Is Nutella Cafe Worth the Wait?

The Nutella Cafe is one of Chicago's most hit tourist spots, and visitors often have to wait hours in line to grab a chocolaty hazelnut treat. Read along to find out whether this cafe is worth the long hours in line.

Taken by Shivani Shah.

Seated on Michigan Avenue, Nutella Cafe is in one of the most visited locations in the city. It is the world's first Nutella Cafe, complete with a entrance shaped like a nutella jar. Being just across the street from Millennium Park, the restaurant is a prime location for tourists wanting to get a bite.

I will be the first to admit my addiction to Nutella. I've been eating Nutella for years and I think it is such a versatile spread that tastes good on almost everything. So naturally, when Chicago unveiled the new Nutella Cafe, I was mesmerized and dead set on grabbing a treat from that chocolaty hazelnut heaven. I mean what could be better than an entire restaurant dedicated to nutella, right? But when I went up to Chicago, another site greeted me, the long line outside.

“Is the nutella from the restaurant that much different from the nutella sitting in my pantry?”

That line got me thinking, is the wait really worth it? Is the nutella from the restaurant that much different from the nutella sitting in my pantry? And after eating there, I found that the nutella in the restaurant is just the same as the nutella at my house. That got me wondering, am I the only one feeling this way? Turns out I was not alone. Many of my friends felt just as underwhelmed about the restaurant as I did.

Spread the Happy... At Home

I've found out that although food from the Nutella Cafe is delicious, it's not anything extraordinary that you cannot make at home (for much cheaper!). The main draw of the restaurant is the name and overall branding of the place rather than the uniqueness of the food. Their crepes and shakes are delicious, don't get me wrong, but they could be easily made at home and enjoyed without waiting for hours in the Chicago wind. I would consider the place more of a tourist attraction rather than a restaurant due to that reason.

My recommendation is to skip the line at the Nutella Cafe and check out some of the other sweet treats Chicago has to offer. You can find just about any dessert in Chicago that can satisfy even the biggest of sweet tooths, but if there's one treat that the Windy City specializes in, it's the donut. There are countless Chicago bakeries that not only have delicious donuts, but come with charm and an overall great customer experience. Check out Stan's Donuts or Firecakes Donuts at any of their various locations to get a bite of some delicious pastry and rich Chicago history.