Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Central Cafe

    4.0 (33 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 3:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Central Cafe Takeout or Delivery

    Central Cafe Photos

    CENTRAL CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Central Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Chicken sandwich
    Nancy K.

    Love this little place that's attached to a great store! I read some of the other reviews, but I have to say everyone was very nice and the food and coffee were delicious

    Karyn M.

    This is a small and charming cafe on Central Avenue. We had omelettes -- I had one with assorted mushrooms and my companion had the French one with ham/prosciutto and cheese. Light, delicious and accompanied by a green side salad. We took our drinks to go - my cappuccino was too hot to drink -- I dropped off my friend at the airport and it had finally cooled down enough to drink on the way home. I will try a crepe one of these days.

    Natalie K.

    I wasn't in the mood to cook breakfast so I went over to Central Cafe for a quick bite. The food is fine but I could make it at home which is why I'm giving it a lower rating. I am also giving it a lower rating because the service could have been better. The girl bringing out food to each table needs an attitude check and to be retrained on customer service etiquette. I liked that the ingredients are fresh but for the price, it's not worth it. I will only come here again if it is the last resort or if my meal is being paid for. It's only okay.

    Stella W.

    Cute little cafe in downtown HP! Love everything we had, and love that they have a few toys to keep the little one occupied! It's connected to a home decor store with a lot of cute stuff! So be warned.

    Mushroom and Swiss cheese  crepe with caramelized onions and a bit of salad with a sweet dressing. Fantastic!
    Ron K.

    Central Ave Cafe is a treat. Not only is it handy on Central, but the selections are creative and fun, and the food is wonderful. A real pleasant surprise is the reasonable pricing! Everyone is a pleasure to interact with and the grill staff are really talented. One favorite is the Havarti and Turkey sandwich. Today I tried Mushroom, Swiss Cheese, and Caramelized Onions. It's great. It's complete with a bit of salad (very fresh veggies) with a nice sweet dressing, very tasty. Highly recommended. The Blueberry coffee cake amazing as well.

    Amber D.

    Came here for my annual visit while in town. Still a great place to grab a bit and sit for a bit. The workers there are friendly and the food and coffee are good. The only thing is the WiFi was a little slow for me. Otherwise still a great place

    Outdoor seating area
    Irene L.

    Came here before a White Sox game and this was the cutest breakfast spot we could have chosen! The menu made it so hard to not get the entire list! Everything sounded delicious, we all decided to get a version of the Benedict. My mom, step dad and boyfriend all gave their meal 2 thumbs up! This place would be a 6/5 if I could choose. Highly recommend giving this place a try, they are dog friendly we sat around various puppies and dogs this day. It was beautiful weather to sit outside and enjoy a nice meal with the family!

    Sam S.

    Great little spot! I enjoyed the coffee, omelette, and service. Worth a stop if you're in the neighborhood.

    a table with a cup of coffee on it
    Lico J.

    A cute, bright cafe! Like the bakeries here and the coffee was decent. Got an iced latte and chocolate cheesecake loaf and had nothing to complain. Definitely a good place to get coffee if you are in downtown highland park.

    Dining area and chicken and waffles
    Nina P.

    Cute little coffee shop, the interior is super clean feeling and peaceful. I got an iced coffee with oat milk, the chicken and waffles, and the banana mini loaf. I hate to talk anything bad about a small business but... I would avoid the chicken and waffles, it was pretty bad. The chicken breading was almost soggy with no crisp or crunch what so ever. Also the banana bread wasn't great either, not very banana flavored and a little too bready. Next time I'll order different items and hopefully they'll be better!

    Adorable cafe
    Genna G.

    Adorable cafe in the heart of downtown highland park with a European feel. Ordered a delicious marshmallow filled hot chocolate and can't wait to return to try their food. They are open on Sundays which is great as the rest of the block is closed. Bright, airy, cheerful little cafe. Recommend!

    Crepe Menu

    See all

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ron K.
    5
    115
    30

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sam S.
    12
    17
    10

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy P.
    204
    3
    0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa S.
    40
    10
    33

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Holly L.
    41
    67
    159

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Amazing coffee! I haven't tried i all but today I bought a Cuba coffee with heavy cream and it was amazing!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of C W.
    0
    19
    0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Central Cafe

    You might also consider

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Coffee & Tea 402 times last month within 5 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    Bean Bar - Yogurt Bowl

