526 East 43rd Street, Chicago, IL is one of two locations of the amazingly, quaint and welcoming Ain’t She Sweet Café. This black-owned bistro stationed in historic Bronzeville serves up a variety of small bites, salads, smoothies, sweets and island delicacies that will have you scheduling your next visit before you walk out of the door. I recently had the pleasure of visiting this charming establishment during the early dinner rush and they did not disappoint.
Upon my arrival, there was a line that stretched from the counter to the door, no worries we were socially distant, and I stood patiently waiting to submit my order I glanced at the extensive menu and became overwhelmed with the selection of items to choose from. I didn’t know if I wanted something healthy, sweet or spicy so after looking over the menu one more time I decided on the Jerk Salmon Wrap (grilled jerk salmon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, homemade jerk sauce, cheddar jack cheese with a wheat wrap) and a cup of the soup of the day, Tomato Spinach Bisque.
While standing in line waiting to place my order, which didn’t take long, I looked around and saw thick slices of fresh-baked Rum Cake, slices of Sweet Potato Pie, Sweet Potato Cheesecake other savory items one can easily add to their list of items. The cashier quickly took my order and moved right along to the next customer in line. As I continued to observe the cozy spot, I noticed how diligently the small staff who worked swiftly to get orders out to customers, walking items out to people and taking orders over the phone.
When I walked in there were about five people in line before me, and everyone was cleared out by the time I received my made to order items. Ain’t She Sweet Café is definitely a gem worth supporting. Not only do they have impeccable customer service, but they offer a daily lunch special, Teacher and Senior Citizen Appreciation Monday’s, Two for Tuesday where all Police Officers, Firefighters and County Sheriff’s get 10% off of their entire purchase CTA and Parcel Worker Wednesday specials, and Thursday’s discounts are designated for Healthcare and Military Personnel.
If you’re ever in the Bronzeville area, take a minute to stop by and support this black-owned business so it can continue to thrive or visit their other location at 9920 South Western in Beverly. If you’re looking for unique catering items for your virtual holiday celebrations or small gatherings, they offer catering services as well. Many restaurants have closed or offer limited services and menu items due to the pandemic. However, it seems as if Ain’t She Sweet Café has continued to thrive and we should all support this establishment so they can continue to grow. While we all long for the days where we can sneak away to our favorite restaurant for a quiet sip of coffee we’ve gotta adjust to our temporary new norm and making the best of things by recreating our favorite atmospheres by bringing our favorite delicacies home to enjoy and taking home sweet teats from Ain’t She Sweet Café will surely make your day sweeter.
Liz Lampkin is a Lifestyle, Love, and Relationships writer. Follow her on social media @Liz_Lampkin.
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