"MeMe’s Diner — the Prospect Heights restaurant known as much for its LGBTQ-focused, inclusive approach to hospitality as for its eclectic take on comfort food — is closing following a three-year run in the neighborhood. Owners Libby Willis and Bill Clark made the announcement on MeMe’s Instagram page, writing, “with heavy hearts, like so many other small businesses, we made the tough decision to close our doors for good.” The restaurant will serve its last meal on November 22. The beloved Prospect Heights restaurant was known as a hot spot for brunch hangs and cozy, nostalgic dinners. Meals started with a free bowl of cheese puffs or mixed sugar cereals — Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Toast Crunch — for the table, depending on the time of day. The menu was stacked with popular diner items, like a cheesy, saucy patty melt served with a pile of crispy potatoes and mac and cheese crusted with potato chips and drizzled with hot sauce. The baked goods were just as in demand, from the duo’s everything-bagel babka to a rotating selection of inventive cakes, such as a recent concoction of devil’s food cake stuffed with orange chocolate ganache. Equally praised was Willis and Clark’s inclusive leadership approach, which they set as the top priority for staff and customers alike. Employees were trained to use gender-neutral language at all times, for example, and not to second-guess names listed on credit cards if they appeared not to line up with assumptions of a person’s gender presentation. Eater critic Ryan Sutton applauded the restaurant’s “freewheeling approach to comfort fare” in an early review, calling it “stunning” on all fronts and naming it home to one of the best brunches in the city." - Tanay Warerkar
