Highest-rated cafes in Chicago, according to Yelp
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's London Coffee House, cafes have always been an egalitarian place to gather, sip, and share ideas, many of which have changed the world.
During the Enlightenment, cafes would regularly entertain the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Isaac Newton. Later, Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre would spend hours in cafes, pondering their works and holding court alongside other intellectuals.
Needless to say, coffee and cafes beget some revolutionary ideas; sipping a cup may even be a political act. When settlers dumped tea into the Boston Harbor to send a message to the British empire, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute. Unsurprisingly, Boston's London Coffee House opened in 1689, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Later on in Philadelphia, Merchant Coffee House, also known as the City Tavern, would host the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere, as well as witness an early reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Many other coffee shops steeped in history abound in the United States, including New York City's Caffe Reggio. Founded in 1927, it was the first to serve cappuccino in the country, as well as one of the first to use a La Pavoni espresso machine. New Orleans' Cafe du Monde, founded in 1862, is a fixture in the French Quarter for its coffee and beignets.
Whether it's for a cup of Joe, a heady conversation, or simply a place to start the day, cafes have become part of our personal landmarks, so where have others gone to find their refuge or perhaps their perfect dose of caffeine? Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in Chicago using data from Yelp. Rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Keep reading to see if your favorite spot made the list.
#30. FROTH
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 1515 W Monroe Chicago, IL 60607
- Categories: Cafes, Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Esencia Urban Kitchen
- Rating: 4.5/5 (322 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 3351 N Broadway St Chicago, IL 60657
- Categories: Cafes, Mexican, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp
#28. PiniPico Brazilian Café
- Rating: 4.5/5 (89 reviews)
- Address: 1538 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60610
- Categories: Cafes, Brazilian, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Dolci Amori Italian Pasticceria
- Rating: 4.5/5 (18 reviews)
- Address: 3025 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60657
- Categories: Cafes, Bakeries, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Foxtrot
- Rating: 4.5/5 (10 reviews)
- Address: 435 N Michigan Ave Chicago, IL 60611
- Categories: Cafes, Convenience Stores, Beer, Wine & Spirits
- Read more on Yelp
#25. Wake-n-Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (127 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 3508 N Broadway Chicago, IL 60657
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Astoria Café & Bakery
- Rating: 4.5/5 (76 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 2954 W Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60618
- Categories: Cafes, Bakeries, Modern European
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Sipping Turtle Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (58 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 2959 N Milwaukee Ave Chicago, IL 60618
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#22. Oromo Cafe Bucktown
- Rating: 4.5/5 (90 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 1912 N Western Ave Chicago, IL 60647
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Two Shades Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (45 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 1152 W Taylor St Chicago, IL 60607
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Bonus Round Game Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (79 reviews)
- Address: 3230 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60657
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#19. Junebug Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (54 reviews)
- Address: 851 N Ashland Chicago, IL 60622
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes, Cajun/Creole
- Read more on Yelp
#18. Cubaneo
- Rating: 4.5/5 (30 reviews)
- Address: 2873 N Broadway Chicago, IL 60657
- Categories: Cuban, Cafes, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Cafeteria Marcela's
- Rating: 4.5/5 (78 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 3503 W Fullerton Ave Chicago, IL 60647
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Doma Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (62 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 946 N Orleans St Chicago, IL 60610
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Atmos Coffee Shop
- Rating: 4.5/5 (36 reviews)
- Address: 2415 W North Ave Chicago, IL 60647
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Healthy and Simple
- Rating: 4.5/5 (94 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 815 N Ashland Ave Chicago, IL 60622
- Categories: Juice Bars & Smoothies, Cafes, Mexican
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Katherine Anne Confections
- Rating: 4.5/5 (330 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 2745 W Armitage Ave Chicago, IL 60647
- Categories: Chocolatiers & Shops, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Backlot Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (123 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 3982 N Avondale Ave Chicago, IL 60641
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Emeche Cakery & Cafe
- Rating: 4.5/5 (95 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 3453 S Prairie Ave Chicago, IL 60616
- Categories: Desserts, Cafes, Bakeries
- Read more on Yelp
#10. L Cafecito Jumping Bean
- Rating: 4.5/5 (61 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 2010 S Damen Ave Chicago, IL 60608
- Categories: Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Kapéj Coffee
- Rating: 5.0/5 (58 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 1447 N Sedgwick St Chicago, IL 60610
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee Roasteries
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Momentum Coffee
- Rating: 5.0/5 (52 reviews)
- Address: 2119 S State St Chicago, IL 60616
- Categories: Cafes, Shared Office Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cafe Fenix
- Rating: 5.0/5 (16 reviews)
- Address: 2959 N Pulaski Rd Chicago, IL 60641
- Categories: Cafes, Juice Bars & Smoothies, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Base Community Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (33 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 1200 W 35th St Chicago, IL 60609
- Categories: Venues & Event Spaces, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Ludlow Charlingtons Coffee Shop
- Rating: 5.0/5 (63 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 2425 N Clark St Chicago, IL 60614
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Themed Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Bolivar & Lincoln Venezuelan Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (194 reviews)
- Address: 3349 N Sheffield Ave Chicago, IL 60657
- Categories: Cafes, Venezuelan
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Blue Food Company
- Rating: 5.0/5 (76 reviews)
- Price: $$
- Address: 3290 N Elston Ave Chicago, IL 60618
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Cafes, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Stay & Play Game Cafe
- Rating: 5.0/5 (26 reviews)
- Address: 3932 W Irving Park Rd Chicago, IL 60618
- Categories: Cafes, Puerto Rican, Tabletop Games
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Café Calidá
- Rating: 5.0/5 (17 reviews)
- Price: $
- Address: 3455 W North Ave Chicago, IL 60647
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
