First Slice Cafe at Lill St. Arts Center Montrose/Ravenswood

First Slice, a non-profit serving low-income families and individuals as well as paid subscribers with wholesome, homemade meals (can you tell I'm reading off the pamphlet?) has opened a cafe in Lill Street Arts Center at Ravenswood and Montrose, not too far from the Brown line El stop at Montrose.

I stumbled upon it during a very recent visit there and was impressed with their large selection of very fine, home-made looking pies and quiches (made, as the pamphlet tells me, under the watchful eye of Director/Chef Mary Ellen Diaz). The pies were good - I tasted a peanut butter pie - extremely decadent - and a coconut polka dot pie. The crusts were good - flaky, crisp, just the right thickness. I also tasted a quiche, which was quite tasty and tender - not a bit of rubbery flab to it.

The cafe also sells other savory items - salads, sandwiches, soups and tamales -- but I didn't try them. I'll have to go back for lunch sometime. They also have a small selection of cookies and a few random sweets - my friend tried a chocolate espresso cake that looked like an oversized cork which she reported was "very very good". She was not sharing.

I didn't pay close attention to the entire menu, as I was there for an art opening. The space is comfortable, right in the middle of Lill Street's gallery. Since First Slice cafe apparently opened just a few days ago, it appears that they are still working out the kinks, although not a thing went wrong on my visit.

The profits go to supporting First Slice.

I'm not sure of their hours - I would guess they operate the same hours as Lill Street's gallery.

First Slice Cafe at the Lill Street Art Center
4401 North Ravenswood
Chicago, IL 60640

www.firstslice.org

(Lill St.'s phone number: 773.769.4226)

As I reported in Openings and Closings:

The space just north of the Francisco Brown Line stop, formerly occupied by Kitchen Chicago, is papered over and prominently featuring signs touting First Slice Pie Cafe (part of the not-for-profit First Slice, which cooks meals for the homeless and needy). I presume (hope!) this is going to be a new, third outpost for the cafe, whose main location is in the Lillstreet Art Center at Ravenswood and Montrose, and who opened a second location at Water Tower Pumping Station. First Slice also sells foodstuffs at the Downtown Farmstand.

I believe they are also opening a location downtown at Block 37??? It may be another bakery though