Hey, we know you’re busy. The parties. The shopping. The holiday hookups. But, c’mon, you have no excuse to get all Grinchy this year. This is the season for being generous, after all. Remember the adage “It’s better to give than to receive”? Well, dine at one of these spots and you’ll be doing both at the same time.
First Slice Cafe
4401 N. Ravenswood Ave. 773-506-7380
The eats: Chow on food from a three-star chef at one-star prices! Director/chef Mary Ellen Diaz was top toque at Printer’s Row and North Pond before launching the First Slice non-profit, dedicated to feeding the poor. In November, the organization opened First Slice Cafe in the Lillstreet Art Center, its first traditional eatery, to feed everyone. No snooty grub here; the self-serve spot offers sandwiches, soups and salads, plus a plethora of sweets and pies.
Warm and fuzzies: Proceeds benefit First Slice, a community-supported kitchen providing restaurant-quality food to those who need it most. Diaz believes food’s only one link in the chain; the agencies she prepares meals for also offer health care and counseling.
Holiday perks: Go for booze-injected treats like a glogg cake ($5-$7) or a red wine-roasted pear pie ($18). And check out Lillstreet’s retail space for pottery and arty purses ($18 and up).
Get supportive
– Enroll in the subscriber program and score take-home meals while providing monetary support.
– Donate: First Slice is a 501(c)(3); all donations are tax deductible.
– Volunteer for meal prep and more; call 773-506-1719.
Cafe Too
4715 N. Sheridan Rd. 773-275-0626
The eats: Inspiration Corporation recently opened this cutesy eatery serving coffee and pastries, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Meals are prepped and served by trainees supervised by professional staffers. Eat on the cheap now; one of these trainees might be the next rock star chef.
Warm and fuzzies: Proceeds help support Living Room Cafe and Inspiration Cafe; both provide needy clients meals in a restaurant setting, plus a variety of services and job training. Clients who graduate from the intensive culinary program complete an internship and receive a Chicago Department of Public Health Certified Food Service Manager certificate.
Holiday perks: Give Inspiration goodies like signature coffees (made by Intelligentsia) or mugs ($7.95-$10.99).
Get supportive
– Donate: Inspiration is a 501(c)(3); all donations are tax deductible.
– Living Room and Inspiration Cafe need volunteers for meal prep and more; call John Pfeiffer: 773-878-0981, ext. 219.
Bleeding Heart Bakery
2018 W. Chicago Ave. 773-278-3638
The eats: Baker/co-owner Michelle Garcia opened this cute-as-a-button, organic and sustainable bakery in October. She’s got cred; Garcia trained at Kendall College and the French Pastry School, plus clocked time at Whole Foods and Citizen Cake. Rest assured: Your sticky buns are in good hands. The lineup also includes savory fare including sandwiches, soups and salads.
Warm and fuzzies: The name reflects Garcia’s passion to give back; the bakery gets official non-profit status in January. Other ’06 plans include an onsite culinary program; for now, she provides food to help feed the homeless.
Holiday perks: Indulge with a cranberry mousse and walnut cake ($32-$62), or a yule log ($38). Gifts include Beeline honey and body products ($2.50-$57).
GET SUPPORTIVE
– Look for volunteer and donation opportunities in 2006.
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MORE WAYS TO GIVE WHERE YOU EAT
– Drink up at North Pond. The eatery adds a dollar to the price of each bottle of wine as a donation to non-profit charities (like First Slice), and matches it with $1 from proceeds. Available year-round. 2610 N. Cannon Drive. 773-477-5845.
– Polish off a 40-ounce Big Shoulders porterhouse ($54.95) at Carmichael’s; they’ll donate $10 to the Big Shoulder’s Fund (supporting needy Catholic schools), and you’ll get a T-shirt and your name etched on a plaque. Through Dec. 31. 1052 W. Monroe St. 312-433-0025.
– Check in at the Peninsula Chicago’s fifth floor desk to snag a Tree of Hope ornament ($15). Proceeds benefit the Make a Wish Foundation. Then head to The Lobby for tea; $1 from each tea sold goes to the Lupus Foundation of Illinois. Through Dec. 31. 108 E. Superior St. 312-337-2888.
– Toy with the folks at Bistro 110. Bring new, unwrapped gifts benefitting Toys for Tots and Kid Power, and you’ll get a peppermint profiterole. Through Dec. 25. 110 E. Pearson St. 312-266-3110.
