Downers Grove Baked Apple Breakfast Co. cook up breakfast, lunch classics

DOWNERS GROVE – One of the Downers Grove’s favorite spots for breakfast and lunch is a family affair.

The Baked Apple Breakfast Co., located at 1224 Ogden Ave., has been slinging brunch since December 2012 behind the hands of cook father George Doulas and experienced front house manager son Angelo Doulas.

Angelo said his co-owner father ran a restaurant near Midway Airport for three decades called the Archway Cafe before retiring in 2001 – experience he wanted to tap into alongside his years in the food industry.

“There’s no easier person to trust than your own father to open up an establishment,” he said. “He’s someone you can count on, someone with experience. he’s someone who matched my ability to work with the drive and the strive and the passion.”

The menu features a mix of classic breakfast and lunch fare with an array of twists and spins on each.

Take, for example, the pancakes. Options range from a classic stack to The Smurfette – blueberry pancakes – The Bonfire – chocolate sauce, marshmallow flow and Graham crackers – and the namesake Baked Apple Pancake.

Behind them are a variety of specials, ranging from soups to Greek-style chicken, still handmade and crafted by dear old dad.

“People from the Midway area still come out here just to eat his Grecian chicken,” Angelo said.

He said he believed his familial bond and their shared experience helped provide the customer with a warm experience with food crafted with care.

“It’s a modern comfortable atmosphere,” he said. “It’s a very intimate restaurant with great service and great food. The most important thing is that everyone comes and goes with a smile ... that they’re walking in and they feel like it’s home.”