Favorite coffee shop

I am looking for a coffee place I haven't been to to do work, drink coffee, hang out and chill. I prefer one open late. I actually can't think of too many that are that great. I mainly to bookstore cafe's or Filter in wicker park. Filter has a great atmosphere, comfy couches, nice lighting, but I can't say much about their drinks, and there's way too much cigarette smoke in there for me. That place is bad for my health. What is your favorite coffee shop?

After tomorrow, your cigarette smoke problem shouldn't be an issue any more.

Isn't there a 30-month grace period for restaurants to transition to non-smoking? Or is that just for bars? It's a very confusing ordinance!

The 30 month grace period applies, according to the Tribune, to "taverns and restaurants with bars." Therefore, Filter would not qualify and the interior will soon be merrily smoke-free. However, my experience with post smoking-ban establishments in NYC suggests that all the hipstrons soon to be crowding around the entrances will create a fog of tobacco ash that the original poster might still find repellent upon coming and going. At any rate, here is a link that I, as an insomniac who only craves coffee after 10 PM, have found useful:

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=778&highlight=late+coffee

Here's another with a more comprehensive list of coffee places (and addenda):

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=583&highlight=late+coffee

Uni,

Though it does me some slight pain to endorse publicly a corporate, chain establishment, you've thrown me the proverbial grapefruit and given me a chance to plug a business which suits your qualifications to a tee. The Caribou Coffee outlet on Halsted and Maxwell is an almost ideal spot, in my estimation, to have coffee, read, study, hang out, and chill. To their credit, Caribou, while not quite the Un-Starbuck's, has definitely gone the extra mile to make their Cafes genuinely cozy and relaxed, with a product that is totally respectable. The fact that my best friend happens to be the General Manager of this particular outlet makes me a bit biased, but I think the other LTH'ers who have visited the Halsted/Maxwell Caribou would agree that it just might be the best chain coffeeshop in town. Joe Basilone, the aforementioned best friend/manager, runs a very tight ship and a cleaner, fresher, more friendly Coffee, Inc. - type spot you will not find. The outdoor patio is nice when weather permits, but, really, a cuppa whatever, enjoyed in one of Caribou's easy chairs next to the roaring fire on a dreary, cold day is quite nice. Naturally, the environment is altogther too bright (the color scheme, I mean) and the company has its own line of so-cutesy-you-want-to-vomit products, but ignore these things, go for the tried and true, and you'll be most pleased, methinks. If Joe happens to be working, by all means drop the Hungryrabbi's name (or just say the drummer from Vini and the Demons if you can't bring yourself to say Hungryrabbi in public) for that extra-special, insider's-only level of service.

But if you just can't bring yourself to go to a chain coffee place (and are looking for something closer to Wickah Pahk), I'd recommend a new place, Millennium Cafe, on Chicago Ave. One of Joe's ex-employees, Ali, opened up recently (with Joe's blessing; in fact, I believe he even found the real estate for her) with big ambitions and a very thorough knowledge of coffee. The place is a curiosity in and of itself: in what looks like a former furniture showroom or funeral parlor (the floorspace is easily 2,000 Sq. Feet), Ali has designed a funky, patchwork menagerie of English drawing room meets 1960's rec room meets Pee Wee's Playhouse. The only drawback is that the space might be too big (it's hard to feel gemuetlich when the coffee counter is 30 feet away and every footfall echoes like the Cloisters), but the beverages are top notch, the people friendly, and, hey, she's just getting started, so throw her a bone, wontcha? I don't have the exact address, but it's on the same stretch of Chicago Ave, between Ashland and Noble, that has Cafe Central, Green Zebra, and Playa del Mar. Greenview is the closest cross-street, I believe. So get juiced up, Uni, and say hi to the other sea creatures and German college students for me.

- Nervousrabbi

Are you talking about the coffee shop that's located in the old Dara Tribal Village space on Chicago Ave.? I thought it was called Mercury Cafe or something like that. It's a cavernous space for a coffee shop. I think they need to divide the space up to make it cozier.

aschie30 wrote:Are you talking about the coffee shop that's located in the old Dara Tribal Village space on Chicago Ave.? I thought it was called Mercury Cafe or something like that. It's a cavernous space for a coffee shop. I think they need to divide the space up to make it cozier.

