The first time I tried Nutella was just after I graduated college. I was working as a waitress in a Chicago crepe restaurant in Andersonville. The place was a nightmare. The owner was a sexist monster, and we worked all the time without pay. It wasn’t a good experience by any means, but man, even with all the negativity surrounding my time there, when I look back I just think, “gosh, those were some goooood crepes.”
I used to rationalize the fact that I wasn’t getting paid by eating literal gallons of Nutella from that place during my shifts. I ate the creamy, chocolate spread in crepes, on fruit, on toast. Often just by the spoonful. Nutella is one of the top foods ever invented, and I just don’t think that’s something that can be argued over.
That terrible Chicago restaurant (which I’m very satisfied to say closed down eventually) started my love of Nutella. So it seems fitting (to only me and me alone) that the first ever Nutella Cafe would open in my favorite city. It’s coming at the end of May, and guys, it looks LIFE CHANGING.
Ferrero, the makers of Nutella, will be officially opening the doors to their first permanent cafe on May 31st near Millenium Park. The menu is basically what you would expect: crepes, pancakes and waffles, and Nutella pastries along with some regular sandwich/salad/soup options for anyone crazy enough to go to the Nutella cafe when they weren’t in the mood for Nutella.
I might be alone in this, but personally, I hope the soup of the day is just a bowl of melted Nutella.
For all you midwesterners out there (including my family who I will send 100 emails and texts to about this cafe), doors officially open at 10am on the 31st, and the grand opening will include a free menu item for the first 400 customers along with other goodies. It’s no free year of Chick-Fil-A level promotion but it is a free Nutella treat, so if you decide to rush down there and begin camping out now, I don’t think anyone will blame you. Except maybe the police, and like other business owners in the area, and tourists trying to walk around your full sized sidewalk tent set up (and mountain of excrement because you don’t want to lose your place in line). Other than those fools though, you’re golden.
