Driving from Chicago to Minneapolis I made an impromptu stop at a random roaster and so glad it was…read moreTala! The shop itself is adorable with tons of natural light, brick walls, some plants, the works. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful. The baked goods looked great but I didn't get any. Music is a bit loud but that's to be expected; I was still able to get some work done with headphones. The espresso itself was fantastic. Really smooth and flavorful. Plus they do it right and serve with sparkling water and a small nib of extra dark chocolate. If I lived in the are this would 100% be my go-to working cafe and I recommend stopping in if you get the chance.

Super super good…read more Miel is better hot I think. Still good iced. Orange you glad - espresso with milk and cream and orange juice. Holy cow! So good! Cold brew with a little bourbon vanilla - nice. Chocolate muffin was alright. Blueberry donut was delicious.

When in the area, we had to make a stop by one of our local faves. We stopped by because I was in…read moreneed of matcha and absolutely love their strawberry matcha. My husband came with and saw croffles and it was a no brainer. We waited a few minutes for the croffle to come out, and it was so good. My little even devoured the strawberries, it was the perfect snack and treat for all! Can't wait to come back soon, we saw they had other flavors, and some fun new drinks.

Cute, cozy space with great drinks!! It's quite a hidden gem and I would recommend to everyone, I…read moregot a delicious matcha.

This is my first time visiting this cute coffee shop. They were very friendly. It wasn't very busy…read moreso it was nice and quiet. It was a great environment to work from or meet up with someone. They had an array of pastries ranging from vegan to sugar free. It looks like they also had sandwiches and chips. I ordered a white hot chocolate which is so yummy. I also got some of my favorite muffins from my Holcomb hollow which they sell. All in all I will surely be back.

This is a great addition to downtown HP! It's an airy, well lit, comfortable space, where you are…read morenot rushed and can sit and enjoy your coffee (or litany of pastries). My Wicked-themed coffee drink was delicious, served in an oversized mug, not overwhelming in vanilla flavor but more subtle. My friend liked her coffee as well, though I forgot what she ordered! There is a wonderful variety of food as well, including vegan and gluten free desserts. Everything here is very clean and well organized, like the table of garnishes (not sure what to call it - milk, stirrers, and such). The owner was very friendly and seemed glad to welcome everyone who dropped in.

I went in as I was super excited to see a vegan bakery. It did not disappoint. The scones and…read moremuffins are big and have fresh fruit in them. It's hard to believe they are vegan because they don't have a weird texture or taste like some vegan products have. It's definitely come a long way and this bakery is keeping up! The owner is friendly and conversational. It's more of a grab and go place but definitely recommend for a nice little treat.

I came across this bakery when I was walking to a nearby coffee shop. Lately I've been buying more…read morevegan items for my children to avoid dairy. I was surprised by how many options they had. There were pastries and cakes - all vegan. My children chose chocolate marshmallow brownies. The employees let me sample the scraps of the brownie and it was super tasty. It is much pricier than your typical pastry - the two brownies cost me $29 after tip. Libby's Corner (a vegan Jamaican catering company) was visiting and we ended jp purchasing a large Cajun plate with 5 items (also for $29).

Stopped by for a late lunch with my wife yesterday and we really enjoyed the place…read more An awesome little cafe for pastries or a light breakfast/lunch in downtown HP. I had a Caesar salad, my wife has the French onion soup and a grilled cheese and all items were solid. Also had the Chocolate chip cookies which were awesome. They have a ton of pastries that I look forward to trying down the line as well. Would definitely recommend.

I can't believe I haven't written a review for The Little French Guy yet, because it's truly one of…read moremy favorite spots to visit whenever I'm in the area. They even expanded to allow for more seating -- and honestly, it makes perfect sense because the food is that good. Everything here is amazing. Literally everything. The pastries are perfection, the French toast is unforgettable, the salads are fresh and flavorful, and the quiches are some of the best I've ever had. You can't go wrong no matter what you order. They are quick and efficient. I love this place, and I love coming back every chance I get. A must‑visit.

Consistently great coffee and service! Great baristas who know their espresso machine well.read more

Tucked away in a cute row of eclectic shops just east of the Metra station is Astra. A good sized…read morespace with plenty of room to hang with your people. The service is fast and friendly, and the product quality is surprisingly good. We have been back several times for the chai latte. I will echo another comment I saw that the tables/floors/chairs looked like they need to be kept up with in regards to cleaning, I did note that while I was waiting for my order. Glad to have them in the neighborhood!

So excited that one of my favorite coffee shops in Skokie is open closer to my neighborhood! The…read morehours aren't updated here but they are definitely open, at least on the weekdays. They're located inside the Metra Station which is the perfect little spot for commuters. I got my usual Cardamom Rose Latte which was just as great as the one in Skokie and a spinach and feta empanada. My husband enjoyed his iced americano and spicy chicken salad croissant. The barista was kind enough to toast both items and let us know that it would be a bit of a wait for it to warm up but it was totally worth it. Definitely worth popping in if you're going to take the train or even if you are just craving a really great latte!

From the owner: Community based coffee shop serving up…read moreDrinks.bites.compliments

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

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!

Friendly folks, great pastries, definitely freshly baked, shop smells like heaven. Perfect place to…read moreget food for events, parties, brunch.

Picked Tom's Pastry as my turn around point for my bike ride. It's a small shop that indeed has…read moreMexican pastries at its core but strong donuts too. I grabbed a choc/vanilla frosted yeast-raised and a choc frosted frycake. Both were top notch - yeast-raised was moist (and the frosting was fresh with give so that it didn't all fall off with one bite). The frycake - good chocolate flavor in the glaze (like the other donut) and the cake - crispy outside, but light inside. Place is small, so with the pandemic, maybe only two people inside limit - one paying and one picking out their goods. There's a bench in front of Paty's Restaurant for dining there outside if the restaurant isn't open. 5/22/20 - update: tamales are now available - chicken, pork, or peppers