Have you ever ordered a latte and felt like you were given warm milk? That's essentially what my drink tasted like. Barely any espresso and did not taste good. I saw another review that echoed the same sentiment about watered down drinks, but I chose to ignore it and try a drink from here anyway. There are some baked goods at the front but nothing was labeled, or at least it wasn't clear what everything was or how much it cost. They were also setting up for an event so I had to leave the table I was sitting at so they could use the space. Didn't really get to enjoy the space, but it's not too big inside. I feel like Filipino restaurants or coffee shops are having a moment and are seen as very trendy right now, but I don't think this shop can continue to ride that wave without a quality product. Not necessarily dissuading anyone from getting coffee here, but I definitely don't think it's quality or a place I would come back to. read more

Love this spot! It has great vibes and even better drink options. Don't forget to go next-door for some delicious snacks + masubi!

As a Filipino-American, I was super excited to hear there was a Filipino owned coffee shop near me. Your mileage may vary but I found it easy to get free street parking right off Foster. The inside is cozy, adorned with art for sale. There are a few tables near outlets, but I can see it being a bit competitive to get a good spot to sit if you're trying to do work. I got the Manila Matcha and a small coffee. The coffee was a standard drip coffee, most likely a medium light roast. It was unremarkable but by no means bad. The Manila Matcha, a mixture of Matcha and Ube was tasty though light on Ube flavor. I'm bummed that they didn't have any Filipino specific pastries when I came, since the Yelp pictures featured some really tasty looking ones. Overall, I like this neighborhood coffee shop feel and will probably come back to do remote work or hangout. read more

Side Practice Coffee - Manila Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

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I feel like lately Filipino food/influenced shops have been popping up around Chicago so I was curious to check this place out. First off, the spot itself was cozy and had some art for sale, love to see support for local business/creators. Coffee wise, the cold brew and ube latte were very underwhelming, especially for the price. It took a while to prepare these too even despite there being only one other person there. The baked goods was the redeeming factor for me. Again the pricing was steep but I feel like there was a lot of thought put into it. Can't recommend the coffee but it is a nice place to sit down catch up with someone or study with a yummy pastry. read more

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Cozy and cute coffee shop! I've been meaning to stop by but unfortunately I live far. The trip was worth it and I enjoyed my Matcha Ube coffee read more

Side Practice Coffee - Matcha ube coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

There's something different and special about this latte that I'm enjoying. It must be the espresso that they're using which is bright and fruity. I've worked in several independent coffee shops over the years so I'm not like comparing to Starbucks. It's delish and well made. They know what they're doing. Also it's cute in there. I could definitely chill there for a few hours and write or read. The mood is friendly and laid back. read more

My favorite coffee shop with a very "neighborhood" vibe. The donuts are really unexpectedly good, fried perfectly and still moist. It's a little pricey (where isn't nowadays) but this is my favorite place to study or grab drinks with a friend. The decor is cute too! Highly recommend the matcha lemonade! read more

This used to be a neighborhood favorite, but has gone downhill quickly as the proprietor launched new ventures. Barista team used to be very kind and welcoming, now it's the Gen Z stare, half completed orders, and it seems like we're a bother to be in the business. Drink prices have skyrocketed while quality has gone down. Often the barista team and their friends are taking up the seats in the business, so it's often impossible to get a seat. Would not recommend. read more

Really cozy and cute sub-grade with friendly staff. There was only one person working when we popped in on a cold Saturday afternoon though so service took a little while. I was excited to the Ube latte but wish the flavor was stronger. Turon danish was delicious! read more

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The ambiance is cozy and friendly. I had real Ube latte (with ube pieces in it not just flavoring) with their home made banana milk. Flavorful, sweet, crave-able- delicious! Thank you, Josh for recommending the banana milk. read more

Side Practice Coffee - Ube latte with banana milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

best lattes in the city, the baristas are so fashionable and sweet, I just have to compliment their music taste! I will be coming here regularly read more

Cute small spot. Came for the ube latte and the pop up by Margaritte for the ube tart. The ube tart tasted delicious, however I didn't get much ube from it. BUT IT WAS VERY YUMMY!!! The ube latte was ehhhh. No ube flavor at all, left an after taste as well. It was a nice photo though. read more

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One of the best iced coffees I've had in a long time, so smooth. I also had the Ube butter cake and it was incredible, one of the best desserts I've ever had. My mom got the Manila Matcha and it was delicious with the perfect amount of sweetness. Can't wait to come back. read more

Side Practice Coffee - Ube butter cake - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

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Lovely coffees and ambiance! It's a great cozy corner coffee shop with a lovely staff.

