Cafe Buongiorno

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  A great go-to breakfast or lunch spot in the area, but not open very late into the afternoon. Food is absolutely delectable. Their chili is one of my favorites and I do not say that lightly. i am IN love with the chili in fact. Sandwiches, omelets, and salads are all great. The service is quick and to the point; to some this could be off putting, but I dont mind. Keep in mind the restaurant is cash-only.

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  Posted on 02.27.13 Arielle M.

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  I went for brunch today and had a nice experience. I ordered a vegetarian Omlette with goat cheese. There was so much goat cheese in there I was surprised, and I little overwhelmed. So if you add cheese, make it light.
  
  The intellegensia coffee was good and they were very attentive about giving us refills. The service was a little rough around the edges to put it politely. We were joking about asking the waitress for anything because we were scared she would get mad.
  
  Overall the food was fine, a little on the pricey side. But they have a big menu and I left stuffed!

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  Posted on 02.24.13 Caren L.

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  Love this place, it's the best hidden spot in winnetka! It's cash only, serves intelligentsia coffee, and has a great friendly staff. I've been coming here for years, but only when I'm up visiting the parents. A must when in Winnetka, located in the laundry mall, near starbucks and various other shops n such.

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  Posted on 02.23.13 Jessica F.

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  If you want amazing, homemade food in a family run restaurant, eat here.  The owners are hands-on, so it's run w/ the same care & food-consciousness they give their own family.
  We've been eating here since it opened, & are always full & sated.  The produce is always fresh and the portions very generous.
  The salad dressings are home-made.  The salads are delicious & well balanced, ingredient-wise.  Ask for any salad "chopped;" the flavors meld amazingly.
  BEST burgers.
  They don't skimp on the good stuff:  i.e bleu cheese, avocado, bacon, etc.
  My friend in LaGrange always requests the Cobb Salad (chopped) whenever I go visit her.
  Also, nice & noisy, which is great for bringing the kids.
  Oh!  Great homemade soups, which we always get to go & have for dinner w/ the fresh rolls, included.
  Don't expect any snootiness, just b/c of location.  In return, be friendly, too!

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  Posted on 10.17.12 Rhonda P.

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  We had brunch here on Monday morning.  There were only a few patrons so service was quick.  We ordered the special, eggs parma benedict and a ham panini.  We usually split our meals and saw that there was a $4.50 charge for sharing.  WTF?!  What is with North suburban restaurants being cheap as hell with sharing charges?  I guess I could understand if it's one dish for two people...
  
  The eggs parma benedict was SO good.  Maybe it was a combination of hollandaise and bread that was dipped in something rich but I could barely finish my half.  I only had a little bit of the hash browns that accompanied it.  I had to ask for my half of the panini to be wrapped up because I felt disgusting after I ate the benedict.  It was delicious though!
  
  It's a cute little spot.  I didn't witness the staff or management having a meltdown as other Yelpers have mentioned.  I would come back since it was a delightful meal.  Cash only!

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  Posted on 10.16.12 Mari Y.

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  Great food. Delightful servers. Nice atmosphere. But never show up without cash, they don't take debit or credit cards.

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  Posted on 09.29.12 Julie S.

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  I loved the venue, the food was delicious, and the employees were warm and friendly and went out of their way to ensure that we enjoyed the food. I would highly recommend Cafe  Buongiorno to my family and friends. Looking forward to going back - it's hard to pick a breakfast or lunch item because their selection is extensive!

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  Posted on 07.23.12 lexi l.

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  I am a loyal customer who brought by elderly mother for breakfast the other day. Mom  politely questioned the owner on a matter regarding the bill.  The owner threw up her hands and said what do you want my to work for free I have bills to pay. I have seen her have melt downs with patrons before, but they have never involved myself.
  
  The food is great, but I will not be returning.

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  Posted on 06.24.12 Dr Suzie K.

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  I met two friends there on a Sunday around 12:30 and got seated right away, which I was very pleased about.  I started to glance over the menu while waiting for my two friends and was very excited for my meal.  My two friends arrived and not a minute later the waitress, an older lady with dark brown hair, glasses, and a thick accent, came over and asked if we were ready to order.  We had not yet gotten a chance to look over the menu so we told her no and she said she wanted to place our order right away so we assumed that there would be a long wait for our food.  She came back a few minutes later when we were not yet ready and again reminded us she wanted to put in our order.  The third time she came by we made sure we were ready, mostly because we were sick of her bothering us.  
  
  To our surprise, the food came out pretty quickly and was really delicious.  My avocado and blue cheese omelette was delicious, as was the toast.
  
  After only being there for about 45 minutes, she brings us the check.  We were not yet finished talking so we did not glance at the check.  She came back a few minutes later and told us that someone was waiting for our table, pressuring us to pay the check.  This really bugged us so we decided to sit there, finish our coffee, and talk more.  She came back a few minutes later and again pressured us to pay the bill, reminding us that there were people waiting for our table.  This bothered us so much that we put down our cash.  She came by to pick up the check and we asked her for to-go cups of coffee.  She acted like this was a huge inconvenience for her.  She brought us our coffee and was acting all friendly, thanking us for coming in.
  
