By Sally Litvan
For The Addison Independent
Millie’s Pancake Shoppe, the beloved staple of the Addison Community since 1959, is about to broaden its horizons. Starting early April, the new Millie’s Market will officially open in the location of the former Gift Shoppe, attached to the restaurant.
James Duda, Jr., the third-generation family owner of Millie’s since 2016, made the decision to change the vision of that space during the recent lockdown. He began offering his handcrafted specialty chicken salads and egg salads on a pre-order, carryout basis. The salads took off and with the help of some local chef friends, a new “comfort food” menu was curated.
“The pandemic forced us to reevaluate the overall dining experience, and what the future might hold for our restaurant, and the industry in general” James said of the initial inception of the new Market. “Millie’s Market came from the idea that we wanted to have a menu that was chef-created, but focused around comfort foods, because the whole idea of Millie’s was centered around Grandma’s kitchen and being with friends and family, enjoying a meal. I’ve teamed up with some local chefs whose jobs were also affected by the pandemic and we all brought in new ideas. Part of the excitement of the Market Menu is Chef Matt’s ability to be creative with barbecue, seafood, charcuterie, and do things outside the Millie’s norm.
“Nothing about the pandemic has been normal, so why not do something different that makes everyone feel good?”
Millie’s Market will be offering gourmet mac-and-cheese, specialty-baked potatoes, a fresh take on a traditional lobster roll, bacon, brisket, as well as the popular chicken and egg salads. Millie’s homemade soups will also be available for carryout, as well as hand-held sandwiches, artisan charcuterie boards, and loaded tater tots, like you have never seen before.
“Although Millie’s Market was born to be a carryout and third-party delivery concept, as the world resumes more normal dine in practices, we do plan on opening the door between our new storefront and the Millie’s dining room, allowing people to take their meals and enjoy them with friends and family at one of our tables or booths” James explained. “We are planning to create some craft cocktails and offer beer and wine as well. Desserts like ice cream and cookie platters will add to those experiences to give people a more comfortable approach to hanging out with their friends and families, like being in Grandma’s kitchen.”
The hours of the new Millie’s Market will be Thursday through Sunday 4 – 9 p.m., and they hope to expand the days and hours, as people start to enjoy the new menu. It will be a new image of your favorite Millie’s with an evening flair.
Millie’s Market is located at 609 W. Lake St, Addison, directly next to Millie’s Pancake Shoppe. They can be reached at (630) 628-9891, or www.milliespancakes.com.
