The Egg And I In The Heights Reopens

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL — Hankering for more than cold cereal for breakfast? Chicago Heights's beloved Egg and I is open again and ready to take orders.

A fire gutted the kitchen in October and it took months for the owners to rebuild, said general manager Nayel Salah.

A faulty burner sent out a flame at about 2 a.m. October 19, he said, and sparked a fire that burned the kitchen. The restaurant's own fire suppression system was able to put the blaze out.

"No one was injured -- thank God," he said.

The hood system needed to be replaced, and an ordering mishap delayed the weekslong process even further.

But the restaurant has been thoroughly cleaned and the kitchen received some upgrades, including new flooring and equipment.

The Egg and I is ready to roll.

"We're trying to get the word out as much as possible," Salah said.

He said he was grateful that the restaurant was able to rehire about 96 percent of its staff, a key to keeping the close-knit feel of the restaurant, which has been a community anchor for decades.

"We've been here many, many years, and even on our first day we're seeing a lot of regulars we haven't seen in months walking back in."

"It's definitely a great feeling."

The Egg and I at 222 Dixie Highway reopened today and is open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekends.