Eastman Egg Company is the Breakfast You Really Want

An egg sandwich at brunch can be a wonderful thing; however, when you’re in the rush before work it always seems like your only option is to run into McDonalds or Starbucks. Eastman Egg Company is out to change that. They started with the idea that you can get an amazing breakfast that’s fast and convenient. Eastman currently operates a food truck in the loop, a location at 23 N. Upper Wacker across from the Lyric Opera, and will soon have a second physical location at Ogilvie Transportation Center.

Earlier this year at the StarChefs Rising Stars awards ceremony and tasting, the Eastman Egg Company’s egg sandwich was a clear favorite that had me going back for seconds…and thirds. I was thrilled to get an invite to their Wacker Drive store to try their latest creation called “The Ride”: a collaboration with Chicago BMX rider Brian Kachinsky.

Fast Service in Store and With Your Smartphone

Walking into Eastman Egg Company with its dark wood walls and low lighting, you feel more like you’re in a cozy coffee shop than a fast food restaurant. While a pretty small place, there were plenty of people seated at the family-style long table in the center of the restaurant drinking their Sparrow Coffee, eating an egg sandwich, and surfing the web.

Even after the work day officially started, Eastman Egg Company still had a steady stream of customers. Despite the heavy traffic, the service was fast and efficient. It took less than five minutes to get my sandwich, which was made with fresh, local ingredients– like Slagel Farms eggs and LaFarine bread. That’s a McDonald’s time with a much better product.

If you’re really in a rush or just want to maximize your morning time, Eastman Egg Company just came out with a location-based smartphone app. You can wake up first thing in the morning and submit your order. The app knows when you’re getting close to the store and tells the staff it’s time to get everything ready. When you get to the store, your order is hot and ready, and you don’t have to waste time paying either. Sounds like the future of fast food to me.

The Menu & Taking a “Ride” with the Sandwich of the Month

When you go to Starbucks or something similar and they reheat a frozen egg sandwich, your options are really just limited to what meat you want on top—usually bacon or sausage. At Eastman Egg Company, they have six different main breakfast sandwiches each featuring different cheeses, meats, sauces, fresh veggies, and breads; lunch sandwiches are available starting at 10 a.m. Breakfast sandwiches range from $6 to $9 –for the incredible “The Crown,” topped with avocado, chorizo, Eggmont cheese, and Salsa Verde. While a higher price than what you’d find at the McDonalds next door, your stomach will thank you afterwards.

The Ride sandwich at Eastman Egg CompanyIn addition to their core sandwiches, parfaits, and egg sandwich sliders, the Eastman Egg Company also collaborates on a sandwich of the month. For September 2015, they partnered with pro Brian Kachinsky for “The Ride.” When he’s not competing around the world, the Wisconsin-native lives in Chicago where he’s also the owner of the Bakery, an indoor BMX facility that was originally located in an old bread factory.

To create the sandwich, head of operations Drew Davis took some of Kachinsky’s favorite ingredients like chorizo sausage and fresh arugula, rounding it out with white cheddar, flax seeds, a Slagel Farms egg, and a LaFarine pretzel roll. It’s a sandwich that’s both hearty thanks to the excellent pretzel roll, eggs, and spicy chorizo and a little healthy for you too. The flax seeds are the most unusual and interesting ingredient here. They’re very beneficial to your body yet don’t have much of a natural flavor. Instead, they add this gritty, grainy texture that definitely complimented the sausage.

Bottom Line

Altogether, the Ride features a lot of interesting flavors that come together for an awesome sandwich, which I would order again if it showed up on the regular menu. I’d definitely encourage trying it out this month, and I’m excited for what they’ve got cooking for October.

The Eastman Egg Company
23 N Upper Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 600-4814