Love this coffee shop and only wish it was closer to home. Everything from fantastic seasonal lattes to solid coffee to curated food and related gifts, all within a cozy space with lots of seats if you want to come knot your treats in house. They do a lot of collaborations with local artists and bakers, so there's a good chance you'll find something special every time you stop by, so go often :) read more

Was visiting Chicago for a wedding and staying in a hotel in Magnificent Mile, but I was recommended this coffee shop from a friend and had to try it! I am glad I made the trip!! Had a matcha latte with a toasted coconut ube donut. The matcha latte was perfect, not too sweet, smooth matcha taste and nice creaminess. The ube donut was warm, moist, and absolutely delicious. Decor was great here too and love their mission to support local artists and creators. I will be back!! read more

Side Practice Coffee - Matcha latte with ube donut! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

My wife found this place while looking for ube desserts and their menu looked really interesting. After browsing through their website and Instagram and reading their story, we knew we had to check it out! Note: at the time of this review, the sign on the door says 4 people inside at a time BUT there's a bigger sign on the ground (that I may or may not have missed) clarifying that they're only allowing two people inside at a time. Apologies, also, to girl waiting outside who I cut in front of... I got there a little before 1pm and there weren't too many donuts left, but I was able to get one of each - red velvet, ube, ube with coconut, and ube with Fruity Pebbles. They're good but definitely on the sweeter side compared to similar donuts I've had before. My wife doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, but I do so didn't mind. They were a little dry too, though that might be because I came near the end of the day on a Sunday (these donuts are from Gurnee Donuts and only available on weekends). I'll have to go earlier next time to see if there's a difference. For drinks, I ordered a Manila Matcha Latte with less syrup for my wife and a Thin Mint Espresso for myself; both were ordered cold and with no ice. I originally wanted to try the Blue Dream but that was out of stock. I was a little disappointed in the drinks, to be honest. I was excited to get the Manila Matcha because it looks really nice in all the pictures on Yelp and Instagram and has great reviews, however mine looked nothing like those (see picture). It might be because we got it with less syrup, but my wife also said that she couldn't really taste either the ube or the matcha and that it had more of a nutty flavor (maybe from the macadamia milk?). My Thin Mint Espresso didn't have any mint flavor to it either, though if it were an espresso by itself then it would be really good. I was tempted to toss in the Andes chocolate mint that it came with for that mint flavor, but I opted to just eat it instead. Based on the other reviews I can assume this was likely a one-time event, but I'll see how it is the next time I come back. It took a while to get the drinks, but they were pretty busy and there were only two people working, one taking the orders and one making them. There was a line forming outside while I was waiting, and people were coming in to pick up online orders too. Staff was really nice and helpful with answering my questions though, and service itself was good. I couldn't give it a full 5-stars because of the drinks, but if things are better next time then I'll be sure to update my review. All in all, I'll definitely be back again! I do love the atmosphere of this place and how supportive they are of the local scene/culture by showcasing different creators' projects in-store and highlighting them on their Instagram. It looks like it would be a super chill spot to hang out in once we're able to do that again, so I'm really looking forward to that! read more

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Hubby made a special trip to Side Practice Coffee on a Sunday afternoon since we happened across it on Yelp and saw that they have ube donuts and drinks. We wanted to order online but it seemed like many of their menu items were not available (we didn't even see ube donuts as an orderable option online). The coffee shop was pretty busy when hubby arrived since there were a bunch of people picking up their online orders. I opted for the Manila Matcha (ube syrup, matcha, and macademia nut milk) while hubby got the Thin Mint (espresso, peppermint, chocolate, milk). He originally wanted to get the Blue Dream but they were out of ingredients. I don't like sweet drinks so hubby asked for them to tone it down on the ube syrup since it the syrup is already sweet. I had expected the drink to be half green and half purple like in some other reviewer's pictures but my Manila Matcha ended up almost all purple. Despite asking for less ube syrup, I couldn't even taste the matcha in my drink (or tell if there was any ube in it except for the purple coloring). It tasted fine but it wasn't what I expected. Hubby liked his Thin Mint but couldn't taste the mint in his drink either and was confused if he was supposed to drop the thin mint in his cup since there was a thin mint taped to his beverage. Now on to the donuts... There were only four donuts to choose from by the time hubby arrived (plain ube, ube with coconut, ube with Fruity Pebbles, and red velvet) and he decided to get them all. The donuts were a little hard by the time they arrived home but I'm sure they would have been better fresh. The donuts were too sweet for me which was probably attributable to the thick layer of frosting on top. I would probably pass on the donuts in the future but I would like to explore their other drink options as their menu has some fancy looking items that you wouldn't see elsewhere. read more