Is that what is was prior to being a coffee house, the Dara Tribal Village? It makes sense, as the place is big enough to be the home of the actual Dara Tribe - the elders, wise men, ritual slaughters, the whole nine. I thought it was called Millennium, but it might be Mercury - there's only a small banner and no real sign. Regardless, the place is interesting on the inside and, like I said, the owner/operator Ali comes with a good pedigree and is trying very hard. But you're right about the coziness (or lack thereof); It's hard to settle into a book or private conversation when it feels like you could be hearing "Stuck ball, lane twelve! Lane twelve, Freddie!!" at any time.

- Keglingrabbi

near loyola. best damn coffee shop in the city!

i am new to the forum and assumed the subject line would be in big bold font. anyway, the coffee shop I recommended above was Metropolis Coffee.

Check it out:
http://www.metropoliscoffee.net/

I'm blanking on the name of that little cafe on Western Avenue near Augusta. The owner's a Lithuanian-American woman and a sweetheart. She's decorated the place in "Old European"--marble tabletops, quant cups and saucers. It's not open late but I always found it to be one of the most relaxing and intimate cafes in the city.

My favorite is one I used to work at in years past, Cafe Express on Dempster in Evanston. It's a very relaxed, neighborhood coffeehouse which also gets a smattering of Northwestern students and, for some reason, New Trier kids who pop down from Winnetka. The clientele is quite eclectic.

In the city, I do enjoy The Bourgeoise Pig (738 W. Fullerton) as well as The Perfect Cup (4700 N. Damen).

stevez wrote:After tomorrow, your cigarette smoke problem shouldn't be an issue any more.

I happened to be in Filter tonight, in fact. There's a sign posted on the door informing all patrons that it's now non-smoking. The people smoking outside weren't too great in numbers and every seat in the place was still taken.

I happened to be in Filter tonight, in fact. There's a sign posted on the door informing all patrons that it's now non-smoking. The people smoking outside weren't too great in numbers and every seat in the place was still taken.

Well, thank God for that. Now all they have to do is ban coffee, (dangerous hot beverages might burn, plus quick ingestion of caffeine could lead to high blood pressure) conversation, (the volume of speaking so close to someone else could make everyone deaf, after all) gatherings of people in groups greater than 2 (that's how potentially subersive ideas spread) and reading in public (glare and eye-strain being leading factors in under-60 blindness) and we'll have the perfect coffeehouse: solitary figures sitting quietly staring at laptops, drinking lukewarm beverages served in sippy cups. A new, better day has indeed dawned! LSMFT,

HR

This is admittedly a tangent--but mrs. riddlemay and I have always referred to the places otherwise often known as "Greek diners" as "coffee shops." And we call the places that primarily serve coffee (places like Intelligentsia, etc.) as "coffee houses." Did that used to be the nomenclature, and it's changing now? Is it a regional difference? Are both kinds of places (somewhat confusingly) called "coffee shops"? With the rise of "coffee shop" as a name for "coffee house," is "coffee shop" as a name for "Greek diner" on the way out?

hungryrabbi wrote:Is that what is was prior to being a coffee house, the Dara Tribal Village? It makes sense, as the place is big enough to be the home of the actual Dara Tribe - the elders, wise men, ritual slaughters, the whole nine. I thought it was called Millennium, but it might be Mercury - there's only a small banner and no real sign.

Yes! That's the place - I may be wrong on the name but it does have a banner outside. Haven't been inside yet.

Paul Tyksins wrote:I'm blanking on the name of that little cafe on Western Avenue near Augusta. The owner's a Lithuanian-American woman and a sweetheart. She's decorated the place in "Old European"--marble tabletops, quant cups and saucers. It's not open late but I always found it to be one of the most relaxing and intimate cafes in the city.

It's called Cafe Ballou. Lovely place, sweet owner. It evokes the image of the type of cafe where the late 19th century Czech intelligentsia would gather to debate philosophy. Food's good too.

