Best Day Ever: Ina Pinkney, Chicago's Breakfast Queen
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Monica and Justin pose with Ina Pinkney after a recent lunch. Photo: Justin Kaufmann/Axios
Ina Pinkney closed her legendary Ina's Restaurant in 2013, but she'll forever remain Chicago's Breakfast Queen.
- You can still enjoy her recipes with "Ina's Kitchen: Memories and Recipes from the Breakfast Queen" and watch her story in the 2015 movie "Breakfast at Ina's."
Driving the news: We recently met her for lunch at Eden, where we learned she's still developing recipes, making food videos for The Takeout and chairing a global advocacy group for polio survivors.
- That's on top of beating the odds after a nasty fall. "The docs said I wouldn’t take even a few steps unaided," she said. "I told them I was from Brooklyn. Enough said?"
- She greeted us for lunch standing up unaided!
The cooking great's ideal Chicago day:
🧺 Breakfast: "Lula Cafe. It’s iconic for its farm fresh preparations, and it always delights and satisfies."
🌳 Morning activity: "I like to go to The 606 once every summer. Urban trails thrill me."
- "Because of the late effects of polio, I use an electric scooter which makes the 606 accessibility ramps essential.”
🍕 Lunch: "Robert's Pizza and Dough Co. in River East on the water overlooking Ogden Slip. Brick ovens, and the gluten-free crust is perfect!"
🖼️ Afternoon activity: "The Museum of Contemporary Art to see 'Chicago Works: Gregory Bae.' It encourages me to think about being in two places at once … in time and space."
🍗 Dinner: "Luella’s Southern Kitchen because I just have to have the best fried chicken and corn bread."
🍿 Evening activity: "I go to the Davis Theatre (right across the street from Luella's) for a great movie-watching experience. The theater is renovated with comfy seats and free popcorn refills."