TV Restaurants

What Happened to Ina's (Breakfast Queen) After Food Paradise?

Food Paradise, Season 4 Chicago, Illinois Closed 2013

Current status

Closed

As of October 2026, Ina's (Breakfast Queen) has closed — confirmed via cbsnews.com, August 29, 2013.

What the source shows: CBS Chicago reported on 2013-08-29 that owner Ina Pinkney would close the restaurant on 2013-12-31 after 33 years; a Yelp listing updated 2026-06 still marks the address permanently closed. How we decide a status →

What happened after Food Paradise?

Food Paradise's "Sausage Paradise" (2012, season 4) featured Ina's, chef Ina Pinkney's West Loop breakfast spot known as the "Breakfast Queen," highlighting her Heavenly Hots pancakes and chicken and waffles alongside the episode's sausage-focused stops. Ina's was an American breakfast and brunch restaurant at 1235 W. Randolph Street in Chicago. According to CBS Chicago, published 2013-08-29, Pinkney had run Chicago breakfast restaurants since 1980, moving from Lincoln Park to Streeterville in 1996 and finally to the Randolph Street address in 2001, and she announced she would retire and close the restaurant on 2013-12-31 after 33 years, saying "I'm 70 years old, and I think it's about time." A Yelp listing for the address, updated 2026-06, still marks the business as permanently closed.

The episode Food Paradise, Season 4

Episode 4
Aired
Title: Sausage Paradise · What was featured: Ina Pinkney's Chicago breakfast specialties: Heavenly Hots pancakes, chicken and waffles
How Food Paradise restaurants have fared: 27% closed →

Also in Season 4 Food Paradise

Season 4: 134 of 199 still open · 12 renamed, moved or under new owners

All 26 Season 4 episodes →

Nearest open restaurants By distance from 1235 W Randolph St

All 220 TV restaurants in Illinois →

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Sources we checked 2 references

  1. cbsnews.com https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/breakfast-queen-ina-pinkney-retiring-closing-west-loop-restaurant/
  2. Yelp https://www.yelp.com/biz/inas-chicago
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Record fp-0212 · checked by Cal Marchetti.