Best coffee spots (Chicago, Lincoln, Metropolis: townhouses, university, live)

[Bird4Prez]

Hey,
I was wondering if I could get some insights into some good coffee spots. Local chains or smaller chains are fine (Just don't say Starbucks or Caribou). I think my favorite spot is Metropolis on Granville.
Thanks in advance.

[JBVirtuoso]

I really like Bridgeport Coffee Company at 31st and Morgan. They roast their own beans and use the pour-over method, which I appreciate. They also have a lot of different varieties to choose from depending on whether you like lighter more acidic roasts or darker roasts. It's in a part of Bridgeport that's almost inaccessible by transit though, which is kind of annoying.

The Intelligentsia locations are all excellent. If you're interested in hanging out there, the one on Broadway in Lakeview is probably the best for that. I like the one on Jackson, but I think it's only open during business hours.

There are plenty of other good coffee places scattered around, such as Istria in Hyde Park, Ipsento in Bucktown, Filter in Wicker Park, and Robust in Woodlawn. It really depends on what you're looking for in a coffee shop. Some, like New Wave in Logan Square, have meh coffee, but are great places to hang out and do some work. Others, like the Intelligentsia on Randolph, have really excellent coffee, but it's such a zoo in there that it's really best to just get the coffee and leave.

[Bird4Prez]

Ya, I like New Wave's atmosphere. Where is Robust in Woodlawn?

[skipcromer]

The Perfect Cup on Damen

[emathias]

I like that Specialty Bakery on Canal and Monroe has an Intelligentsia location in it, staffed by Intelligentsia-trained staffers.

For sitting around, I also like Third Coast on Dearborn at Goethe, and they have more than just coffee.

[Maintainschaos]

I second Metropolis on Granville, but then I live right near there, too

[JBVirtuoso]

Originally Posted by Bird4Prez

Where is Robust in Woodlawn?

It's at the corner of 63rd and Woodlawn. It's great for South Side residents, and I go there pretty frequently. But I'm not sure if it's worth a trek from the north side. There's also literally nothing around it, so there's not much else to draw people to the area. If you're adventurous and don't mind a lengthy CTA ride, I encourage you to check it out. You can also check out the University of Chicago campus, which has literally dozens of coffee shops tucked away in various buildings.

[TBideon]

Sip Coffee in West Loop

[s, harry truman]

Bourgeois Pig at Lincoln and Fullerton.

[JacksonPanther]

I went to the Robust website. I bet they're the only coffee house in Chi with a music video filmed on site. Nice!

I remember when they were first building those townhouses on 63rd, must have been 1998 or 1999. They had a celebratory open house, at which I shook a guy's hand who in hindsight turned out to be Barack Obama.