Chicago's most famous breakfast
While dinner still reigns supreme, breakfast brings its own kind of comfort
If you’ve talked to me about food in Chicago, you already know how I feel about Kasama. I’ve been several times for dinner, and to me, it’s simply the best restaurant in the city. But somehow, despite living in Chicago for a while and ordering Kasama’s breakfast as takeout, I had never actually sat down for a proper breakfast experience there. With my time in the city coming to an end, sitting down to enjoy it in person felt like a proper send-off
Kasama is more popular than ever these days, so expect long lines and long waits. We went on a rainy Wednesday around 11 a.m. (breakfast is offered Wednesday through Sunday), and even then, we waited about 30 minutes. When we finally made it to the counter, we watched the last truffle croissant, one of my longtime favorites, go to the customer just ahead of us (luckily, I’ve had it several times before). They had also sold out of a few other pastries. So go early, especially if you’re hoping to get your hands on the full spread.
We got a selection of pasties as well as some hot dishes. In terms of the pastries, we got the following:
The pecan sticky bun – probably my least favorite of the bunch
The ham danish – my favorite; love the sweet and salty contrast
The coconut pineapple croissant – really liked the dough, but didn’t enjoy the filling that much
The basque cheesecake – a Kasama classic and the send-off from the dinner service
All of them were good, but to be honest, I think there are other bakeries in Chicago that edge them out, such as Del Sur or Loba.
In my opinion, the hot food is where Kasama’s breakfast truly shines. The Filipino breakfast rice plate is a standout: garlic rice, tocino, longanisa, and a fried egg that serves as sauce to bring it all together, comfort food at its finest. The lumpia is also another favorite: perfectly fried and addictive.
We also got the breakfast sandwich with added hashbrown. It was rich, though I’ll admit I’m more of a classic egg-and-bacon type when it comes to breakfast sandwiches, so it wasn’t my personal favorite.
I would definitely urge you to go for dinner, its where Kasama truly shines. And while I do believe that breakfast has become a bit too popular and the quality has dipped slightly, it’s still a special experience. If you’re willing to go early and wait a little, Kasama’s breakfast is absolutely worth trying at least once, or even a few times.