Highest-rated cafes in the Champaign area by diners
Highest-rated cafes in the Champaign area by diners
From the first coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire to Boston's famed 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 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, cafes regularly entertained the likes of Voltaire, Rousseau, 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 in 1773, tea became a British loyalist's drink, and coffee became a popular substitute.
Boston's London Coffee House, which had opened nearly 85 years earlier, was soon renamed the American Coffee House. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Merchants' Coffee House hosted the likes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Paul Revere.
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. 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 landmarks of our daily lives. But where's the best one to find refuge and that perfect caffeinated cup near you?
Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Champaign area based on diners' reviews on Yelp as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Champaign were included. As a result, some cafes featured may primarily serve other items besides coffee and tea. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with more than 25 locations nationally, based on the Yelp data, were not included.
Keep reading to see if your favorite cafe made the list!
#17. Caffé Bene
- Rating: 3.2/5 (82 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 South Gregory St. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Desserts, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#16. Espresso Royale - Stadium Plaza
- Rating: 3.2/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1411 South Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Caffe Paradiso
- Rating: 3.6/5 (165 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 801 South Lincoln Ave. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Espresso Royale Krannert View
- Rating: 3.7/5 (77 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1117 West Oregon St. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Cafeteria & Company
- Rating: 3.7/5 (23 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 208 West Main St. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Le Peep Restaurant
- Rating: 3.7/5 (175 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2209 South Neil St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, Coffee & Tea, American
- Read more on Yelp
#11. Kung Fu Tea
- Rating: 3.9/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 707 South 6th St. Ste 107 Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Bubble Tea, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Pekara Bakery & Bistro
- Rating: 3.9/5 (61 reviews)
- Address: 811 West Springfield Ave. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Espresso Royale -Village Green
- Rating: 3.9/5 (26 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2401 Village Green Place Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cafes
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Pandamonium Doughnuts
- Rating: 3.9/5 (55 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1105 Windsor Road Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Cracked on Green
- Rating: 4.0/5 (179 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 619 East Green St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch, Food Trucks
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Caffe Bene
- Rating: 4.0/5 (46 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 524 East Green St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#5. BrewLab Coffee
- Rating: 4.4/5 (65 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 630 South 5th St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Walnut Street Tea
- Rating: 4.5/5 (42 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 115 South Walnut St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Herbs & Spices
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Bakelab
- Rating: 4.6/5 (46 reviews)
- Address: 410 North Lincoln Ave. Urbana, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries, Desserts
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Flying Machine Avionics
- Rating: 4.6/5 (63 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 202 South 1st St. Champaign, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Industrial Donut
- Rating: 4.7/5 (51 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 501 Commerce Drive Savoy, Illinois
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Rasha Aly and Carren Jao, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 313 metros.
