Little coffee shop with a small menu (coffee, tea, kombucha, lemonade, plus some food items like slices of sweet breads, scones and bowls). There are a couple of outdoor tables and they seemed to be doing a brisk curbside business. Overall, our meal was okay. My blackberry lemonade was good; the lemon blackberry bread was tasty but the icing was unnecessary and made it very messy. My friend liked her chocolate nut protein power bowl (something like that) but to go they gave it to her in a cup which she said was awkward to eat, "like a Wendy's Frosty." She did not care for her oat milk latte and gave up on it after a few sips. I'm not sure I would rush back here; it was just a place I found between my friend's house and mine. read more

Mud and Char - Lemon blackberry bread and blackberry lemonade - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Paid $14 for a lox bagel with that had that a very small amount of salmon on it and nothing else.

A hidden gem with great options for coffee and fare. I tried the avocado toast as well as the Greek Feta Loaf. I will be back again soon. If you haven't try it you won't be disappointed. Great service and ambiance. read more

Mud and Char - Greek Feta Loaf - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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Ok. I get that inflation is insane, some products are hard to come by and some produce is in short supply but I just spent $14 on a 16 ounce cold brew and a scone! It was $9 for the cold brew with a flavor shot, and it was NOT the best I've had for lots less. I REALLY want to support small businesses, especially at this time and am willing to spend a little more but that seems a bit much. If you have no problem with those prices, you may like this place. It is cute and the people are nice but...ouch! Too much $ read more

This was a super cute local coffee shop hidden in a strip mall. We ordered 2 breakfast sandwiches and 2 iced americanos. The food was yummy and the coffee was smooth. The inside was cute, but we opted to sit outside and quite enjoyed our visit. Next time we are in the area we will stop by! read more

My sister had been raving about this place so I was excited to go! There were tons of delicious options, I ended up going for the mango tumeric kombucha they had on tap, it was really good. My sister gets the blueberry black tea and it's super refreshing! My husband got a caramel latte and a breakfast sandwich and he really enjoyed it too. I'll be back next time I'm in town! read more

Mud and Char - Blueberry black tea and mango tumeric kombucha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

This place was ok. The coffee was not my favourite. The options for breakfast were ok too, nothing special.

Located in an unassuming strip mall, Mud and Char is sure to delight. Their menu is mighty, drinks delicious and their loafs....divine. The employees are quite friendly and the cafe atmosphere is clean and dreamy. I visited during June, Pride month, and was thrilled to see their support in both their menu items and decor. read more

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Another awesome cafe to stop by near Lisle/Naperville area. It's right off 355 and conveniently located to grab your morning coffee before/after the commute to work (closes at 2pm). They do have online ordering, so you could order ahead, drop by, pick it up, and on your way. Before heading there, I saw online the roasted latte that caught my attention. The latte looked to me like roasted marshmallows on top, which was interesting and I wanted to try it. However, when I went in and asked the barista, they said they don't have it anymore, so I stuck with my usual caffe latte. It's pretty good latte for the price at $4.50/20oz. It's a deal compared to other coffee chains. (and better tasting too) Ordered an argon cold brew that's on tap. To me, it didn't taste too different from other nitro cold brews I had. Did a little research on what argon cold brew is and the difference between nitro and regular cold brew. Nitro is incorporating nitrogen in a keg of coffee that results in a smoother, richer and foamier cold brew than regular. Using argon is a similar concept to nitro except argon is an inert gas and more expensive, which is why it's $8/16oz compared to nitro cold brew at other places. Even so, I wasn't able to taste the subtle difference. Food-wise: they have some options of loafs, pb&j overnight oats, and scones in the fridge section and also a menu for power bowls, breakfast sandwiches, wraps, and toast. When I was looking online, I saw an earl grey blueberry loaf that I was eyeing to get. However, the barista said they no longer have that flavor since it's a different baker now. Opted for the lemon blueberry loaf and it was 200% sweet. Goes well with the coffee and I'm not sure if I wanted the loaf to be that sweet. Also, ordered the berry good power bowl that comes with chia seeds and granola on top. It was pretty delicious and a generous portion. Overall, this was a nice little cafe, had 3 small tables for those who prefer to get work/studying done at cafes. Interior design was simplistic. Customer service was excellent- the barista was super patient when I couldn't decide. Definitely would go back for that latte given the price and convenience. read more

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Pretty good, small location. Only 3 tables. I got a hazelnut frappe. It was good but there was no whipped cream! On their website they have a picture of a frappe with whipped cream that looks so tasty! I felt kind of let down when I got it. read more

The bagels taste like grocery store bought I was so disappointed- if you want fresh bagels go elsewhere

Popped in after work on a whim.. best latte I have had in awhile.. although they were close to closing, staff was friendly and accommodating, and didn't rush me. Looking forward to another visit read more

This place is super cute and I was extremely impressed with the staff and service. The lady behind the counter was very sweet and helped explain what they had as it was my first time. After I ordered, I got my food in 5 minutes and it was the best breakfast bagel I've ever had! Iced latte was also amazing! Starbucks who?! read more

