoon!

Address:

189 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60601
Phone: (800) 861-4888