Celebrate Back to School Season with PB&J

With back to school season upon us, it’s an apt time to think about some of the most iconic lunchbox snacks. Namely, the PB&J. In honor of the school season, here’s a roundup of some of the best PB&J dishes on menus in Chicago restaurants.

The end all-be all of PB&Js in Chicago may very well be the version served at South Water Kitchen. Why? Because it doubles down on lunchbox nostalgia by fusing with a grilled cheese. The Loop restaurant serves this fan-favorite on their lunch menu, featuring pear (the “p” replacing peanut butter, in this case), Brie cheese, and blueberry jam on whole-grain bread with a side of kettle chips.

Another offbeat, tongue-in-cheek PB&J special can be found at Boiler Room. If you’re expecting to find a peanut butter and jelly sandwich at a pizza bar, think again. This version is actually a combo serving of pizza, beer, and Jameson, hence the moniker.

For a PB&J sandwich that’s actually a sandwich, try the version at Elaine’s Coffee Call. This bustling Lincoln Park cafe features a tasty version made with blueberry preserves by chef Paul Virant.

The all-American classic goes Cuban at Nini’s Deli. At this quaint Noble Square eatery, the eclectic sandwich features a generous layer of creamy peanut butter layered with homemade guava jelly and sweet plantains.

PB&J, in all its innate sweetness and decadence, makes for the perfect dessert. Case in point, A10 serves a PB&J in doughnut form. It’s a dense, hearty doughnut filled with peanut butter and seasonal jam, and flecked with crackly nut brittle. It tastes like someone dropped a PB&J in the deep-fryer and added some extra sugar.

Then there’s the PB&J soft-serve served at Urban Belly. Silky vanilla soft-serve ice cream lays the foundation for hefty dollops of huckleberry jelly and peanut butter crunch.

South Water Kitchen
225 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago
(312) 236-9300
Website

Boiler Room
2210 N. California Avenue, Chicago
(773) 276-5625
Website

Elaine’s Coffee Call
1816 N. Clark Street, Chicago
(312) 254-4665
Website

Nini’s Deli
543 N. Noble Street, Chicago
(312) 243-9822
Website

A10
1462 E. 53rd Street, Chicago
(773) 288-1010
Website

Urban Belly
1400 W. Randolph Street, Chicago
(773) 583-0500
Website