10 editor picks in Chicago.
10 cafe places in Chicago we have eaten in, sorted by editor score. All cuisines in Chicago | Cafe across every city.
Chicago's coffee culture grew up around a handful of roasters who pushed the city beyond the diner cup. Intelligentsia Coffee, with its Monadnock Building room in the Loop, and Metric Coffee on Fulton Street are central to that story, and Sawada Coffee on Green Street built a following on its military latte. Older institutions hold their ground too, with Lou Mitchell's on Jackson Boulevard and the Valois Cafeteria on 53rd Street serving a different idea of the morning room.
Sawada Coffee in Chicago is Hiroshi Sawada's West Loop cafe on Green Street, doored with Green Street Smoked Meats, home of the matcha-espresso-cocoa.
TipThe window counter has the best light; the back of the room is louder than it looks because it shares with the BBQ kitchen.
Intelligentsia in Chicago is the Monadnock Building flagship of the third-wave roaster (founded 1995 by Doug Zell) on Jackson Boulevard, with Black Cat.
TipOrder the Black Cat as a single-shot macchiato; it shows off the roast better than a long milk drink.
Metric Coffee in Chicago is Xavier Alexander and Darko Arandjelovic's West Town roaster-cafe on Fulton, in a former blacksmith shop, with single-origin.
TipAsk for the bar seat by the pour-over station; the baristas talk you through the cup as they brew it.
Big Shoulders Coffee in Chicago is the Noble Square cafe on Chicago Avenue with a strong cortado and a small back room of communal-table seating.
TipThe breakfast bagels from Beard Papa next door work well at this counter; carry one in and pair it with a cortado.
Dark Matter in Chicago is the Ukrainian Village roaster cafe (the Mothership) on Chicago Avenue, a heavy roaster with Unicorn espresso and rotating gallery.
TipThe cold brew on tap is the high point. Get one for the walk to the next stop on Chicago Avenue.
The Wormhole in Chicago is the Wicker Park cafe on Milwaukee Avenue with a DeLorean in the shop, pop-culture latte art and a comfortable back-room study.
TipCloses at 19:00 most nights. The back room is the working seat; the front is for picture-taking by the DeLorean.
Valois Cafeteria in Chicago is the Hyde Park cafeteria on 53rd Street since 1921, an Obama-era regular, with the See Your Food sign and a steam-table.
TipCash only. The Obama-favorite tray is scrambled eggs, two sausages, hash browns and toast for under $7.
Lou Mitchell's in Chicago is the West Loop diner on West Jackson since 1923, the historic Route 66 starting point breakfast, with Milk Duds passed out.
TipOrder the Greek omelette and an orange-cup fresh juice. Saturday queue is 45 minutes; arrive at 07:30.
La Colombe in Chicago is the West Loop branch on Randolph of the Philadelphia roaster, with the draft latte (nitrogen-infused) and a large airy front room.
TipDraft latte is the room's signature; buy the can to take home if you don't want to wait for the tap pour.
Milli by Metric is the 12,000-square-foot all-day Avondale cafe Metric Coffee opened in September 2025. Order the metric house espresso and seasonal filter.
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