Good Eats: Salt & Pepper Diner

As soon as I heard fried mac and cheese, I knew I had to make a trip to retro-style Chicago diner, Salt and Pepper. Great for a hangover, or in my case, the go-to spot after a cold blistering walk, Salt and Pepper offers a warm, charming and energetic portrait for your eyes and a heap of indulgence for your belly. Formerly located in the Lincoln Park area and now gracing the streets near Wrigley Field, this comfort-food diner has been serving clientele for over 20 years.

salt-pepper
Photography by Dawn Mikulich.

Three menu items and some adult root beer is an ideal meal for two. The Ultimate Cheeseburger was a hefty mate to munch supplied with 1/3 pound of beef and overflowing with what looked like a flat safety ring of crispy cheese. This was, of course, accompanied with fries and two separate sides – hot wings and mac & cheese wedges, the latter proving that carbs and cheese were meant to be fried in unison. The mug of adult root beer came with a handsome 10% alcohol content and sneaked up on me quick as it still had the good old taste I enjoyed as a kid. I would be more than thrilled to go back and enjoy an extra mug of that boozy treat along with most of the menu which boasts plates of pecan pancakes, a serving of what you can call Mod Man Meatloaf, a hearty melody of blackened chicken and much more.

If you find yourself with an appetite before catching a performance at Metro or hanging out at Smart Bar, Salt and Pepper will do more than enough to satisfy your greasy hankering at a very affordable price and in a comfortably throwback atmosphere.

Salt & Pepper Diner Official