I have to chime in w/ my vote of the newly renovated:

Cafe Mestizo
1640 W. 18th St
Chicago, IL
* few doors East of the defuncted gas station
* Intelligentsia beans, but good spiced hot chocolate and free wifi
* bigger newer space, incorporates Spanish literature area
* free wifi

other PILSEN coffee shops:
Efebos
~1700 S. Blue Island, 1 door north of MCD
* Mexican styled coffees, free wifi with food menu (think tortilla soup, etc.)
* good lighting, Internet/computer access for the community

Cafe Jumping Bean
1439 W. 18th St.
* decent sandwiches, room too small, recently, pre-smoking ban, smoke free

there's also the perennial fave:
Kristopher Coffee House - tres lesches cake mentioned here
1733 S. Halsted St.
312-829-4150

nearby Pilsen in Taylor is:
Netcinno
2234 W. Taylor
* free wifi, cool computer furniture, Intelligentsia beans, skip the cookies

nearby Pilsen in Bronzeville is also:
Bronzevile Coffee House, Inc.
528 E. 43rd St.
773-536-0494
* has soul music live on weekend mornings
* serves Alterra (mostly Mexican, fair trade beans)

Letizia's Natural Bakery
2144 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 342-1011

as the name implies, they have baked goods too... and some foody stuff... but its more of a coffee shop. i like the atmosphere more than most other coffee shops i've been to in chicago.. + its probably pretty close to where you are now if you go to filter ...?

Kopi Cafe in Andersonville (5317 N. Clark) is quite good and has a neat atmosphere.

Also Buzz Cafe in Oak Park (905 S. Lombard). Go there for live bluegrass music and breakfast on Saturday mornings.

wow, so many coffee places i have never been to. THanks for all the interesting suggestions. I have some exploring to do. Hungry Rabbi, I'll definitely have to check that Caribou Coffee out. Thanks!

Why is Filter now smoke free? Were they going against city policy earlier?

Second the vote for Kopi and also suggest Intelligentsia, which was mentioned in passing elsewhere. The former is in my 'hood but after years and years, I've grown a little tired of it. However, Intelligentsia, which is a small trek, has the best damn coffee around (they also have tea) and is a great place to chill, work, study, and so on. Only problem is that every time I've been, it's been pretty crowded--probably for those reasons!

Good luck...and let us know your "findings"...

uni wrote:
Why is Filter now smoke free? Were they going against city policy earlier?

No, the smoking ban just went into effect on Monday. Unless it's a tavern, a retail tobacco establishment, or a restaurant with a separate smoking area, no smoking is allowed.

Have you tried the Swim Cafe? I heard it's pretty funky and cool. They even welcome dogs. It is also featured in today's Tribune "At Play" section. They specialize in sandwiches (or paninis, if you will) and serve Fair Trade coffee and organic Indian teas. Sounds yummy to me!

marias23 wrote:Have you tried the Swim Cafe? They even welcome dogs.

thanks for this tip, doggy friendliness is much appreciated here (tho i wonder if they'd freak if i bring a big ol St. Bernard?):

Swim Cafe
1357 W. Chicago Ave.
312-492-8600

riddlemay wrote:

This is admittedly a tangent--but mrs. riddlemay and I have always referred to the places otherwise often known as "Greek diners" as "coffee shops." And we call the places that primarily serve coffee (places like Intelligentsia, etc.) as "coffee houses." Did that used to be the nomenclature, and it's changing now? Is it a regional difference? Are both kinds of places (somewhat confusingly) called "coffee shops"? With the rise of "coffee shop" as a name for "coffee house," is "coffee shop" as a name for "Greek diner" on the way out?

I'm glad you brought this up, riddlemay. I think about this a lot, but my husband (who's from LA), doesn't get me. Yes, when I was growing up in NYC, a coffee shop was what Chicago calls a Greek diner. For example, the Cambridge House on E Ohio, or Petro's on the corner of Randolph and LaSalle, or the ubiquitous Marquette Inns. Or a smaller-type place, one just big enough for a counter and a few tables. (The counter was a prerequisite for being called a coffeeshop, I think.) And a coffee shop was almost never a freestanding building. (If it was freestanding, particularly if it had a parking lot, then it was likely called a diner.)

I don't know Chicago well enough yet to have seen what used to (on the East Coast) be called a coffee house. A coffee house was a hippy-dippy kind of place with scarred wood tables that served non-alcoholic beverages and wholesome (and rather bland) sandwiches and hosted open-mikes with acoustic guitarists and had piles of board games and maybe a book swap in a back room.

To me, the places that focus on coffee and maybe dessert and light fare, and welcome you to sit and read or talk or work--these are cafes. But of course any old restaurant can call itself a cafe.

