Our Story
Cavalier Inn opens in North Hammond, serving honest Polish food and drink to the neighborhood's Polish community.
The pierogi recipe gets handed down, word for word, pinch for pinch — no shortcuts allowed. The welcoming atmosphere Wally and Mary built becomes the Cav's signature.
Same relish tray, same Friday lake perch, same regulars at the same tables — now run by the next generation, dutifully carrying it on.
75+ years in, Hammond — and Chicago — still talk about the pierogi. We're just trying to earn it every single plate.
"Best in class! Our pierogi rival, if not exceed, anything available in Chicago."— Steve Dolinsky, ABC 7 Chicago
Gołąbki, pierogi, and potato pancakes made exactly the way they were in 1949 — no shortcuts, no pre-made mixes.
Nothing sits in a freezer waiting. Lake perch, produce, and dough are prepped fresh each day the kitchen opens.
No franchise, no outside owners. Three generations of the same family have kept the stove on since day one.