Highest-rated cafes in the Chicago 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?
compiled a list of the highest-rated cafes in the Chicago area based on diners' reviews on as of February 2025. Cafes with at least 20 reviews tagged as "coffee" on Yelp within a 10-kilometer radius of Chicago 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!
#30. La Colombe Coffee
- Rating: 4.5/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4 East Elm St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#29. The Coffee & Tea Exchange
- Rating: 4.6/5 (362 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3311 North Broadway Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries, Herbs & Spices
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#28. Ritual Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.6/5 (193 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1821 West Irving Park Road Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#27. Printer's Row Coffee
- Rating: 4.6/5 (124 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2482 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee Roasteries, Coffee & Tea
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#26. Spinning J Bakery and Soda Fountain
- Rating: 4.6/5 (489 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1000 North California Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Bakeries, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#25. Standing Passengers
- Rating: 4.6/5 (144 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1458 West Chicago Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Art Galleries
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#24. Perkolator
- Rating: 4.6/5 (294 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 6032 West Irving Park Road Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Cafes, Coffee & Tea, Coffee Roasteries
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#23. Stix n Brix Pizza + Cafe
- Rating: 4.6/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 218 West 33rd St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Pizza, Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea
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#22. Tilly Bagel Shop
- Rating: 4.6/5 (154 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 34 East Balbo Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bagels, Sandwiches
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#21. Elevate Coffee - Boystown
- Rating: 4.6/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3344 North Halsted St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#20. Mulata Kitchen
- Rating: 4.6/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 136 North Oak Park Ave. Oak Park, Illinois
- Categories: Brazilian, Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#19. Katherine Anne Confections
- Rating: 4.7/5 (354 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2745 West Armitage Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Chocolatiers & Shops, Coffee & Tea, Cafes
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#18. Doppio Coffee House
- Rating: 4.7/5 (127 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3054 North Greenview Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches
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#17. The Avondale Coffee Club by Reprise Roasters
- Rating: 4.7/5 (101 reviews)
- Address: 3185 North Elston Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#16. Oliang
- Rating: 4.7/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2428 North Ashland Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Thai, Soup
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#15. The Stockyard Coffeehouse
- Rating: 4.7/5 (103 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 558 West 37th St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#14. Backlot Coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (145 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3982 North Avondale Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Donuts, Cafes
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#13. City News Cafe
- Rating: 4.7/5 (108 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4018 North Cicero Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#12. Emerald City Coffee
- Rating: 4.7/5 (130 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1224 West Wilson Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#11. Two Hearted Queen
- Rating: 4.7/5 (339 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 1201 West Roscoe St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#10. Coffee Lab & Roasters
- Rating: 4.7/5 (105 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2823 North Lincoln Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Bakeries
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#9. Complimentary Caf茅
- Rating: 4.7/5 (182 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4933 Oakton St. Skokie, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Cheese Shops, Desserts
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#8. Sundrip
- Rating: 4.8/5 (121 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 210 North Carpenter St. Ste 140 Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Vegan, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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#7. Somethin' Sweet Donuts
- Rating: 4.8/5 (106 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 4456 North Kedzie Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Donuts, Coffee & Tea
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#6. 11 Degrees North
- Rating: 4.8/5 (330 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 824 West Belmont Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea, Sandwiches, Venezuelan
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#5. Ludlow Charlingtons Coffee Shop
- Rating: 4.8/5 (117 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 2425 North Clark St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#4. The Crepe Shop
- Rating: 4.8/5 (581 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2934 North Broadway St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Creperies, Coffee & Tea, Breakfast & Brunch
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#3. Sip of Hope
- Rating: 4.8/5 (142 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 3039 West Fullerton Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#2. Coffee Tree & Tea Leaves
- Rating: 4.8/5 (109 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3752 North Broadway St. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Coffee & Tea
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#1. Cafe El Meson
- Rating: 4.8/5 (138 reviews)
- Price level: $
- Address: 4631 South Kedzie Ave. Chicago, Illinois
- Categories: Sandwiches, Coffee & Tea, Juice Bars & Smoothies
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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.