  I later shared this story with my parents, I'm 23, and they said that they would never have been that rude to people older than me.  I don't care how old your customers are; treat them respectfully.  Upon returning home, I researched other places to have brunch in Winnetka because I will never go back to Cafe Buongiorno again.

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  Posted on 01.23.12 Kate R.

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  I have dined at Cafe Buongiorno for breakfast a couple of times with a colleague. It's just okay...eggs tend to be overly scrambled, hash browns and coffee lukewarm. Today, I went there for lunch for the first time with my daughter and both of our meals were lacking.  I wanted to try the beef stew and asked for a side salad instead of the soup and rice pudding that accompanied the stew as I deemed this to be a very strange combination.  I was told that I could not substitute a side salad for the soup and rice pudding without paying extra money.  So, I ordered a Caesar's salad and the vegetable beef barley soup.  How can you mess that up? Well, they did.  The salad greens were wilted and brown; the croutons were greasy; the salad dressing a mystery.  The vegetable beef barley soup was a strange beige color, gelatinous in texture, had two pinkish-colored bits of meat in it, and no vegetables whatsoever.  My daughter's meal was only marginally better.  I could not eat my meal after attempting a bite or two. I explained to the waitress (older woman) that I found my food inedible and requested that it be taken off the tab.  She conferred with her boss and returned to explain that she would take half off (just this one time!) and then proceeded to imply that the problem was me since the restaurant is very popular with many people who love their food.  I paid for my daughter's meal and my half-reduced meal and left.  Needless to say, this is customer service at its worst and I will never eat there again.  There are much better places to eat breakfast and lunch in the North Shore, including the chains.

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  Posted on 01.05.12 Stephanie S.

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  The food here is ok at best.  This place gets great reviews because its one of the only restaurants of its type in the area.  I have gone there several times and each time I left wishing I'd made a different choice.  During my last visit the owner was extremely rude.  My family and I will never return to this place.  If you do a little research there are much better places for brunch in the area.  My favorite is the Pancake House!

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  Posted on 07.19.11 Al P.

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  I am a bacon and egg lover.  Any chef will tell you that eggs is one of the hardest foods to please customers.  Every time I have bacon and eggs here they are perfect.  I actually say to myself-"these are the best eggs I have ever had!"  The waitstaff is friendly and kknows regular customer's wants.  Their liver and onions is great.  Everything is fresh.  The turkey on their club sandwich is real, roasted turkey, not pieces of mushed up , processed, turkey.  I love it here.

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  Posted on 05.16.11 Leslie S.

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  This place has some of the best food you'll eat. All home made food. The owner, Themis, painstakingly picks out all the ingredients and makes everything fresh every morning. The waiters and staff are very friendly. Really good personalities. Going to cafe buongiornio is quite an all around experience. They have such a system down and it's so good you'd think they should start a chain..But the cool thing about it is they wouldn't wanna start a chain. They have their place there and it's like you're lucky to have found it. Try the Home made cookies on your way out and don't forget to grab a free Dum-Dum pop.

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  Posted on 12.07.10 joshua g.

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  I found a little present cleaning out my photos from my old phone to my new phone. When I was in town last month between Peru and the National Jamboree, I had lunch with my mother up in the burbs at Cafe Buongiorno. It's one of those cute little cafes in the middle of town that serves breakfast all day and other treats. The menu is quite large and creative for such a small spot, and loved by everyone I've run into.
  
  Trying to remember what I was thinking a month ago is hard to do, but I guess I was in the mood for some mid-day gyros. They were tasty, plentiful and served with plenty of fries. I ate more than I wanted, but I have a hard time not eating good food.
  
  I'm not adding anything new to the body of food info out there, but in case you find yourself looking for a lunch spot in Winnetka, go to Buongiorno.

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  Posted on 08.19.10 Jeff R.

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  After The Pancake House, Cafe Buongiorno is my favorite place to eat brunch on the North Shore of Chicago. We used to come here quite frequently for lunch when we were shopping in Downtown Winnetka. Cafe Buongiorno is small, popular, and doesn't take reservations, so be prepared to wait if you come during the popular times (lunch during the week, brunch during the weekends).
  
  Cafe Buongiorno is totally unpretentious, despite the fact that Winnetka itself is often full of pretentious shops and places to eat. They serve good, old fashioned stacks of pancakes, omelets, eggs, sandwiches, and burgers. They have adorable wooden tables, pastries for sale at the front, and a great view from large windows into Downtown Winnetka. Honestly, I'm getting hungry just thinking about eating here! It's too bad both of my parents have moved out of the burbs, or I'd hit this place up every time I was back to visit.

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  Posted on 04.22.10 Denise B.

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  I had been told about this place and had visited here once a while ago, but I needed to go back to be sure about it. Well, it was still extremely good.
  