    Bean Bar

    4.5(84 reviews)
    3.9 mi
    $$

    I have been excited about the addition of Bean Bar to our neighborhood in downtown Northbrook for a…read morewhile.  We finally had a chance to visit together before we went to the Art in the Park the Saturday of the Mother's Day weekend!  It totally justified all the hype! Given it was a Saturday, there was an annual art fair in the Village Green close by, and the Mother's Day weekend, we expected it to be very busy, and it was justifiable so.  There was a rather long line placing orders at the cashier, but it moved quickly.  There were many laminated menus for us to read while waiting in line.  The cashier was friendly, patient, and helpful in answering questions.  Our daughter ordered an Avocado Toast and a Berry Zen Refresher.  My husband and I found that a good idea, and each of us also ordered an Avocado Toast, although I had hoped that I got different types of dishes to photograph, lol.  Husband had a Cappuccino, and I had a large Iced Pistachio Latte (oat milk).  This simple brunch came up to $77.34 with tip, and it's worth it. All 3 Avocado Toasts were perfectly made.  All the ingredients were very fresh, although there wasn't a lot of seasoning, the taste of each ingredient worked well together to achieve a delicious dish.  I especially liked the over easy egg and the crispy edges of the warm toast.  My Iced Pistachio Latte was very good without being too sweet. Although the food and drinks were the star, the ambiance was so pleasing and relaxed that totally elevated the entire experience.  The dining room with high ceiling and chandeliers was spacious and beautiful.  There were many different types of seating for patrons -- big comfy couches, regular tables, high-tops, small booths, conference rooms with long table and chairs, small private rooms... not to mention about the large sheltered patio with many tables and seats!  As I have mentioned, we went at a busy time, there were not a lot of tables left for dining purposes, we opted for a high-top.  Even though the venue was almost filled to capacity, it still felt very airy and comfortable.  I could just chill there happily for half a day with my latte! However, there were small hiccups that fortunately did not ruin our first experience there.  My husband's and daughter's drink came out almost instantly after we sat down, but I had to chase down a staff (there's no servers except for the staff who delivered the dishes or cleaned tables) to tell him that my drink was missing.  I told him that it's supposed to be cold but with no ice.  He immediately got me a Pistachio Latte but with ice.  The cashier lady had specified no ice on when she placed the order for me, I talked to her about this and she offered to make me a new one, but I had already had a sip and didn't want to put the drink to waste, so I just kept it.  I later scooped out all the ice so that it did not dilute my drink, and it was good.  I must mention that the food came out in just 5 minutes even though the place was busy. Our high-top table wobbled when we used our knives and forks to cut the toasts, not a very big deal, but the restaurant could easily have that fixed as I am pointing it out now, It's one of the high-tops under the BB sign. This brunch kicked off a very happy Mother's Day weekend.  I was in a very good mood going to the art fair from Bean Bar.  We will definitely return to try the many other items on their menu.

    This place is excellent. I work remote and you really cannot ask for a better place to work…read moreremotely l. The coffee is incredible, all the more so the ambiance. There's a wide selection of pastries and each one is more tempting than the last. This cafe really feels like it can be something out of a daydream. There's no doubt I'll be coming back

    Photos
    Bean Bar - Interior

    Interior

    Bean Bar
    Bean Bar - Inside

    See all

    Inside

    Basu - sunny side beef

    Basu

    4.6(240 reviews)
    4.2 mi
    $$

    Love the wings and sandwiches The bowls are good but not…read morehuge servings Will absolutely eat there again

    When we went to Vietnam for a 5-day side trip back in March, 2025, we were fortunate to have tasted…read moresome very good Vietnamese food, including a Michelin-starred dinner and a Michelin Gourmand lunch. Some of my very memorable foods include every bowl of beef pho that was offered to us. The beef was tender and flavorful, the pho (rice noodles) was thin and smooth. Tonight, we were having takeout from one of our favorite eateries, Basu, again. Since the first bowl of beef pho that did not totally meet our expectations, we had been ordering chicken pho from them. Their grilled chicken has always been smooth and cooked nicely. Their sweet soy glazed chicken wings are finger-licking good. We like their ground pork egg rolls with crunchy skin as well. This time I wanted to give their beef pho another chance, and see how it would compare to those that I had in Vietnam, and hope that they have made some improvement over two and a half years. Well, it is still the same. The beef was not tender, although not too chewy, it was kind of rough. The pho was not as smooth as I would like it to be. The broth still tasted good and not too salty, though. The chicken pho and egg roll were still good. (We remove the side bag of raw bean sprouts, lime, and basil from the order, as we don't eat them). It is a still a solid 4-star. Next time I will switch back to chicken pho again. I am still glad that we have this Vietnamese eatery close by!

    Photos
    Basu - Dining area (1 occupied table not pictured).

    Dining area (1 occupied table not pictured).

    Basu - Belly classic

    Belly classic

    Basu - Sunnyside beef and veggiecado

    See all

    Sunnyside beef and veggiecado

    The Garden View Café - chicken florentine crepe

    The Garden View Café

    2.9(49 reviews)
    2.4 mi
    $$

    I forgot to take a photo of my food, but I ordered the oyster mushroom adobo tacos without the…read morecojita cheese since I am vegan. They came with guacamole, pickled red onion, cilantro, and lime, and salsas roja & verde on the side. I was surprised at how flavorful and delicious they were! I only used the salsa verde because the salsa roja looked like it might have dairy in it. The line to place an order went at a decent pace, and the food took about 15 minutes to arrive at my table. The dining area was packed the entire time I was there. The is one employee who cleans tables to make sure new customers quickly have a place to sit and eat. The staff here are cordial but not really friendly. The biggest complaint I have is that I would think a garden-view restaurant at the Chicago Botanic Garden would have a lot more vegan options. They have various vegetarian ones, but not vegan.

    Poorly run. I went there with 4 family members on a Saturday. We ordered and they gave us a buzzer…read more After waiting 40 minutes we went back to check on our food and they said "we've been calling your name!" Then why the heck were we given the buzzer if we should have waited to be called?!! They got parts of the order wrong and when we reiterated what we ordered the counter service just said "here's your receipt" and told me if I wanted what I ordered I had to go pay for it. I walked away. In the end they fulfilled the correct order but after that amount of mishandling and aggravation it wasn't even worth the wait. Eat before or after visiting the Garden, but don't bother getting a meal at this Cafe.

    Photos
    The Garden View Café - Vegan grain salad bowl from local ingredients

    Vegan grain salad bowl from local ingredients

    The Garden View Café - Potato leek soup. So yummy.

    Potato leek soup. So yummy.

    The Garden View Café - Apple and brie panini with earl grey tea

    See all

    Apple and brie panini with earl grey tea

    Central Cafe - coffee - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...