Side Project is my new hot spot when I'm in Chicago. It's a Filipino-owned coffee shop, so I knew I'd be a little biased BUT their menu is off the chain, so delicious. The staff are over-the-top friendly! They have been so creative with the curation of their decor (supporting local artists/bakers and even including a mini plant nursery) as well as their menu. It is so much fun to try all of their unique, tasty items. My partner and I drove 20 minutes past a hundred coffee shops twice in a row just to get our fix during our recent Chicago visit. It's just a special place. Purple is my fave color, so ube errrthang for me, please! read more

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Representation matters. Period. It is not often that I come across Filipino owned cafes/art spaces in the Ravenswood neighborhood. What a lovely surprise to see and hear about this coffee shop in my neighborhood. I had a tasty iced ube matcha latte and an ube coconut donut. Both were reasonably priced. I love the concept of this cafe--an art space, an opportunity for collaboration pop ups, and a space that inspires creativity. I will be heading back to try their coffee and definitely another donut. read more

Side Practice Coffee - Ube donut with coconut and Manila matcha latte (ube, matcha, macadamia milk) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

My friends and I stopped in for an early afternoon pick me up before the shop closed for the day and got the Ube Butter Cake and the Pandan Paradise. Although the Ube Butter Cake was on the sweeter side, we really enjoyed it! The Pandan Paradise could have used a little more pandan flavoring as the scent of matcha was slightly overpowering, but overall both drinks were delicious nonetheless. I would definitely come back for not only the drinks but the aesthetics! read more

Side Practice Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

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Obsessed with everything Ube. And this place has ube inspired drinks and donuts. The staff is friendly and helpful suggesting drinks as I was trying to decide what to order. Tried the egg sando and it was amazing! The ube donut looked dry but don't let that fool you, it's actually the opposite and super moist on the inside and delicious. The owner was there greeting everyone upon entry as he was decorating the art side of the shop. He was super nice and I'm happy this place is here. 4 people max allowed in and there was a line but waiting was worth it. I love coffee shops like this! read more

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Stumbled across this spot on instagram and after seeing ube drinks/donuts Me and my gf had to try it. Upon arriving we noticed a couple people were waiting outside. Note, as of today, there is a max of 4 persons allowed inside. After a quick 5 min wait we headed inside and ordered a Manila iced latte (matcha/ube) an ube iced chai latte, an egg salad sando and an ube donut. The egg salad sando is the popular sandwich in Japan. It's made by nine bar, so not sure if it's a regular item here. The ube donut was so good, moist and you can taste the ube. Both drinks were delicious and can't wait to come back! read more

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This is a welcoming little cafe at the corner of Damen and Foster. I had a delicious cappuccino and glazed donuts to go and share with a friend in the area. I appreciated the artwork on display. This feels like a Chicago original and destination place. The service was quick and friendly. Next time I'll sit in the comfortable cafe for inspiration. I purchased this artwork for a gift. read more

Side Practice Coffee - Artwork - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

I am so happy I discovered during a brief stay in Chicago. Very friendly baristas, delicious (and beautiful!) ube latte and donuts! It's quiet and bright enough that students come in to work, but it never felt crowded. They offer a "residency" for local artists and their crafts - such a great opportunity for up and coming artists. I wish this cafe had a site in Sacramento! read more

Side Practice Coffee - Beautiful, yummy ube latte! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

A solid little coffee shop. Stumbled across it while we were in Lincoln Square. They did a solid job at my cappuccino and the space was very relaxing. read more

Love this little coffee shop! I don't get the chance to make it to Ravenswood too much, but when I do, I make sure to stop here! The space is very cool and welcoming to all guests to relax and enjoy their coffee/snack. All employees are super friendly and helpful as well. They are great at giving recommendations. Make sure to stop here when you are in the area! read more

I was running late to an errand but the plants in the window drew me in. I went to the register to ask about the plants and the gentleman I spoke with was really friendly and positive. At the counter I noticed some purple donuts and I was like "are these ube donuts?" I had no idea what I walked into! Ended up with a cold brew and toasted coconut ube donut, so good! I echo the sentiment of another reviewer who said they looked dry -- but it's not dry at all! They are super moist. I'll have to come back again because I didn't notice the matcha/ube latte (until I read these Yelp reviews). And the egg sandwich pics look delicious too! I was in a rush so I kind of had tunnel vision. There was also another set up to the right, I'm not sure what it was but a lot of people were coming in all at once (maybe an event?). Anyway, a GREAT local neighborhood find and I can't wait to try the latte! read more