So, yes, I think "coffee shop" has gone out of use as a label for diner-type places (until now I thought this usage was limited to my mother and me), but I'm not sure that it has taken over as a descriptor of the Starbucks-type venue. I think we lack a unique term for it.

I don't know Chicago well enough yet to have seen what used to (on the East Coast) be called a coffee house.

Chicago actually had one of the legendary Bohemian (as in artist type not Hungarian) coffee house type places, decades before the era of the Beatnik coffee house (which is my association for that term; even Wichita had a Communist coffee house in the 60s and 70s, where I saw Charlie Chaplin films). The Dill Pickle Club was located near the Newberry Library and the famous "free speech zone" Bughouse Square, and the Newberry has some material related to it and describes it thusly:

Chicago social club, established in 1917, to provide an unconventional meeting-place for the uninhibited and free-thinking, including Socialists, atheists, anarchists and liberated women, lecturers and soapbox orators, artists, actors, playwrights, literary hopefuls, and a range of Bohemian types.

The Dill Pickle Club was founded by John (Jack) Jones, a former labor activist, in 1916. Called at first the Dil-Pickle, the club was chartered in 1917 as a "non-profit organization for the promotion of arts, crafts, literature and science." One of Chicago's best-known Bohemian locales, the club became a free-speech forum, frequented by labor movement radicals, drifters, rebellious academics, literary figures, prostitutes, actors, tourists and left-wing artisans of all sorts.

To find the place, both the famous and infamous were exhorted to squeeze "Thru the Hole in the Wall Down Tooker Alley to the Green Lite Over the Orange Door." 22 Tooker Place was located just south of the Newberry Library on Dearborn Street, and a sign outside read "step high stoop low leave your dignity outside." Those who entered would find a variety of fare - lectures or debates on controversial topics, perhaps a play, even a dance or a swinging party, supplemented by coffee, tea, sandwiches, and bootleg whiskey. The atmosphere of the club was an enjoyable mix of the radical, the rough, the erudite, the creative and sometimes the inane. And there was always plenty of stimulating talk.

The "Pickle" was frequented by such literary figures as Carl Sandburg, Edgar Lee Masters, Maxwell Bodenheim, Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur, Sherwood Anderson and Floyd Dell and many others. Besides the tough owner, Jack Jones, another mainstay of the club was Ben Reitman, lover of Emma Goldman. Noted Chicago doctors, professors and other local intellectuals were among the assorted lecturers, for throughout the twenties, Jack Jones and the Dill Pickle Club played host to all sorts of people.

As the depression progressed, the Dill Pickle's fortunes declined, and in 1932 tax difficulties caused its demise.

Here's a picture at the Encyclopedia of Chicago:

http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory. ... /3580.html

Thanks, Mike G. I love the motto:

"Step High, Stoop Low, Leave Your Dignity Outside."

Mike, not to nitpick, but Bohemians aren't from Hungary, are they? Prague, right?

I'm sure it was all part of the Austro-Hungarian empire at that time, didn't seem quite worth a Google search to determine more precisely at the moment I was writing...

debo wrote:I'm glad you brought this up, riddlemay. I think about this a lot, but my husband (who's from LA), doesn't get me. Yes, when I was growing up in NYC, a coffee shop was what Chicago calls a Greek diner. For example, the Cambridge House on E Ohio, or Petro's on the corner of Randolph and LaSalle, or the ubiquitous Marquette Inns...So, yes, I think "coffee shop" has gone out of use as a label for diner-type places (until now I thought this usage was limited to my mother and me)...

I propose we create a movement to restore the name "coffee shop" to its one and only proper meaning--i.e., to describe The Melrose, Mitchell's, Cambridge House, Petro's, et. al. There have to be others like us out there, people who would be committed to such an important cause. We can do it!

riddlemay wrote:I propose we create a movement to restore the name "coffee shop" to its one and only proper meaning--i.e., to describe The Melrose, Mitchell's, Cambridge House, Petro's, et. al. There have to be others like us out there, people who would be committed to such an important cause. We can do it!

We should drive to the rally in my horseless carriage, post-haste! I'll need to fill up with petroleum distillate, however. And I think my tires need to be re-vulcanized. Perhaps we should take the Spruce Goose, instead.