Message from E.Leaven Food Company
This deli contains a wide range of food to satisfy any craving. E.leaven takes pride in their delicious fresh breads, bagels, cakes, and pastries that are created daily by e.leaven's artisans. Whether you are craving a salad, any style egg or omelet, a deli style sandwich, or even pancakes and stuffed french toast, e.leaven has the food for you. The variety of food that they offer is what makes this restaurant, located only a block away from the Magnificent Mile, unique and enjoyable. The atmosphere is warm with a friendly staff committed to making your experience the finest, freshest, and most satisfying. It's extremely convenient, not only because of it's location,but also because one is able to eat in, take out, or even cater an event or business function. Take a break from shopping and stop into e.leaven to relax and scope out the all day, affordable breakfast & lunch menu.
Editorial by Citysearch
Printed menus mounted on a hot-pink wall tempt Mag Mile shoppers, who order their challah French toast and veggie omelets at the counter of this quick-serve cafe before salivating in wait. Multi-colored mosaic pillars and black and white photography lend a modern-chic edge to the intimate, conversation-filled space. Hot and cold sandwiches comprise most of the lunch options, from a French dip and tuna melt to egg salad on house-made multigrain bread.Key Points
- Catering, takeout, and dine-in
- The freshest breads and bagels
- Delicious pastries
The Inside Scoop
- Know Before You Go - The place gets slammed during peak breakfast and lunch hours. If you're in a hurry, call in your order ahead and grab it to go.
- Parking - If you plan on doing some shopping in the nearby 900 Shops after your nosh, park in their self-park garage, which is bordered by Rush and Walton Streets, off Michigan Avenue. It charges $12 for 3 hours when you validate a purchase of $10 from its retailers.
- The Extras - Deli salads--including whitefish and chopped liver--are sold by the pound ($7.95-$19.95). Freshly baked loaves cost $6.
Latest reviews from Citysearch.
Great place for breakfast and lunch
by ChiFood
This place has great food. I've been in on weekdays and over the weekend. It's definitely busier on the weekend, but well worth it. I've had everything from the huevos rancheros to the bbq beef brisket sandwich. Everything is fresh and tasty. I'm definitely going back for more.
Pros: Corned beef and deli, pastries, eggs/omelettes
Cons: Still working through a few of the kinks, but nothing major
Posted 11/05/09
Best Lunch Deal Downtown
by MealSchpeal com
Want to be treated like scat while your mouth is stuffed with rubber cuts of lukewarm meat? Go to Katz?s Deli, NY. Want mounds beef to chew on while your wallet is purged of hard-earned monies? Manny?s, Chicago. But if delicious, cheap and fast is more your speed, head straight for E. Leaven Food Company, 54 E. Ontario St., Chicago.
For the price of a single Manny?s Monster, you can get a delicious sandwich or burger, side of chips, bowl of soup and pastry and not risk a coma on your return to work.
Now there will be those who think the comparison unfair and the term ?deli? too broad to distinguish both styles of dining. To them I say it?s true. One should not use the umbrella of ?burgers and fries? to compare McDonald?s to any such thing they get at Gibson?s. But what if the Gibson?s burger cost LESS than a Big Mac? Would there ever be a reason to drive-through again? Because E. Leaven is gourmet delicious for LESS!
There is nothing on the lunch menu costing more than $10 and only the Nova Lox Platter (breakfast) rang in at a whopping $10.95. So what possible reason would justify paying $16 for a sandwich and another 5 for a grotesque matza-ball bathed in a broth of liquid-sodium? Hangover? $/lb.? Cafeteria-style dining?
For $13 I enjoyed a delicious, gourmet matza-ball soup made of soft, chewy dough that didn?t fall apart when the spoon tapped it AND a baked ham and brie sandwich that had the perfect ratio of both. The breads were freshly-baked, not perpetually stale and the dining room clean and well appointed with a squeeze-bottle of Gulden?s spicy mustard on each table. All that?s missing is folded linen napkins but if the laundry bill pushes the entr?e cost another 50c, forget it. Who needs napkins anyway when things taste this good?
It seems that all these years, the world of delis had things wrong. Quantity (rather overdoses) of can-tasting meat were mistaken for quality. Can E. Leaven do for it what Topolobampo did for Mexican? I certainly hope so. It is, by far, the best value of any restaurant so close to Michigan Avenue. I?m loading up before they get lines out the door.
Pros: Delicious and Fresh
Cons: None so far. Coming Soon: lines. Long ones.
Posted 11/04/09
Amazing bagels, cookies, and friendly staff too!
by Smidge4u
e.leaven Food Company has amazing, doughy bagels. They are very similar to NY bagels and they even have veggie cream cheese.Their baked goods always catch my eye and are amazing. Also, I loved their matzoh ball soup too. The atmosphere is adorable, their staff is friendly, and they are very quick. Definitely go here for a delicious breakfast or lunch. Their menu has a variety of food and you can always find something you want. You will not be disappointed!
Posted 11/02/09