Rewired Pizza Bar & Cafe (1100 W. Thorndale Ave.; rewiredcafe.com ) may come across as a largely unassuming cafebut this spot hides several pleasant surprises that separate it from similar spots and make it a place worth revisiting.
This casual cafe opened last November, according to Managing Partner Daniel Baratan extremely affable guy (and former manager at Untitled) whose first priority lies in making sure every customer is satisfied. Barat also filled in Windy City Times on the history of Rewired, which originated in Lake View before taking over the spot at 1107 W. Berwyn Ave. (formerly Kitchen Sink) and relocating to its current site.
As for those surprises, they lie in everything from culinary and drink offerings to the relatively spacious outside area for patrons and private events. (On June 19, Rewired hosted an event for local bears.)
Brunch is relatively straightforwardbut the items are undeniably delicious. Chilaquiles (served with habanero or salsa verde) are served with pickled onion, cotija cheese and egg; the Rewired BELT sandwich is a sinful melange of bacon, scrambled eggs, Swiss cheese, garlic basil mayo, mixed greens and tomato served on brioche (with brunch potatoes); the chicken and waffles make a solid offering; and housemade biscuits and chorizo gravy are substantial enough to erase your morning hangover. And, whatever you do, check out the dessert offerings, which range from the popular raspberry cream-cheese muffin to the S'mores bar.
However, if you don't order one of Rewired's various drinks, you may do yourself a disservice. The bellinis and mimosas are attractive (and boozy) options, but you may want to gravitate toward the frozen rose and Aviation slushies, which are delightful (and, somehow, even boozier) choices. And drink manager Jordan Reinhardt certainly knows his way around a bareven being kind enough to present my friend and me with a preview of next month's drink: It's called Christmas in July, and it contains watermelon agua fresca and matcha, among other ingredients. It's delicious and refreshingperfect for summer.
But, being brunch, it's certainly understandable if you would like a little coffeeand Rewired certainly has you covered there. For Pride Month, Reinhardt has conjured the Pride Latte, which features a housemade Fruity Pebbles syrup, steamed milk, espresso and "pixie dust" edible glitterand comes with a mini-Oreo. However, other adventurous items include lattes in varieties such as lavender vanilla, horchata, banana bread and Baezilla (with housemade basil syrup, white chocolate, espresso, cinnamon and milk). (By the way, check out Reinhardt's creations @madebyjavajordan on Instagram.)
However, Rewired is also known as a pizza bar, of courseand the choices here are intriguing, indeed. Veggie (with mushrooms, roasted tomato, pickled onion and pesto) and guajillo mushroom varieties sound interesting. However, those in a more carnivorous state of mind may want to try al pastor, Philly cheese or even the fried-chicken pizzasand I plan on trying one of those the next time I return. There are also sandwiches and wraps, including the Smash Burger, fried avocado wrap and Rewired BLT.
Reinhardt told me at one point that the goal of Rewired is to stand out from other cafes, particularly those in the area. I would confirm that Rewired definitely is unique, in a most appealing way (down to the board games patrons can play).