Side Practice Coffee - Toasted coconut ube donut! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

Finally had a chance to try this place and the ube latte. I really enjoyed it--the perfect combination of subtle and slightly nutty. Ube/taro is big in my family because we are Chamorro and I love finding coffee shops that offer ube treats and beverages. The ambiance of the shop was great too. A few people were working but it wasn't too quiet which made it feel more welcoming. They also have local art on display, some that I would seriously consider buying next time. Can't wait to come back! read more

Side Practice Coffee - Ube latte with oat milk - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

Nice place, the hours have improved. It's clean, friendly and welcoming. The pop-ups are nice. The coffee is good, though expensive. The service is good and the staff have great attitudes and are friendly. There's also seating, free wifi, and outlets for laptops or charging phones. The cafe and bathroom are tidy and clean and there's no shortage of toilet paper! read more

Excellent iced latte with almond mil served here. The service was really friendly and they are serving up some excellent coffee. Local art adorns the walls and the inside of this place is just a great vibe. They're maintaining COVID restrictions and I will tell you I will absolutely be returning to Side Project Coffee. read more

Wonderful new coffee shop on the north side. I had the pleasure of going this past weekend and was warmly greeted by the owner who was helping maintain the line outside and answering questions. There was a quickly moving line because they are only having one group go into the store at a time for safety. They offered coffee samples to everyone that was waiting. The little sample was delicious and I ended up buying the beans to make at home. In the store they have clothes, art, and plants from local artists and business for sale. I had an iced coffee and it was smooth and delicious and i know my iced coffees. Go check it out! read more

I travel back and forth between Chicago and NYC for work. Came upon this gem while driving into the city from my parents place. I live in two cities that are known for great coffee and... Side Project holds up! Love seeing new coffee shops that take time to do things right. Amazing coffee, good food, AND they have a showcase for local artists....I mean this place is just awesome and it's refreshing to see a new business thriving during such a crazy time (COVID-19). read more

Side Practice Coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

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I really can't say enough positive things about this spot. As soon as you walk in you just feel the good energy. Everyone working is super friendly and makes you feel welcome. The coffee and the donuts are both excellent. The seating area inside is very chill and relaxing. They were even giving out free BLM signs too. I'm so happy they moved into my neighborhood. read more

Side Practice Coffee - a living room with a couch and a coffee table - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

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Great coffee and great space to do some work! Favorite was the ube latte. Plenty of seating

I can't say enough good things about this place! Incredibly friendly staff, the drinks are so good, and they feature local vendors for cute gifts. I don't live that close, but I will definitely make a trip here at least a few times a month. read more

Side Practice Coffee - Hanging moss planters- so cute! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - North Chicago, Illinois

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We ordered 2 coffees and 3 pastries. We ate most of the pastries and had a small piece left. We then threw the small piece into the trash bin and put our plate into the left dirty dish bin (they had two bins for dirty dishes). But then a guy from the staff came over and told us we needed to throw away any leftover pastries before putting the plates into the dirty dish bin. We told him that we just did that and he said: "No, I saw your plate and you had pastries on it." and pointed to the RIGHT dirty dish bin. After we told him that we put our plate into the LEFT dirty dish bin, he just went away. Having spent $40 (Side Practice Coffee is expensive) and being good patrons by putting dishes away as we should, we were deeply disappointed by being accused of lying. We love supporting independent stores, but this will no longer be one of them. One bad apple in the staff can ruin the experience for everyone! read more

Coffee is IMO reasonably priced but I don't know if it was off today but terribly tasting today. First time there so I tried a drip coffee to go. Was hot but flat and even off putting like a chemical taste. Maybe just a one off this time, but a little concerned when other coffee options exist albeit a little further. Otherwise service was good and I like the ambiance of the place. Will try again in the future. read more

Phenomenal specialty lattes with flavors like rose and ube. Love the art gallery/ residency program too.

I finally walked into Side Practice cafe today after passing by it many times. My company and I sat on the comfy sofa doing our computer work along with a vanilla macadamia milk latte and an pistachio oatmilk latte which was definitely my fav out of the two. This cafe has a nice feel and tasty coffee, however I do wish they had paninis or warm croissant sandwiches (maybe in the near future?!). I love that this spot is right in my hood, I will definitely be back. read more

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