Lately, I have been raving about Pick Me Up Café to all of my friends, so I've decided it's time to give this restaurant the real review that it deserves. Pick Me Up is a small cafe located in Wrigleyville, just a few steps off of the Addison Redline stop and is currently my favorite restaurant in Chicago.
Pick Me Up Café does not force its customers to have to battle between cost, quantity, and quality when it comes to making a decision on what to order from their extensive menu. If you want, you can order a side of veggie chilli with a pizzadilla (a hybrid between a pizza and quesadilla) or any breakfast item your heart or stomach desires. The wide variety of healthy alternatives and diner classics make it a place that you can continue to go to again and again.
If healthy food isn’t your thing, it also has a multitude of milkshakes and dessert options. You can even order a vegan dessert to make yourself feel better about cheating on that diet.
My favorite thing about the cafe is the overall atmosphere and decor. The restaurant is dimly lit with fun decorations and a friendly staff that are happy to answer the many questions you will probably have about the menu items. There are always a lot of people sitting at nearby tables, reading or on their laptops while enjoying Pick Me Up’s signature coffee drinks and tasty salads, which gives them the pick-me-up they actually need!
The best dish I can recommend? I would have to say that everyone needs to try the Garlicious Breast sandwich at least once. It is a perfectly grilled chicken breast complemented with pesto mayo and feta cheese melted on top for gooey perfection. Pasta salad, mashed potatoes, the house salad, fruit, and fries are all great side options that pair well with this sandwich. I also suggest trying one of the hearty omelettes that come with potatoes and a choice of toast or a bagel.
Pick Me Up Café is open Sunday to Wednesday 11 a.m.- 3 a.m., Thursday 11 a.m.-12 a.m., and Friday-Saturday for 24 hours. So you cannot use the “I didn’t have time to go” excuse! The vegetarian-friendly place is a college student's dream and should be on the go-to list for any Chicago foodie. Next time you find yourself on the North side, going to the Cubs game, or want to tour through a new neighborhood, check out Pick Me Up Café.
