Portillo's launches breakfast in Chicago
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Chocolate cake doughnut (top), breakfast croissant, iced coffee, Polish sausage breakfast sandwich, breakfast scramble and pepper and egg sandwich in the center. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
Morning diners craving chocolate cake doughnuts, Polish sausage egg sandwiches and pepper and egg sammies will love Portillo's new experimental breakfast menu.
Why it matters: The test menu launched Tuesday in five Chicago area locations, and if the new items work locally, the national chain could expand the menu across the country.
Dig in: I tried five new breakfast items and here's my verdict.
Chocolate cake doughnuts ($2.79 each or $12.99 for six) are made in collaboration with Stan's Donuts and offer a nice moist cakey texture but otherwise taste like a not-too-sweet glazed chocolate doughnut drizzled with frosting.
The Polish sausage breakfast sandwich ($5.29) features a char-grilled Polish sausage with scrambled eggs and American cheese on a toasted roll.
- The sandwich beautifully pairs Polish sausage with the velvety egg and cheese for a stellar, if salty, handheld brekkie.
The pepper and egg sandwich ($4.99) mirrors the above sandwich but swaps the Polish sausage for sweet peppers.
- A decent version of this Lent classic, but I wish they'd integrated the peppers into the eggs a little more.
The loaded breakfast scramble ($3.99) features scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon and the cheesy sauce you get on fries all in a cup that makes for the least messy breakfast of the bunch.
- I asked for a giardiniera add-on ($1), and it perfected this silky, crispy morning meal in a cup.
Chocolate cake iced coffee ($3.08) blends fair trade, organic Metropolis coffee with "chocolate cake flavor" and cream. I found it way too sweet.
- The sugar-free vanilla iced coffee tasted less sweet, but I'd go for an unsweetened regular iced coffee next time.
The bargain: The "Breakfast Meal Deals" of any sandwich, small classic coffee and hash brown bites for just $7.99 is one of the best deals in town.
The intrigue: Staffers say that many people are eschewing the new items and just ordering an Italian beef for breakfast. It's one of the few regular items available in the early mornings.
If you go: Portillo's will serve the items through the summer daily from 6:30-10:30am at locations in the South Loop near Taylor and Canal, Niles, Shorewood, Elmhurst and Tinley Park.
The bottom line: The new menu uses equipment and ingredients Portillo's already has, with a few new additions, allowing the chain to capitalize on another meal segment.
- I loved the sandwiches and the generous portion of eggs in them, but they can create a mess in the car. If you wanna stay clean, get the scramble cup.