Unless you live in Oak Park you are probably not familiar with Eyrie Restaurant. Allow me to introduce you. Eyrie is a student-run restaurant that is part of the culinary program at Robert Morris University. Their mission is to provide a supportive learning environment for aspiring chefs, providing seasonal dining for the community while embracing sustainable practices. Everything from the design of the space to the menu was created by the students in the University’s culinary and hospitality programs.
Kevin and I have dined here several times since the restaurant’s opening in 2011. Their menu is always changing based on what ingredients are in season. Most recently Kevin and I stopped in for dinner and experienced their winter menu. We both decided to start out with a cup of soup. I ordered the Chicken and Vegetable Rice Soup which was perfect for the cold night it was.
Kevin opted for the West African Sweet Potato and Peanut Soup which he loved so much he contemplated ordering more. I tried a bite not expecting to like it, but I actually really enjoyed the flavors as well.
For my main course, I ordered the Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad with Shredded Chicken. The salad was tossed with goat cheese, kabocha squash, and a pomegranate vinaigrette and reduction. As soon as I saw this on the menu I knew I was going to order it as every ingredient is something I love! I cannot say enough good things about this dish! It was hearty, delicious, and the presentation was beautiful!
Kevin ordered the Pulled Pork with Cherry Espresso BBQ. The pork was served over creamy gorgonzola polenta and sauteed swiss chard. You could really taste the espresso in the BBQ sauce and it paired perfectly with the pork. There was not one bit of this dish left on the plate it was so good!
Like a lot of the menu, they had a gluten free dessert option so we decided to split the Granny Smith Apple and Cranberry Crisp which was warm and gooey and tasted so good with the vanilla ice cream melting into it.
In addition to their dinner menu, they also serve lunch during the week and Sunday brunch. A couple of months ago we also went for brunch. I ordered the Grilled Naan Breakfast Sandwich which had roasted red pepper, havarti cheese, arugula, hickory smoked ham, and a fried egg. All of the flavors paired together so wonderfully and I loved the fact that the bread was grilled naan! The sandwich was served with a side of their house fries which were also delicious!
Kevin ordered their Weekly Seasonal Egg Scramble which had green pepper, red onion, and goat cheese. His dish was also served with a side of house fries and a side of toast which he was able to substitute a cup of fruit for instead.
Eyrie is open for lunch Tuesday through Saturday and brunch on Sunday. They also serve dinner on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant is BYOB and does accept reservations. They also recently started offering cooking classes once a month for $40.
I cannot say enough good things about Eyrie. I would definitely recommend making a trip to Oak Park to experience the wonderful student created food for yourself. The prices are very reasonable for the high quality food that you are served.
Eyrie is located at 128 N. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park, IL
This food looks AMAZING!! And so cool that students run the whole thing!
The food IS amazing and it’s so fun to support a local culinary school while the students get practice!
xo Paige