5 Coffee Drinks We Love in Chicago

By Molly Durham in Food on Mar 28, 2012 8:20PM

If you're like us, nearly nothing beats the feeling of sitting in a coffee shop drinking either a super indulgent or perfectly simple coffee drink. Take the time to try some smaller coffee shops around town and you'll find that they're creating some pretty awesome drinks. Here are five we've been loving lately:

1. Peanut butter koopa troopa at Wormhole - This might sound like a sugary, sticky concoction from health-detrimenting hell, but in reality it's a well-balanced latte. Just with a hint of peanut butter. A close second here is their vanilla bean latte, but that's not nearly as fun to say when ordering in the gremlin and 80's-movie-filled surroundings.

2. Nutella latte at Topics - When Dark Cloud left Lincoln Park, we're guessing many a coffee lover shed a tear. But in its place came Topics. To matter what they do, they win in our book because of this singular drink. It's not chock full of Nutella, just enough to coat the edges of the cup in a few spots and give you that hint of flavor you know so well. (Nutella lovers should also know about the Nutty affogato at Kopi Cafe - this is #1 on our coffee-must-try list.)

3. Chai tea latte at Twisted Baker - This Old Town bakery is known for their cupcakes, tarts and cookies, but we love it equally for their caffeine, steamed milk and ability to make us cracked out from a heavenly concoction. It's got a flavor that's inherently comforting yet we don't quite know why.

4. Cappucino at La Colombe - This is a standby that never gets old. Even if you aren't usually into the cappuccino, we've never tasted foam so good. It just might make you a convert.

5. Americano at Intelligentsia - This simple drink made of espresso and water makes clear why Intelligentsia seems to rule the roost in Chicago's coffee world. Really, this coffee in any form is something to write home about. We recommend buying a bag of beans, getting it ground for french press and enjoying it at home (and you get a free small coffee when you buy a bag of beans!).