Tucked away at the ground level of an apartment building is Crema. A lovely small coffee shop…read moreserving coffee, tea, and various pastries. The coffee is good. Lattes are balanced and you alter the sweetness level to your preferred, just give them a heads up. They also serve matcha and a variety of tea drinks. The seating is limited but there are tables to sit and chat, study, and for groups. The staff are friendly and overall just delightful. You can purchase their roasted beans, other teas, and infusions.

What a cute little corner coffee shop!!! Saw the coquito latte online and HAD to try Crema's…read moreversion. It was DELICIOUS. There are some tables for seating, but not a ton of space to spread out and make this a WFH coffee shop. They sell addition items beyond their cafe. Choose local!!

We enjoy grabbing sacks of whole bean coffee while traveling and after reviewing their selections…read moreonline this made our list. Two sacks stuck out the most with our palate. NIGHT SHIFT: -- online tasting/sniffing notes: full body; deep chocolate; malty notes; dark chocolate; peanut butter; caramel; toasted marshmallow -- for me I noticed this more on the nose than the mouth, and especially when I "buried my beak" in the grounds after brewing -- the taste is nutty, smooth, nothing sour or bitter to speak of, caramel and light PB with some dark choc coming through...marshmallow only on sniff I believe RATING = A COLOMBIA (house drip): -- sack to be reviewed at a later date, too many sacks in the house right now STAFF were polite and efficient. No free drip cup offered with sacks purchase. Store is small but nicely appointed. It was not too far of a walk from our hotel which was a plus.

If you want great, small-shop-quality coffee with the speed and consistency of a streamlined…read moreoperation, Big Shoulders Coffee is hard to beat. The coffee is consistently excellent high quality, well crafted, and full of flavor yet the experience feels fast and streamlined like a large coffee chain. You get that neighborhood, specialty-coffee vibe without sacrificing convenience. It's the perfect balance between specialty coffee and convenience, which is why Big Shoulders has become my go-to coffee spot when I'm in the area. Highly recommend!

The storefront looks unassuming as it is right next to the Belmont station, but Pedestrian cafe is…read moreone of the best places for working remotely with plenty of seats and outlets. The menu items are priced higher than average, but the Charlatte and sourdough cinnamon roll are amazing. The workers are all super friendly and attentive. Highly rec!

I stopped in because the rosemary grapefruit latte advertised in the window caught my eye. What…read morereally made the difference was the staff. The baristas were so genuine and warm, just a pleasure to talk to. They were passionate about the coffee and that was so exciting for me to see. The latte is delicious, btw!

Thank you to the lovely Lady at the front , she ended up changing my coffee , Highly recommend this…read moreplace !

The cardamom Rose latte was not good at all. Very bitter the the cup had about an inch without…read moredrink at the top, it wasn't filled all the way, and the foam was about an inch deep so in the end was about 2 inches at the top with no drink. I didn't taste the rose, only the cardamom, with bitter coffee. Also I ordered an extra hot and it came lukewarm. The Horchata latte was good. Ordered extra hot but that also came lukewarm. The drip coffee was very bitter and not enjoyable.

I would give Matari 4.5 out of 5 stars, so I'm rounding to 5 based on service and ambiance! I heard…read moreabout their fruit mousse cakes online, so we knew we had to stop by to check it out. The cafe is immaculate and service was very friendly. The person who took our order was patient as he explained the different pastries in the case. I wish they had signs explaining what each pastry was so I could have decided while waiting in line. We ended up sharing an iced pistachio latte (delicious and 10/10!), the pistachio cheesecake (10/10!), and the strawberry mousse cake (7/10 - a subtle sweetness, great texture, but needed more cake or crust inside as it was mostly whipped cream and the shell). The mousse cake was $12.00, which felt steep considering it was mostly whipped cream, even though it was obviously beautiful. We would definitely come back for the coffee and to try more menu items! Check this place out!

I wanted to like it. I did. But after a few visits, it's just not for me…read more The first trip, I tried the Matari Tea: Green tea, Himalayan pink salt, milk, and spices, topped with roasted pistachios. Sounds good, right? Alas, it could not have been blander. I couldn't taste any "spices" or even the hint of salt. The profile was that of very watered-down tea mixed with milk, and a ton of pistachios floating on top. Like, barely crushed pistachios. Huge pieces, covering the top of the drink, bobbed around like tiny icebergs, and even they somehow had a toned-down flavor. The drink was definitely a swing and a miss. Fast forward two weeks, and I tried Matari again. This time with a simple cortado. I sat at the table right by the door, and the espresso was pretty good. Solid body, not too bitter. It was on the pricy side ($7+), but I was ok with that. But then, I'm hanging out, sipping my coffee, and I catch a burst of perfume-like scent. I'm shocked, but whatever, I figured someone in heavy perfume walked by, no big deal. A few minutes later, wham, I'm hit in the nose with another burst of perfume. Then, I see it. A slight haze around me. So, not a heavily perfumed woman after all, but an automated air-freshener. After further inspection, I see the unit plugged in on the ground right behind my chair, which sprays up and out on a timer. That's right, an air freshener right next to a table where people consume food and beverages, shooting a mist into the air that slowly rains down onto my head and table, and into my coffee. I ended up tossing the last few sips of my cortado, as I could taste the scented whatever-it-was in my cup. I'd have gone to the counter and asked for a new one, but I was so over my visit by then, I just opted to get out. The staff aren't very friendly. Not rude, but they don't give off a welcoming aura, and I didn't feel like trying to explain the issue. Lastly, can we talk about their little "your order is up" beepers? We've all seen them. The little electronic things that blink and make a noise when your order is ready, so you can go snag it from the counter. When I think of a coffee shop, I think quiet and peaceful, or perhaps a bit louder, with bustling people and well-paired music. At Matari, it's an insane BEEP BEEP BEEP that goes off every few minutes when an order is up. I get it, you don't want to bring the food out to your customers. But does it really need to feel like an airport Chili's? It's a bummer, because Matari is beautiful inside. It's clean, it's chic, and its location is at a notable crossroads in Skokie with plenty of parking, leaving it extremely convenient. They've even got an easy-to-use website, which so many coffee shops simply do not have. There aren't a lot of coffee shops in this particular part of town, which is why I so, so very much wanted to love Matari. But subpar drinks? Air freshener spray intrusions? Frequent and obnoxious beeping? I tried. I'm sorry. I just can't.

