Spoken is a cafe located underneath the Montrose stop in Ravenswood, and it’s just as good for grabbing a quick bagel before work as it is for meeting up with a friend for lunch. Unless this place happens to be on your morning commute, you might not even know it exists. But you should, because this utility spot has some great food.

Spoken doesn’t have a ton of table space, so it’s probably not the best place to work on your autobiography for six hours. That said, it’s more than comfortable enough to catch up with a friend. The menu has sandwiches like the Senora Huerta (a ham and cheese pizza bialy), breakfast bowls like cheesy grits, strong coffee, and a pastry case with Do-Rite donuts. Spoken also sells a lot of their housemade condiments, so if you want to buy some pesto or the bourbon apple butter you just had, you can make that happen.

Food Rundown

Señora Huerta (Yes We Can)

A pizza bialy with ham, provolone, onions, banana peppers, and roasted red pepper pesto. It’s cheesy, delicious, and even though we’re not quite sure what it’s doing on the breakfast menu, we’re very glad it exists.

Home On The Ranch

This is an excellent turkey club with housemade pickled green tomatoes and spicy ranch that gives it just enough bite.

Acadian Style Cheesy Grits

When your friend starts complaining about their recent breakup, don’t waste any energy trying to come up with good advice. Order them a bowl of these buttery grits with crunchy chilies on top.