  I wanted a sandwich in the afternoon and being in the  area I decided to grab something from here.  I got an italian meats hot melt that was really delicious. It had some capicola in it that had some good spice to it but  wasn't too much. While the sandwich was really good, the chicken noodle soup was what made it for me. They make their own soup and this was extremely good. Yes, its just chicken noodle soup, but their noodles melt in your mouth and the  chicken is nice and tender.
  
  Just be sure to bring cash as they don't accept check, credit, or debit. Its a bit unassuming of a place if you aren't in the area a lot, so you will need to pay attention to find it

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  Posted on 04.12.10 Keith A.

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  Super yummy food, inventive combinations, and capable staff make this busy breakfast spot quite the find.  Nevermind that we can walk there in a pinch -- gotta love the location.
  
  it is cash only, which you need to be prepared for.
  
  My husband loves the "Farmer's Breakfast" or something like that, which is a massive scrambled plate of tastiness involving eggs, italian sausage, tomatoes and gran padano cheese.
  
  I am partial to the omlettes.  They are huge and super tasty, featuring combos like asparagus and gruyere, which is a fave of mine.  
  
  We have yet to try this spot for lunch, but plan to soon.

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  Posted on 10.19.09 Sandra D.

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  This must be the most popular breakfast/brunch place in Winnetka and for a good reason.  Usually it is not too crowded unless you go Sunday morning or afternoon.  
  
  There are many delicious options available, from traditional breakfasts to salads and sandwiches.  I have had their blueberry pancakes before and there are more blueberries than batter and they are wonderful.  They also do not skimp on their delicious bacon so order a side of it if it does not already come with your meal.  Today I had what was the best turkey club sandwich with fresh romaine lettuce, mayo, tomato, lots of crisp bacon and turkey they baked themselves.  It came with fries but next time I think I would opt for either the soup or fruit at an additional charge.  The fries were alright, hot and fresh, but not seasoned (I'm a snob when it comes to fries).,  
  One of my friends had the cheddar bacon burger which she enjoyed.  My other friend got the special eggs Benedict with Italian ham and fresh fruit on the side which he really liked.  The portions are so large we all had to take doggy bags.  
  
  The ambiance is mediocre with exposed wood beams and some angels dangling from the ceiling.  The waitstaff was friendly but zipping around quickly and it was hard to get their attention at time.  Its well worth the trip and scenic drive down green bay road.  They also have free coffee while you wait if there is a line.  The average meal is abut $10-$12 a person.  Its very reasonable for the quality and quantity of food.

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  Posted on 09.06.09 Jacob K.

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  I went here for lunch yesterday with friends.   My friend recommended the broccoli and English cheddar cheese omelet.  It was delicious with the cheese very mild and plenty to eat with hash browns and toast.  My friends had pancakes and the soup of the day both of which were also very good.  The wait staff was very attentive and my glass of iced tea never ran out.  This is a great place for lunch or brunch and I will plan to return.

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  Posted on 08.09.09 James H.

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  One of my favorite breakfast spots.  I usually come here on early Saturday afternoons.  Sometimes there is a wait, but it is usually no longer than 15 minutes.  The owner is always friendly and greets us by name.  I usually order one of the specials that are written on the big blackboard.  Everything is delicious and freshly made.  I love the turkey gyros that are homemade, the club sandwich (it's HUGE!), the blueberry pancakes, the eggs benedict, and the rice pudding.

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  Posted on 06.14.09 Jess S.

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  I've been going here for breakfast for years. Italian Villagers breakfast is enough for two. Good pancakes. They also serve Intelligentsia coffee; only place in town now that Song O' Sixpence closed. Sorry to read Sue L.'s review. I've never seen that happen.

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  Posted on 04.18.09 Rockey F.

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  CASH ONLY. Make sure you hit up the ATM before hitting up the stacks of pancakes. It's also a lil pricey, so take that into account when you are drawing out the funds.
  
  Cafe Buongiorno is tasty. I recommend the cobb salad, chopped, with italian dressing. Everything else I tried on the menu has been great.
  
  It's a good local spot for families. As such, the dining room can get a little hectic (you can see the annoyed smirk on cashbags granny in the corner when this happens...oh north shore. How I love and hate you at the same time). Service is always friendly and accommodating.
  
  One time I went in it smelled like soiled diaper, but I chalked it up to something wrong with the building or just an odoriferous, defecating customer. The smell was not there when I went back a week later.

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  Posted on 09.26.08 Alison E.

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  This place is a treat!  The place is family owned and they make the food fresh every morning.  They have great daily specials.  You really can't go wrong here.  The egg dishes are out of this world.  The sandwiches and burgers melt in your mouth and the servers are great!  You might have a short wait for a table on the weekends.  Be sure you have cash because they only accept cash.
  
  I found this description:
  Ten-foot windows set inside tall brick walls give this Winnetka cafe a pleasant, open-air quality. A thoughtful menu lists dishes made-from-scratch, such as the blueberry pancakes and hollandaise sauce, which blankets eggs Benedict, eggs crab cakes and eggs capiciolla (grilled Italian ham). For lunch, grilled paninis are a hot item. Try the turkey, asparagus and Gruyere cheese panini.

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  Posted on 06.28.07 Luke S.

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