In addition to being a place to get your caffeine fix, coffee shops have become popular places to hang out and get some work done. Especially with the weather getting nicer, coffee shops are about to become even more popular. While Chicago is a city known for its deep-dish pizza and Italian beef sandwiches, it also has its fair share of great coffee shops. While Starbucks may be among the most popular and well-known coffee shops in the country, these 8 local Chicago hotspots are giving Starbucks a run for their money.
1. Gaslight Coffee Roasters
If you close your eyes and imagine a hip little coffee joint in Chicago that is a hipster’s paradise, you’ll get Gaslight. Gaslight Coffee Roasters, located in Logan Square, has a number of different creative coffee combinations and rustic atmosphere, without the pretentious behavior that often infests places like this. In addition to great coffee, Gaslight has a pleasantly lengthy food menu. A lot of their food is locally sourced and unique. Be sure to pay them a visit at 2385 N Milwaukee Ave.
2. Osmium Coffee Bar
As soon as you walk through the doors of Osmium, you immediately sense the quaint and friendly nature of the establishment. It is unassuming and from the outside, you may not know what to expect from this place. It’s located in a quirky industrial atmosphere but features interesting décor and art, which adds to the unique vibe in the shop. The employees are knowledgeable and helpful and the coffee is flavorful. They have a wide range of choices, including cold brew on tap. Check them out at 1117 W Belmont, in Lake View.
3. Sawada Coffee
This coffee shop is a pairing between the Hogsalt Hospitality restaurant group and award-winning Japanese coffee guru Hiroshi Sawada. Sawada coffee is tucked away in a smoked meat restaurant but has garnered quite a loyal following. Sawada is full of unique and vintage décor that you won’t find anywhere else. This includes Ping-Pong tables lined with seats and a skateboard as the pour-over stand. They are famous for their attractive and delicious lattes, but also offer a wide range of other beverages and snacks. They are located at 112 North Green Street in the West Loop if you want to check them out.
4. The Wormhole
While the name might not convey images of delicious coffee, that is exactly what you are going to find at The Wormhole. This cozy little coffee shop has a variety of different creations to try, and even have developed their own coffee roasting company called Halfwit Coffee Roasters. In addition to their quality coffee and their prowess as roasters, their décor is often what keeps people coming back. Stepping into this coffee shop is like entering a time machine and heading back to the 80s. They have a ton of memorabilia from 80s movies and shows, including a life-sized Delorean! They are located at 1462 N Milwaukee Ave in Wicker Park.
5. Intelligentsia Coffee
Intelligentsia is one of the most successful shops in the city. For over 20 years, Intelligentsia has been a staple in the Chicago coffee industry and they currently operate 6 locations in the city. They are committed to not only serve quality coffee but also to make sure it is direct trade. They have traveled to countries around the world to find the best beans and meet the people who grow them. Their original and most popular location is at 3123 N. Broadway, but as mentioned, they have a number of different locations in the Windy City as well as other cities in the country.
6. Ipsento 606
After their first location became extremely busy, the crew at Ipsento decided to expand. The new location is spacious and maintains the same quality that people came to love from those at Ipsento. Whatever your caffeine cravings are, rest assured knowing they can be satisfied here. They offer a number of different latte and coffee options, with beans roasted just down the street. At night, this chic coffee shop transforms into a cocktail bar with an impressive menu of meat and cheese. It is located at 1813 N. Milwaukee Ave in Bucktown.
7. Star Lounge Coffee Bar
The folks behind Dark Matter Coffee are at it again. In addition to creating Osmium, they also created the Star Lounge Coffee Bar, which is the most popular of their shops. The atmosphere and vibe of this coffee shop closely resemble a laid back bar or pub. But instead of beer being the drink of choice, the drink is coffee. This is a great place to grab a coffee, get some work done, and just enjoy the vibe. In addition to their wide range of flavors and types of coffee, they also offer sandwiches and pastries. They are located at 2521 West Chicago Ave.
8. Sip Coffee House & Garden
From the outside, Sip just looks like any other house on the block. But once you step indoors, you will be shocked by how spacious it is. There are indoor and outdoor seating options available here and each provides a comfortable and quaint environment to study, work, have a conversation, or just relax. They had a wide variety of different drink options, and their menu is available online so you can peruse it and see if anything catches your eye. They take pride in their customer service and the fact that they are one of the oldest independent coffee shops in the city, as they have been opened for nearly 20 years. They are located at 1223 W Grand Ave in West Town if you want to pay them a visit.
Thinking about which coffee shops you could visit in New York that would give Starbucks a run for their money? Look no further! Here’s “10 Great Coffee Shops You Need To Try In NYC.”