I saw a line out the door, so I knew I had to check it out. I grabbed a hazelnut latte, and it was…read moregreat! The staff are super friendly and impressively quick, even when it's busy. I would not wait in line but it is a solid coffee.

But the barrels... they're so tempting!…read more Running right across the middle of the shop, there are barrels full of different kinds of coffee beans. It is so tempting to open them and start smelling, only the signs very nicely ask you not to. Wanting a break from dime-store coffee and tea (Folgers - no hate, it has a place), I decided to get something a little less "meh". Added bonus is that I am able to support a family business, as opposed to the Walton family and their associated shareholders. The staff at The Coffee & Tea Exchange was wonderful! They helped me select three different coffees to take home, speaking to the roasts and what makes them unique. I'd also like to award some bonus points for just the right grind of coffee for my reusable Keurig pods. My amazement does not stop at coffee, either - this also applies to teas. I went home with a few varieties of some of the more flavorful loose-leaf teas I've had! The kicker? The prices were very reasonable! True, it is not as cheap as a large can of Red or Blue coffee from the grocer's, but at the same time, not as expensive as something a corporation (maybe with a two-tailed siren??) has convinced you comes from a magical place called Seattle. Final verdict: My freshman year roommate had 4 open tubes of toothpaste because "variety is the spice of life." I have one tube of toothpaste, but coming up on a dozen different coffees and teas in my cabinet. Once I start running low, The Coffee & Tea Exchange is the first place I'll go to restock.

We had a lovely evening listening to great music in a clean, safe environment. Staff was so…read morefriendly and helpful. Loving the coffee I brought hime.

Incredible coffee! The flavor and taste is smooth yet savory and is unique in its originality…read more Can't wait for this to open! Come on city of AH.

In need of nourishment on a trip to Chicago, we stopped by Magnifico Coffee Roasters for some food…read moreand coffee. The establishment has a chill atmosphere and the owner was so incredibly friendly. Even though we were out of town, we were immediately invited to a small event they were having the next day and asked about our days in a manner that reflected genuine interest. I wish this could be my local coffee shop, you're so lucky if this is! Their unique offering was a wonderful selection of coffee and a delicious array of Colombian pastries. We ordered an empanada, a churro donut, almojabana, and the pan de bono. I'm vegetarian so I was very happy to see such a wide number of options for me! The churro donut was delicious and cinnamony - if you like sweet breakfasts, definitely get this! I really enjoyed the almojabana and the pan de bono. I liked the pan de bono so much, I even took a picture of the crumb to share with my mother, who is Colombian! Truly, I could have eaten 5 of the pan de bono because they tasted just like the homemade one's my abuela would make when she visited.

It's a bit far out of the city but if you're looking for interesting beans, Magnifico should be on…read moreyour list. I had a wonderful light roast pour over (El Paraiso). They use the Kalita pour over here and it produces a fantastic product- bright and clean while still showcasing some bold flavors. The cortado was also excellent. The servers are all very friendly and will help you pick out a coffee based on your preferences. Great sunlight from the floor-to-ceiling windows and abundance of seats, this shop would be a great place for a coffee date or to get some work done.

Amazing coffee, very pleasant people working there!…read more Don't expect a cafe lounge, as it's a walk up order and go. If you are looking for a great cup of Joe this is a must go to!

friendly service and affordable, no frills coffee at this walk-up order window. menu is simple with…read morejust 2 coffee offerings (drip and cold brew) and the price listed is the price you pay-- no added tax or tip. they brew their beans in house-- the guatemalan medium body drip tastes great!

Nice local coffee shop in Edgewater, so much better than any commercial chain with lots of unique…read moreflavors and options. Had to wait a little longer with only one person working but it was fine. The space is big and great for hanging out/studying. Thought it was funny that there was a tip jar despite being cashless...got one of the special lattes and it didn't have too much listed for nutrition/sugar levels, only had a little over half since i felt like i was consuming too much empty sugar (or maybe I wasn't--but it was awfully sweet), but that's on me for not asking. I wish I had a place like this near me.

I came here to get some work done and there are plenty of tables with outlets. The coffee and food…read moreitself is pretty expensive for the quality. I ordered the Iced Tuxedo Mocha (which was over $7.00) and there was no real coffee flavor while the chocolate tasted cheap. For food I tried the Raspberry Danish and it tasted store bought, which would have been okay if it wasn't $4.25. They also served it on a paper plate which was interesting for a cafe. They did bring it to my table and the staff was friendly when ordering. It was also nice that while she was walking by she took the empty plate later. Overall the food/drink was just okay and it was pricey for a "just okay" experience. The WiFi password is also super long: MoreThanJustCoffee1070!!!