Illinois, U.S.A.
28 places reviewed in U.S.A.
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Sip of Hope
The world's first coffee shop with proceeds funding mental health education, a Logan Square collaboration between Hope For The Day and Dark Matter Coffee.
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Printer's Row Coffee Co.
Despite the name, this cafe is in Lincoln Park — small-batch single-origin roasting by a couple from Ohio, with pastries and free wifi.
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CityGrounds Coffee Bar
Easy to miss on a residential Lincoln Park street, CityGrounds is a long-standing neighborhood favorite serving Metropolis coffee and pastries.
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Department of Coffee and Social Affairs
The London chain's first Chicago outpost, in Lakeview, serving proper flat whites alongside food, gluten-free pastries, tea and free wifi.
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Maison Marcel
A French newcomer among Lakeview's many cafes, Maison Marcel serves coffee, tea, pastries and food with plugs, outdoor seats and free wifi.
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Caffe Streets
Caffe Streets on Division Street in Wicker Park, a specialty cafe known for quirky signature drinks, with pastries, outdoor seats and free wifi.
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Delicious Café
A North Center cafe with gluten-free and vegan options, local art on the walls, outdoor seating and free wifi — built for a long working session.
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Two Hearted Queen
An adorable Lakeview cafe sitting midway between the Red and Brown lines, open late, with coffee, tea, food, outdoor seating and free wifi.
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Emerald City Coffee House
A living room with black walls: piano, fireplace, couches and board games, open late in Buena Park with local art and free wifi.
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Groundswell Coffee Roasters
A Lincoln Square micro-roaster founded by a former Starbucks manager, sourcing beans worldwide, with food, tea, outdoor seats and free wifi.
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Buzz Killer Espresso
A calm alternative to Wicker Park's crowded cafes, Buzz Killer serves espresso, tea and pastries with outdoor seats and time-limited wifi.
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La Colombe
La Colombe in Andersonville, where any roast can be pulled to order — a coffee-first cafe with free wifi.
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La Farine Bakery & Café
A discreet Avondale storefront hiding a French bakery and cafe, pouring bottomless Bridgeport Coffee alongside pastries, food, tea and free wifi.
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Graham's 318 Coffeehouse
Graham's 318 in Geneva, Illinois — coffee, food and gelato under a sign about worry being a misuse of imagination, with live music and local art.
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The Atrium Café at The Little Traveler
An indoor atrium cafe inside The Little Traveler in Geneva, Illinois, serving afternoon tea, lunch and gluten-free options during shop hours.
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The Doughnut Vault
Metropolis coffee for a dollar alongside the doughnuts at Chicago's River North Doughnut Vault, with a few seats outside.
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Winter Garden at the Harold Washington Library
A soaring reading room at the top of Chicago's Harold Washington Library — a third place that is a library rather than a cafe, with free wifi.
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Asado Coffee Roasters
A Loop mainstay that turns up on Best Coffee lists across Chicago, Asado roasts its own beans, runs cupping classes, and keeps a few seats outside.
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Hero Coffee Bar
Hero Coffee Bar in the Loop, known for its lavender latte, with coffee, tea, food, outdoor seating and free wifi near Printer's Row.
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Osmium Coffee Bar
Dark Matter coffee poured in Lakeview, with bottomless cups, tea, outdoor seating and free wifi at Osmium Coffee Bar.
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Dollop – Loop location
The Loop branch of Dollop, an eleven-year-old Chicago independent, with coffee, tea, food, local art and free wifi.
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The Perfect Cup
An unassuming corner cafe at Damen and Leland in Ravenswood, with two large rooms, local art, outdoor seating and time-limited wifi.
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La Catrina
La Catrina on 18th Street in Pilsen, lively with murals and Mexican folk art, serving food and tea with free wifi.
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Eva's Cafe
Eva's Cafe in Old Town feels less like a coffee shop than a grandmother's front room, with home cooking, tea and free wifi.
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The Northman – Cider Pub & Bistro
A cider pub rather than a coffee house: dozens of ciders on the menu and a full bistro kitchen, in Chicago's Ravenswood.
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Beermiscuous – A Craft Beer Cafe
A craft beer cafe rather than a coffee house: Beermiscuous pairs a long bottle list with sofas, a private room and free wifi in Chicago's Lakeview.
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Floriole Café and Bakery
A bright Lincoln Park cafe and bakery serving lunch and European-style pastries in sleek, airy surroundings, with free wifi.
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NextDoor
Not a typical coffee house: State Farm's NextDoor in Lincoln Park offers free seminars, meeting rooms, plugs and late hours at no charge.