LAKEVIEW — Things are just getting started at The Belmont Cafe.
The late-night diner, 930 W. Belmont Ave., opened in July with little fanfare, but owner Nicolas George said he was just eager to open. Bit by bit, he'll continue to tweak the former Clarke's space to make it his own.
New booths, exposed vents and a revamped color scheme are among changes made at The Belmont Cafe. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
"We're kind of taking things as we go. There are a lot of things we want to do, but it's just going to take a little time to get them all going," said George, who started working in the food industry as a teen. The Belmont Cafe is his first restaurant.
While diner food is still the main fare, a few additions came along with a new chef. Huge, fluffy pancakes and a gigantic pretzel have proved to be popular dishes, along with the classic burgers and breakfast food.
The bar side of the restaurant will open by the end of the year, which means the cafe will be able to offer craft beer, plus brunch Bloody Marys, mimosas and belinis. The addition will fit about 60 people.
Giant pretzels are a new specialty at The Belmont Cafe, 930 W. Belmont Ave. [Provided/The Belmont Cafe]
To avoid late-night mayhem, George said the bar side will close at 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on Friday and Saturday. All servers will have training to avoid overserving, and the cafe won't offer low-priced drink specials.
The cafe side closes at 3:30 a.m., partly to avoid the 4 a.m. crowd at nightclubs like Berlin — located a block west, George said.
Other changes include the newly added pizza oven, where hot sandwiches are already made and pizza will be soon, too. Hawthorne Neighbors recently approved George's plans for a sidewalk cafe in the spring.
By that time, George hopes to have a to-go window in place for commuters, allowing them to walk up and grab coffee or a breakfast sandwich before hopping on the Belmont 'L' platform. An app will allow customers to expedite the process for grab-and-go meals — ideal for a busy morning, he said.
Nicolas George, owner of The Belmont Cafe, has big plans for the former Clarke's spot. [DNAinfo/Ariel Cheung]
While noticeable design changes are already in place — new booths, exposed ceiling vents and a sleeker floor — George said he'll continue to shake things up. Next year, he wants to replace the windows so they can open in the spring.
"It's all planned out. We just really wanted to get open. Now it's baby steps. We wanted it to be a little more modern, cooler. We're not there yet, but we want to be," George said. "We're going to be."
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