Mud and Char - Iced Carmel latte with oatmilk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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This place is so cute and a hidden Gem! Literally stumbled upon it after an appointment at Good Sam. The coffee was amazing!!! Best Cafe Au lait I have had! Next time I will splurge on the amazing looking scones & breads & of course coffee! The tea looks great also! read more

Really enjoyed the coffee. Was able to order online and quickly pickup. Well priced coffee. Inside is small but cozy

Great little find on our travels to Naperville. Great selection of loose-leave tea- adorably packaged for gift giving. I got a coconut milk latte- delish! My husband got an equally tasty frappe. They also have a great selection of fresh baked goods- made by the owner. Cute decor and fantastic customer service rounded out our visit. I'm also leaving with three tins of tea and a bag of coffee. read more

Mud and Char - the inside of a coffee shop - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Small but incredibly good! Great coffee, great food, cosy. We'll definitely be coming back!

You know when you've had a place saved in your bookmarks for EVER? And finally you either 1) are finally in the area to try it 2) REMEMBER it exists and to actually go to it when you're in the area. That was me today going to Mud and Char, so I was super excited. My friend told me great things too. A treat myself kind of morning! My immediate first impression was that the location was surprising but also loved it because there was plenty of parking. It was also clearly busy as I was the 3rd person in line and while I was waiting it doubled behind me. So clearly, they are quite popular especially on a Saturday. My first choice was to try their pumpkin pie cold brew, but unfortunately they were out of the syrup. What can you do, ish happens. I decide the do the iced pumpkin spice latte instead (with oat + another espresso shot) and also got the power greens smoothie bowl. ($20 tab) I was told the wait would be 15 min but it was more like 10, sweet! I get back to my car to try everything and immediately I'm not impressed because my iced latte was definitely room temperate and honestly, not much pumpkin flavor. The smoothie bowl was fresh + overall good, but it would have been better with a little more honey. If you like it more tart, it was great! Maybe it was a mix of being busy on a Saturday, and trying a seasonal beverage, but I was generally disappointed with the experience after I had been wanting to try it for so long. I will say that I would definitely try it again and wouldn't steer anyone away from trying it themselves. read more

What a snuggly coffee/tea shop! The couch looked so comfortable - I'm bummed it was taken when I got there. Guess I will just have to come back :) Maybe it was the long gaze I held at the menu, but the barista welcomed me with a friendly "is this your first time here?" He gave me a quick run-down of the most popular items and provided some suggestions. I definitely appreciated that because I didn't exactly know what I wanted. I settled on the power wrap. I loved the taste of the sun-dried tomato in there. He also made sure I knew the egg whites would be served cold just incase I had a preference. I got a latte with oat milk to go with. He was also very informative of all their milk choices which was awesome to hear! My latte and wrap came out speedy fast, literally within 3 minutes. My total was $13 with a small tip so I'd say it was on par with pricing.They also had a self-serve water station which is really nice to help yourself if you plan on staying for awhile. The wifi was super easy to connect to and I enjoyed the soft tunes in the background. I'll be back Mud and Char! read more

Mud and Char - Snuggly seating - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Was in the area looking for a cute local coffee shop and Mud and Char was perfect! I went in because I saw that they had Lox bagels and my boyfriend loves them. They suggested we try it on an everything bagel, and it was such a delicious bagel, we got a second everything bagel on its own. Came out toasty and with plentiful cream cheese. Their coffee was made great (their beans are from Tugboat Coffee), and they have great additional flavors and milk alternatives (soy, almond, oat). The environment of the shop is nice too. They even have little games (Oregon Trail?!) and colored pencils to be occupied with. The staff was super helpful and nice, felt welcomed sitting in the shop. Will definitely return here when i'm the area again! read more

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The coffee was good, but was very impressed with the smoked salmon bagel! It was a delicious way to start my day. There wasn't a ton of space to sit and work but the atmosphere was great read more

Mud and Char - Iced vanilla latte with oat milk and a smoked salmon everything bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Very anemic coffee, sourdough avocado toast was soggy and the feta spinach croissant was Starbucks like. The food was packed in a brown bag without any plates. Very unpleasant meal, won't be back. read more

Very cute little coffee shop! It's smaller than I expected, but they have plenty of seating options and it's beautifully decorated inside. The employees were very friendly and able to help me choose the drink that I wanted. They also had a good selection of food and pastries to choose from, as well as a small merchandise area. I'll definitely be back to visit! read more

Mud and Char - Cinnamon loaf and a caramel caffè latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

The iced matcha I got was not the best and was pretty pricey. It tasted like the matcha powder was not sifted or just not mixed well in hot water, since I was able to feel and taste those pieces of powder. It just was not very smooth and was a but disappointing. However, the interior was clean and very cute, and the barista was kind and helpful. This is a coffeehouse though, and I have yet to try the coffee or food. I will have to come back to do so, but I would not recommend the iced matcha. read more

Mud and Char - Iced matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

The suburbs are lacking in places like this. While a bit pricy for the meals, the food is delicious. I had the lox bagel with my fiancé and I loved every bite of it. The only downside to this place is that it closes early. I'd love for this to be a place to come in in the evening and have a good work hour with a cup of coffee. I hope this place gets more traction and they can extend the hours! read more

Mud and Char - Breakfast - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Nice menu, limited service, limited hours. Nice guys behind the counter. Went there on a Sunday afternoon.

