Nutella cafe Chicago - a short introduction
Everybody loves Nutella. And there are more and more Nutella cafes opening up all around the globe. The first Nutella cafe that I heard of, and if I am not mistaken, the first Nutella cafe ever opened, is situated in Milano, Italy. When I was still living in Europe, I was strongly considering taking a weekend trip to Milano just so I could try it out, but I was busy with my exams and writing my graduation thesis, so I forgot about the plan.
After graduation, I moved to the United states of America. Here, I travel as much as I can, and I try to visit at least two cool restaurants in every city I am visiting. Last autumn, two of my good friends visited me, and we went to Chicago. And when I was making my bucket list for my trip to Chicago and realized there is a Nutella cafe there, I immediately made it my top priority and decided I will go check it out.
Even the entrance into the Nutella cafe Chicago is shaped like the Nutella bottle.
Where is Nutella cafe situated?
You can find Nutella cafe on 189 North Michigan avenue in Chicago, right next to the famous Millenium park. You know, the one with the Cloud gate sculpture, also called The bean. So, to get to the Nutella cafe from The cloud gate, start walking towards the Hancock tower. Once you cross the street, the Nutella cafe will be on your right. Well, to be honest, you will not be able to walk past it without noticing, because there will most likely be a long line in front of the door. The place is fairly new and therefore packed.
When to go there?
Nutella cafe in Chicago is always busy. During my three day vacation in Chicago, there was a line that went out of the door, every single time me and my friends walked past the place. So I would say there is no best time to go there, but if you are lucky enough, the line will not be terribly long and you might get away with waiting for ‘only’ half an hour. Well, I understand all the crowds - everybody wants to cross the visit to the Nutella cafe off their bucket list.
Once you place your order, you will get a special pager that will vibrate when your food is ready, so you know when to pick it up.
The interior
First of all, this place is tiny, and you might want to avoid it if you are claustrophobic. And I am only partly joking here. But I must say that I was extremely impressed by the decoration. Just look at the ceiling lights, and the brown lines all across the ceiling and the walls look like a Nutella river. The chairs and tables look somehow futuristic, and I really liked it.
Pretty cool, right?
The Nutella river.
The Nutella cafe has two levels - the ground level, where you also order food, and the first floor, which has a little better view, and you have more chances of getting a table there. Wall decorations are pretty cool an both levels, and if you find a hole in the crowd of people, you might even be able to snap a cool picture of you in front of the Nutella river, dripping down the wall behind you.
What to order?
Once you enter, you can grab one of the menus that you will find right next to the entrance, and then step somewhere to the side while you are deciding on what to order, so you are not making a line behind you. Because, like I said, there will be a lot of people. And you can keep the menu as a souvenir. Well, and as a reminder that you just spent ten dollars for Nutella crepes.
I would say that a must - order is the Nutella ice cream, Nutella hot chocolate, and the croissant french toast with, of course, Nutella, berries and almonds drizzled on top. Other menu items include Nutella muffins, Nutella crepes, Nutella fruit salad and so on. Like I said, the possibilities are endless, because you can also customize the food items, but prepare to pay a lot for basically anything in there.
This tiny piece cost us almost ten dollars. That is why me and my friends decided to only try one item and share it.
Prices
Everything in the Nutella cafe Chicago is overpriced. But hey, if you order something, you can brag to your friends about eating at the Nutella cafe. So do not expect to spend less than ten dollars there. Well, less than five dollars if you order the Nutella ice cream, but everything else on the menu is much more expensive.
A few words for the end…
Nutella cafe Chicago did not quite exceed my expectations. I was actually a little bit disappointed about how expensive it is and how uninnovative the menu items are. The bottom line is - I am glad I tried it, because I know I would regret not going, but Nutella cafe Chicago is just one of many tourist traps that I encountered on my travels. You know, I can make Nutella crepes at home, and they will not cost me ten dollars!
