Eli's Cheesecake: The Sweet Secret That Took Chicago's Heart

In 1980, Eli's Cheesecake graced Chicago as a sweet secret, birthed by Eli Schulman at Eli's Ogden Huddle. But it wasn't Eli's The Place for Steak's cheesecake that made headlines. No. It was at the first Taste of Chicago in 1980 that Eli's original plain cheesecake stole the show, becoming the festival's most coveted dessert. The Cheesecake Company went it alone in 1980, hidden away in a North Side plant. Fast forward to 1996, and they moved to their current HQ in the Dunning neighborhood, grinningly dubbed Eli's Cheesecake World.

This cheesecake realm boasts an antiquated bakery, a bakery cafe, and corporate offices. Today, Eli's Cheesecake goods can be found across the US and beyond, even making its way onto the menus at Lou Malnati's. Media outlets such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Oprah Winfrey Show have been smitten with it. And four American presidents – Bill Clinton in 1993, 1997, and 2009 – have all had a taste, making it a star of four presidential inaugurations.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata