Friends and Brunch at Frances' Deli, Chicago, IL

Brunch has many fundamental social functions in our society and, as such, it has earned its place as a cornerstone of Western Civilization. One of such functions is to congregate friends in a relaxing atmosphere while the lasting effects of the previous night out dissipate into oblivion. My friends,  Agustin, Fernando & Jony, and I had a fun reunion in Chicago last weekend and decided to go out together on Saturday night. After we woke up the next morning, while still in the impenetrable mist that covers "the morning after", we decided to mindlessly walk towards a Brunch spot and relax while we did some catching up. Agustin, being the host, suggested we could pay Frances' Deli, in Lincoln Park, a visit. He lives nearby, in Lakeview, and the weather was so great we decided to walk over there. Although the place was always "five more blocks away" we eventually got there. I can tell you, it was definitely worth the walk.


Frances' Deli is a real gem right at the heart of Lincoln Park. It has been there since 1938 and they offer a wide variety of plates ranging from traditional NY deli to Midwestern diner style. The setting is quite nice and, if you visit them during the unusual times during which Chicago's weather allows for outdoors human life, they have some tables on the sidewalk. The perfect place to do some people watching.
Now, if you've had a long night, the quality and quantity of food in your Brunch is of utmost importance. That's why I order one of Frances' specialties: the skillet.

Looks great, doesn't it? This dish is just Brunch perfection in a hot ceramic container. What's in it? Potatoes, Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Onions, Habanero Cheddar Cheese and Two Eggs. Oh, also, because I thought this combination would not be able to restore my energies, I decided to add a "protein": corned beef. Wow! It was awesome. Couple that with a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and one gazilion cups of coffee and you're as good as new. Jony decided to have an omelet, which looked massive and Agustin seemed to have some sort of sandwich (it was early when he ordered and by the time I regained consciousness he was done with his dish....what can I say?). Fernando seemed a little affected by his late night adventures and he decided to play it safe and just ordered toasts.

Truth be said, we had some trouble standing up after finishing the opulent servings and we had to walk all over Chicago for the whole afternoon to burn those calories. But, it was goooood...

All in all, I loved this place. Food, setting and company were great and that is what makes the quintessential Brunch experience.