The Maller building on Wabash is one of Chicago's historic buildings in possibly its most historic neighborhood. Inside are jewelers that have been there for decades, seemingly untouched by time. Wandering the halls, you might come upon signs for a deli around the corner on the third floor. A few twists and turns later, the door to an unexpected relic of the the Maller building presents a restaurant.

Sitting in the booths, its easy to feel in a space out of time – the metalwork of the L tracks outside and the simple diner decor makes for quite the time warp (give or take a cell phone call across the room). But Maller’s is not a perfect time capsule – the famous deli of yore with reubens and melts has been retooled as a family restaurant, complete with kid’s menu. The new owners have opted for a diner/Mexican menu, with breakfast skillets and burgers matched with fajitas and wraps.

Breakfast has a selection of omelets, including the veggie for $5.80 (with avocado, green peppers, tomato, onion and American cheese). Ordering the Sears Tower will get you three pancakes, two eggs and bacon or ham for $6.90. For those who enjoy a heartier breakfast, $8.50 will get you a steak or chicken skillet.

Or if you’re in a lunch mood, steak or chicken fajitas with tortillas, rice and beans can be had for $10. If you want to keep it classic, a deluxe burger (with soup and choice of onion rings or fresh veggies) comes at the pretty classic price of $4.99. And for $2, a chocolate shake afterwards never hurt anybody.

Even if the menu doesn’t have quite the punch of the old place, Maller’s is still a great place to sit down and feel like a bit of Chicago history.

Average cost: <$10

Centerstage Reviewer: Dan Morgridge