Brett’s Kitchen

When I worked in River North years ago, I used to hit up Brett’s Kitchen for oatmeal in the morning and come back a few hours later for a Mexican chicken pita with avocado for lunch. Now I only frequent this great, hidden-gem lunch spot when I’m running errands in the area or if it’s a Friday and they’ve just pulled their fudge brownies out of the oven. The place still gets packed around lunchtime, and the ordering/paying/pick up process is still more chaotic and confusing then it should be, (mostly due to the small space and 4-5 cooks multi-tasking like nobody’s business from two large grills). And luckily, the menu hasn’t changed either: The Mexican chicken pita completely rocks, and they whip up a mean hamburger, killer Ruebens, as well as a bevy of healthy vegetable sandwiches and salads as well as classic deli fare. They have interesting lunch specials like turkey burgers with mango-papaya salad, some of the best French fries in town and a $4 grilled cheese sandwich. There are a few small tables with pretty quick turnover, so just eye one down until you score it. And grab one of their breads, massive cookies or said brownies on the way out. For a quick, not-so-greasy lunch spot, I think the menu variety and prices are Brett’s some of the best in the city, regardless of a couple chalkboard typos (can anyone spot ’em below?). Brett’s Kitchen 233 W. Superior St., 312.664.6354