The Beach Cafe, Gary

The Beach Cafe: A User’s Guide **Keywords:** Albanian-Influenced Cafe Menu | Fresh Lake Catch | Walking Distance from Beach **Sample Menu** * Appetizer: jalapeño poppers stuffed with cream cheese * Entree: chicken breast smothered with mushrooms, onions, and Swiss cheese * Dessert: apple pie à la mode **Where to Sit:** If it’s a nice day, grab a seat on the patio. The cafe is a couple of blocks away from the beach, but diners can still enjoy the breezes blowing in off Lake Michigan. **European Influences:** The bar and grill that formerly inhabited The Beach Cafe’s space had been closed for two years by the time owners Marash and Aga Nikolaj came along. The Albanian immigrants came over from Yugoslavia in the 1990s and raised five children in the United States. Their home country’s influence can be seen throughout the menu, from the tableside saganaki appetizer to the grilled cevapi entree. **American Staples:** The duo supplement these traditional meals with local favorites including the classic cheeseburger, Philly cheesesteak, and fried chicken. **Perfect Platter:** Try the seafood platter for a tour through the cafe’s wide array of seafood offerings. It includes crab legs, frog legs, shrimp, Lake Perch, scallops, cod, and clams. **While You’re in the Neighborhood:**
_Before_: Start your morning with a refreshing dip in Lake Michigan at Marquette Park, three blocks west on Locust Ave.
_After_: Spend the night camping among the sand dunes at [Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore](https://www.groupon.com/articles/indiana-dunes-state-park-a-beachside-treasure-in-the-landlocked-midwest).