WICKER PARK — A ribbon-cutting ceremony just minutes before a hail storm Wednesday marked the grand opening of Kanela Breakfast Club's sixth Chicago outpost and second in Wicker Park.
Located in the former Baker's Tale storefront at 2127 W. Division at the border of Wicker Park and Ukrainian Village, the 90-seat Kanela Breakfast Club is a BYOB breakfast lunch and brunch restaurant with a sweet and savory menu.
Starting in July, Bloody Marys, mimosas and other seasonal cocktails will be available too.
Hours of operation at the new Kanela, which owners Chris Lardakis and partner Alexi Giannoulias consider to be in Ukrainian Village., are 7 a.m.-3 p.m. daily.
In addition to the Wicker Park Kanela at 1408 N. Milwaukee Ave., which opened in fall 2014, the locally-owned chain has spots in Andersonville, Lakeview, Old Town and Streeterville.
Lardakis and Giannoulias, a former Illinois state treasurer, and their operating partner, Peter Lardakis, have been friends for several years. In a news release, the men credited their close friendship, trust and communication as essential tools that have contributed to building the Kanela chain.
“We think the Kanela concept can work in every Chicago neighborhood. But we picked Ukrainian Village because of the void of breakfast restaurants in the area. We also saw this as a great opportunity to expand the brand as we continue on the track of opening one location per year," Larkadis said.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), whose sprawling ward counts a sliver of Division Street among its boundaries, heralded the new restaurant.
"The 2nd Ward welcomes another positive addition to our community. Kanela has earned a great reputation and given then restaurant's growth over the past years, we are pleased that they have made a new home for themselves within the 2nd Ward," Hopkins said at the ribbon cutting Wednesday.
Kanela will open a 24-seat sidewalk patio on Division Street in July.
The new location features new health-conscious lunch menu items such as turkey, chicken and garden veggie wraps, plus Loukoumades (Greek doughnuts with honey and toasted walnuts), fresh muffins, La Colombe coffee and more.
