Check out the best coffee shops in Chicago. These shops have culture and offer craft coffee to Windy City residents and visitors.
Coffee, Hip Hop, and Mental Health
3243 N Broadway Store Front, Chicago, IL 60657
Mon-Wed 7 am-4 pm
Thur 7 am-8 pm
Fri & Sat 9am-6pm
Sun 10am-4pm
773.857.0527
Coffee, Hip Hop, and Mental Health understand many of the people in their community are underserved and come from high-poverty living situations. Many folks are struggling with trauma, whether it be systemic generational oppression, substance abuse, incarceration of themselves or loved ones, as well as violence in the street or their home. The overexposure of these high-stress situations produces sad realities for everyone caught in the crossfire of them. The folks at Coffee, Hip Hop, and Mental Health know to better each other, they need to help each other work through these traumas. Their goal is based on, “creating necessary opportunities for people to open up and build. Encouraging the black and brown community to speak up for themselves.” Most people in these neighborhoods aren’t able to get to stable mental health standing simply because they are, “too busy trying to survive.” The employees at Coffee, Hip Hop, and Mental Health strive, “to normalize their (community members and neighbors) physical, emotional, and mental well-being.”
The Coffee & Tea Exchange
3311 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60657
Mon-Fri 7am-5pm
Sat & Sun 8am-6pm
773.528.2241
Established in 1975, The Coffee & Tea Exchange was founded by Steve, who would roast each bean in the small space in East Lakeview. To this day, the store still displays the beans in wooden barrels, just like Steve did. Steve wanted to provide more than just a quality cup of coffee, he wanted his patrons to understand what they were drinking. He taught customers how different countries’ coffee beans, different roasting temperatures, and roasting techniques created different flavors. Loyal customers who moved out of town started the wonderful opportunity for Coffee & Tea Exchange to ship across the country and even tap into wholesale distribution. Today, The Coffee & Tea Exchange holds onto its roots by being located on the other side of the street from the original storefront where Steve’s children operate the retail store. By sticking to the same operating procedures started by Steve thirty-five years ago, The Coffee & Tea Exchange can stay true to their goal “as an independent coffee roaster,” by “providing the freshest coffee possible at an affordable price.”
Elaine’s Coffee Call
1816 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60614
First Floor of Hotel Lincoln
7 am-1 pm, daily
312.254.4665
Three blocks down the street from our 1900 N Lincoln Avenue location, Elaine’s is an excellent spot to kick back with a book, some friends, or your computer. If you’re looking for a throwback feel with retro interior design, come grab something to sip on the first floor of the Hotel Lincoln. Satisfy your snack cravings with their smaller breakfast bites while you take in the view of the lake. Pass the time people watching those on Clark Street and North Avenue Beach while you wake up with a cup of coffee.
Cocoa + Co. Coffee and Chocolate Café
1651 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60614
Mon-Thur 7:30am-3pm
Fri-Sun 7:30am-6pm
312.624.8540
“Nothing worthwhile is easy.” That’s why it took Kim Hack more than ten years to open the doors of Cocoa + Co. Coffee and Chocolate Café. The hack was fortunate to work alongside reputable winemakers Michel Chapoutier and Angelo Gaja and realized she can take their approach and apply it to gourmet chocolate. Hack’s dream was to create an environment for chocolate enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike to, “fuel their passion through exploration, tasting, and interaction in the same way wine lovers do at neighborhood merchants and cafes.” Over the last ten years, there has been an exponential increase of chefs in both pastry and chocolate across the globe. Pushing the boundaries of flavor in the ceaseless search for the best ingredients and cultivating relationships with new farmers and producers, the chocolate status quo is continuously challenged with each passing day. Cocoa + Co. Coffee and Chocolate Café longs to deliver the most unique chocolate that takes you on, “a journey of chocolate discovery that is nuanced, beguiling, and infinitely delicious.”
Café ZoZo
5008 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60625
Wednesday Closed
Mon, Tue, Thurs-Sun 11 am-7 pm
If you want a bright, hip spot to grab a coffee and something to eat, make your way into Café ZoZo. Here you can enjoy a wide variety of beverages from lattes, mochas, teas, affogatos, blended drinks, and boba milk teas. Don’t go hungry, grab a gourmet cookie, muffin, or slice of cake created from scratch to enjoy with your out-of-this-world coffee or tea. Plenty of natural light and ambient fixtures set a peaceful mood while still providing plenty of stimulation to help keep your brain working on the task at hand or just enjoy a peaceful moment before or after a long day. Be sure to support the recently opened and new Lincoln Square Café ZoZo!
Once you’ve acquired a morning cup of coffee, head over to our blog to learn about other incredible Chicago establishments.
