@ Loves Local Heading to Towne & Oak in Winnetka

When stepping inside Towne & Oak, you may think you’ve been transported to sunny California. It exudes freshness, floods of natural light, and an eye-catching café. Sounds fabulous, right? Lucky for you, we’re inviting you to pick up a 12-oz beverage on the @ tab Thursday, March 11th from 1:30pm – 3:30pm!

Towne & Oak is owner Elaina Vazquez’s latest venture. If you’re familiar with the neighborhood, she also owns Boutique Bites! Elaina has taken her skills and knowledge through a variety of different establishments throughout the United States.

We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to experience her talents in Winnetka! The Towne & Oak menu features speciality drinks and mouth watering sweet and salty bites. Enjoy the below interview with Elaina for more insight on how she got her start as well as what she recommends!

Chef & Owner Elaina Vazquez
Photo by Cristina G Photography

@properties: In addition to Towne & Oak, you own Boutique Bites in town! What inspired you to open Towne & Oak?

Elaina Vazquez: Our last location in the West Loop included our catering kitchen, offices & venue and clients often commented that they wished they could pop in and grab a bite to eat or pick something up to bring home for dinner. I have a restaurant background and knew I wanted to transition to something different after 10+ years of catering so a café seemed like the perfect next step.

@properties: Towne & Oak is located on Chicago’s North Shore in Winnetka. Was there anything in particular that drew you to this location? 

EV: A lot of our clients live on the North Shore so when it came time to move, the North Shore was our preferred location. Winnetka was actually our first choice and we were lucky to find the perfect location early on in the process. The community has welcomed us with open arms and it’s been a nice change of pace from “city life”.

Photo by Towne & Oak

@properties: From savory breakfast items and drool-worthy pastries to a variety beverages, your menu is comprised of so many incredible things! How do you come up with such a striking menu?

EV: Our original menu was quite extensive and we decided to cut back due to COVID. The menu is a combination of favorites from our Boutique Bites catering menu and items I personally love! We have some ongoing specials that will be added to the menu in the near future and we’re hoping to further expand & offer more items in spring/summer.

@properties: For @ Loves Local, we’re offering 12-oz beverages. Do you have a favorite? Is there a bakery item that goes perfectly with it?

EV:  It’s always difficult to choose a favorite from our menu because we have so many great options! But I think our caramel latte and a chocolate chip cookie are the perfect afternoon treat. The caramel latte has a touch of sweetness and our chocolate chip cookie is topped with sea salt so the two of them together is the perfect balance of sweet & salty!

Photo by Cristina G Photography

The Details:

When ordering, mention @properties or @ Loves Local on Thursday, March 11th  from 1:30pm – 3:30pm CT for a 12-oz beverage of your choice on the @ tab*. Towne & Oak is located at 921 Green Bay Rd, Winnetka, IL 60093. Be sure to follow @atproperties and @towneandoak on Instagram and use our hashtag #AtLovesLocal when you visit.

Limit one beverage per person. When visiting, please respect others by wearing a mask and maintaining a 6-foot distance.

Photo by Towne & Oak