Jim and Nancy do not disclose the fact that they will review a restaurant before they attend, ensuring their reviews are unbiased and uninfluenced by their position with the Sun Day.
One Sunday morning Nancy popped out of bed like a piece of toast from a toaster and proclaimed, âI’m not cooking, let’s go out for breakfast.â I am now faced with a dilemma. Do I get my lazy butt out of bed, or lie here and starve? I quickly replied, âgood idea dear.â You know what they say, âhappy wife, happy life.â Remembering that our neighbor recently recommended Bella’s Short Stack in Algonquin, I decided now would be a good time to try it.
This small (12 tables) family-run diner is easy to miss. It is located approximately 2 blocks south of Algonquin Road on the west side of Main Street. If you get to the four-way stop sign, you’ve gone too far.
Bella’s is a retro 50s style diner with a collection of antique toasters on display. (See how cleverly this ties in with the first line about Nancy popping out of bed?) A lot of effort went into the mural on the wall depicting who we assume is a 1950s Bella. This is a cute, unassuming place in small town America. The diner may be small, but their menu isn’t. They offer an extensive array of breakfast and lunch items that will please just about anyone.
Bella’s Short Stack
208 S. Main Street
Algonquin 60102
(847)-854-1400
No Website
Directions: Take 47 North to Algonquin East to Main Street South to restaurant
Travel time: 21 minutes
Nancy had a taste for a good old-fashioned omelet this morning. There is a trend in restaurants lately to bake their omelets. Fussy Nancy prefers the old school fried omelet. When she saw one being served to the table next to us, she decided to try the âbuild your own omeletâ option on the menu. What a surprise that was… she had a bacon, onion, and American cheese omelet with a short stack of pancakes with hash browns made her way, crunchy and brown. The way this works is the base price for an omelet is $7.95. Cheese or a veggie is an additional 75¢ each, and meat is $1.25 more. Honestly, we thought this was a bit pricey.
After living with someone for what seems like forever, you get to know their tastes. When I saw the Italian Eggs Benedict ($8.75) on the menu, I predicted Jim would order this, and I was right. It was Italian sausage, Fontinella cheese, poached eggs served over toast and ladled with sausage gravy. This came with hash browns which he also had browned and crunchy. Great minds think alike. This was an unusual variation on Eggs Benedict, but their twist on this dish proved that it pays to be creative.
The staff was very friendly and efficient and it seemed like they couldn’t do enough for us. Jim’s coffee cup and my glass of iced tea were always filled to the brim. Bella’s is a great place for home-style cooking in a warm and homey atmosphere.
FYI: Not handicap accessible and street parking only.
Bella’s breakfast bill was $23.71.
Dining Duo Hint: Choose from the many omelet selections that are offered. These are much more cost effective than the build you own option.
Jim’s take: My âItalian, American, Southern, Eggs Benedict is now a favorite breakfast concoction of mine. Nancy’s pancakes were light and fluffy.
Nancy’s take: They made my hash browns exactly the way I like them. My omelet was exactly what I was hoping for and I have to agree with Jim, my pancakes were light and fluffy.
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