My nephew Matt is going to grad school at Loyola University in Chicago and has an apartment nearby. Since he moved in, I visited him many times, usually staying overnight, under the guise of mentoring him. Being in the heart of Chicago is just a bonus for my efforts. Another bonus is the great breakfast places we discovered.

There are three area locations for Yolk, and they are all always packed. Despite the crowds, the food is served very fast and very fresh. They pride themselves on their eggs, which can be ordered in over 20 ways, including a hard scramble (my favorite). The French toast and the red velvet cake are two other highlights.

Eggsperience has eight Chicago-area locations. I am hooked on Eleni’s Egg White Delight, an omelette featuring diced portabella mushrooms and Asiago cheese finished with a rich mushroom wine sauce.

A farther walk and more in the heart of The Loop, Wild Berry Café is known for their Berry Bliss pancakes. The turkey bacon is also exceptionally good.

Hash House A Go Go is as cool as its name. The menu includes many options, but I “go go” for the hash. They have six options, with the salmon, cream cheese and scallions topping my list.

Meli Café & Juice Bar has a huge menu full of tasty breakfast (and lunch) delights, but their juice selection is what attracts me. I am working my way down the lineup and am currently at apple-celery-cucumber.

These are my five favorite for now. As Matt has another year or so of school, I will surely be adding to this list. I always enjoyed other great meals downtown, but now I am experiencing excellent breakfasts for the first time. I would love to hear about other breakfast places in Chicago or elsewhere.

— John Wroblewski, online contributor