Wake ‘n Bacon
Brunch restaurant · Lakeview East ·
Locally sourced international brunch menu with CBD add-ons
Locally sourced international brunch menu with CBD add-ons
"The Pride is in the pudding at brunch spot Wake ‘n Bacon in Lakeview, where the team will donate a portion of proceeds from every sale of its rainbow Halo Halo Chia Chia pudding to Howard Brown Health’s Broadway Youth Center during Chicago’s Pride Fest (Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23) and Pride Parade (Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 30)." - Naomi Waxman
"A Lakeview breakfast-and-brunch concept from Sarah and Gabriel Ayala that blends Filipino and Chinese influences with other family flavors, offering creative dishes like an Adobo Philly Dip (Filipino-style adobo chicken Philly sandwich with adobo au jus), Halo Halo Chia Chia (chia pudding with fruit, green coconut jelly, and Fruity Pebbles), and an Ube Flap Jack Stack (ube pancakes with bacon, sunny-side-up eggs, cheddar, potatoes, pickled peppers, and spiced maple syrup). The drink program — originally conceived as large, over-the-top cocktails but later redesigned to be takeout-friendly — includes nods to the owners’ backgrounds (the Fernando, with Fernet Branca and La Colombe cold brew, references Argentina) alongside options like the Liquid Sunshine and the Banano. Customers can add CBD to any dish or drink (the team researched cooking with CBD and works with local supplier Half Day), and the space features a bright, high‑ceiling dining room with a hanging garden of ferns and flowers plus a touch‑screen photo‑booth mirror. After announcing the project in July 2019, the owners navigated construction delays and a shift to carryout during the indoor dining ban by implementing a text-to-landline ordering system and offering a retail/grocery selection of pantry favorites such as Spam, Chaokoh coconut milk, and Mae Ploy sweet‑chili sauce." - Naomi Waxman
"A brunch spot that combines familiar American breakfast dishes with Asian and Latin flavors, such as Halo Halo Chia Chia and an Ube Flap Jack Stack." - Naomi Waxman
"Originally slated to open this summer but pushed back to November, this punny CBD breakfast spot from Gabriel and Sarah Ayala at 420 W. Belmont Avenue plans to offer CBD add-ons to every food or drink item." - Naomi Waxman
"Planned to open before fall at 420 W. Belmont Avenue, this punny all-day brunch spot will let diners and drinkers add CBD to every food and drink item; owners Gabriel and Sarah Ayala (with past experience at Safehouse and Dragonfly) plan a space with “kaleidoscopic hues of pink and blue” and a huge indoor tree, and drink options will include “decadently-garnished” cocktails. With Illinois moving to legalize recreational marijuana on January 1, I expect this CBD-forward cafe to draw attention when it opens." - Daniel Gerzina