Very cute coffee shop tucked away off of Maple Ave. Good service and coffee. Interested in trying one of their salads or sandwiches on my next visit. read more

I've now been to Mud and Char twice, and the second time was much better than the first. The second time was on a chilly day so I went with a hot beverage. I got a latte and my husband got a french vanilla latte. They were both fantastic. The first time we went was in the heat of summer and we got an argon cold brew and an iced coffee, and were not impressed with either. In fact, the argon cold brew was not good at all. We have gotten nitro cold brews from other coffee shops, and have loved them, but the argon gave it an off taste and the coffee in both drinks seemed weak. What has been delicious both times are their breakfast sandwiches. I'm a big fan of the classic, which comes with egg, choice of meat, choice of cheese, tomato, lettuce and mayo (which I skip) on your choice of bread/bagel/english muffin. The sandwiches seem a bit pricy, but the drinks seem pretty on par. I'll probably head back to Mud and Char, but will definitely stick to the hot beverages. read more

We ate breakfast and had coffee on our way to the Morton Arboretum at a place called Mud and Char. The cafe itself was super cute, with fun, geometric designs on the walls, comfortable seating, and stools by the window. I had a caramel latte and my wife had an iced white chocolate latte. I normally like hot coffee more than iced, but hers was better. They also offered a variety of food, like smoothie bowls, breakfast boxes, sandwiches, and pastries. I had the chocolate nut butter bowl, which was super tasty. Really the only other complaint would be the price. There were not a ton of ingredients, and the ones that were in there weren't exactly out of the ordinary. I did enjoy my meal though, and I would like to come back and try some other items. read more

Mud and Char - Chocolate nut butter bowl - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Good coffee. Space very small and was not conducive to hanging out. My breakfast was ok not great.

Any local coffee shop that makes its way to DG is A-OK in my book! Convenient location just off 355 and a few minutes from downtown Downers Grove. I visited a couple of Saturday's back and was greeted by a friendly and personable staff. I really like the "Mud and Char" concept and was impressed by their unique selection of breakfast food items. Prices are on par with Starbucks though I feel better about handing over $4 to a local shop. I'm a bit of a mocha connoisseur and was excited to see they offer 2 varieties - white & traditional chocolate. I opted for a traditional iced mocha but was truly underwhelmed by the flavor. Too sweet and lacking in overall chocolate flavor. Had I blindly tasted, I would have thought it was an iced vanilla latte with a bit of cinnamon. I do plan to give Mud and Char a couple more tries before updating my review! read more

Mud and Char - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Stopped by here on our road trip, loved our black coffee & the lattes we got! Their oat milk was house made, which not many places do. I wish we had this place near us, I'd come here all the time! read more

Mud and Char - Oat milk latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

Regular coffee, triple (why stop at double?) chocolate loaf (warmed up), greek veggie frittatta (salty). Clean decorum. Friendly service. Chocolate loaf is very balanced for being richer in taste read more

Mud and Char - Greek veggie frittata - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois

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I used to be a barista and love going to random coffee shops, so you could consider me a coffee snob of sorts. This place is great! Super cute ambiance, employees were extremely helpful and the coffee and food was very good, highly recommend! read more

I stopped by here on the way to the airport to fill up on caffeine before a flight. Coffee was definitely on the pricier side at $7 for a medium. Unfortunately, I couldn't even drink it. It was super watery, they forgot the pump of vanilla, and what espresso I could taste did not tasted burnt. Bummed because I've yet to find a Chicagoland coffee place that's decent, and now I'm still tired. read more

Great Coffee and pastry here!!! Waited in line several times to order take out. They work quickly and the wait time was worth it and not too much. Great place I'm Lisle! read more

I really like this place. They have great breakfast sandwiches and solid cups of coffee. The only thing that I'll mention is a negative is that their cold brew is rather expensive (everything else is reasonable). It's $6+ for a small cold brew. I will give it to them that it's a nitro but that is still high read more

Wonderful spot to work. Their power green smoothie bowl is a favorite of my family's. Highly recommend.

Small coffee house with lots of flavor! They serve great strong coffee. I've enjoyed a few dishes here. My favorite was the Loaded Lox. The inside is on the small side, so grab and go is probably the best option on a busy day. read more

Love ice coffee with coconut milk. Healthy food choices ,wraps are great. Lots of Avocado choices .you read more

Mud and Char - I love ice coffee with coconut milk option. Keep up the healthy food choices. Wraps are my go to. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Downers Grove, Illinois