Several new restaurants have set up shop at the far reaches of the Red Line. One of the newest is Rogers Park's Pillars Social Cafe. They've not just laid down a big footprint in the neighborhood, but made some big promises as well. Are they living up to these at the outset? We had to find out. more ›

Pour-overs are everywhere, from intelligentsia's enlightened cafés to your local mom-and-pop shop. But is the pour-over a better preparation than a simple drip pot? Or a French Press? Or an espresso machine? more ›

Having heard good things about the Other Brother Coffeehouse, we had to try the place out for ourselves. Though we were surpised by its petite size, we were bowled over by a "big" experience. more ›

Food Republic names Intelligentsia's Doug Zell #1 in Coffee Power Rankings. more ›

Tony Mantuano's new casual Italian restaurant opens today and is sure to be a hit. more ›

From its bold brews to its delicious baked goods and the definite "down-homeyness" of its proprietors and staff, there is nothing common about The Common Cup. more ›

A new pop-up coffeeshop, only around for six months. We love it, and you will too. more ›

As we told you last week, Chicago was recently named the America’s Most Caffeinated City... just in time for today, National Coffee Day. more ›

Frankly, we're not particularly excited about the new Mrs. Fields store on State Street. We've never actually purchased one of their cookies (though we've had many brought in to office parties) and there are enough decent coffeeshops and bakeries in this town to keep our attention. But, free cookies are free cookies! Today, until 9 PM, the new Mrs. Fields store on State Street will be giving away free cookies and free lattes. If you work in the loop, or you're taking the red line somewhere, stop in and gobble them up. more ›

Quirky. Eclectic. Homey. Many are the ways we can describe Daily Cup in Rogers Park. The beauty of an indie coffeehouse is that it can literally be whatever it aspires to be, free of cookie cutter corporate rules. Few places better exemplify this freedom of style than this one. A trip to Daily Cup is like grabbing a seat in your mother's kitchen. more ›

How's this for a diversion? Counter Culture Coffee is going underground and you are invited. On Friday, August 5, Chicago's newest coffee collective is hosting an open house to celebrate local food producers, artists, brewers and coffee crafters. Localvores and others looking to sample some of the city's up-and-comers are welcome to stop in. Coffee connoisseurs on a budget rejoice; this event is free and comes with caffeine! more ›

Remember those big cups Starbucks promised everyone? Well, the wait is over, Chicago. more ›

For a lot of people, coffee isn’t just a morning ritual, it’s a way of life. Coffee connoisseurs, proud baristas, growers, roasters, you name it - a growing portion of the population lives and breathes by the bean. Behind the scenes is a whole coffee world and culture that makes our lattes and mochas possible. It’s what makes them taste so good. With its new training center, Counter Culture Coffee is looking to open up that fascinating world to Chicago’s coffee lovers. more ›

One of the things that makes exploring independent coffee shops so much fun is the unique twists they are able to bring to what they do. From menu, to decor, to the additional treats they put on their menus, indie shops are not governed by the cookie cutter standards that make the bigger chains so homogeneous. Sure they may look like your standard coffeehouses from the outside, but you never know what is waiting for you until you step through the door. Imagine our delight then upon visiting Royal Coffee in Rogers Park for the first time to find out that we could get a tasty Ethiopian meal with our joe. more ›

In today's hustle and bustle, coffee has become less of a beverage and more of a cultural icon. For many, it is how we start and end the day. It is the libation of choice at meals, a midday pick-me-up, and even a common thread that brings us together with friends. We don’t call it “coffee culture” for nothing. Coffee shops have become much akin to temples these days, drawing the caffeinated faithful to witness the miracle that transforms beans and water into a dark-roasted cup of heaven. If in java you trust, then let us recommend a place of pilgrimage. At DarkCloud Urban Coffee Lab, it’s not just a latte, it’s an experience. more ›

There are discount cards for chef-driven restaurants and discount cards for bars - it was only a matter of time before some enterprising soul came up with a card for coffee shops. We just didn't expect it to be so awesome. Tour de Cafe combines the best parts of coffee love, support for independent business and your childhood scavenger hunts. Tour de Cafe invites you to explore Chicago's best coffee shops for the ridiculously low price of $20. more ›

If you are a coffee aficionado, then you have probably noticed that the bean scene here in Chicago seems to getting better and better. The city is becoming a hotbed for hot drinks of the caffeinated kind and virtually no neighborhood has gone untouched by the coffee craze. Local roasting companies up the ante by making bold flavors available to anyone with a good grinder and a decent coffee maker. One of Lakeview's latest coffee stops is Kickstand Espresso Bar, where the brew is about as smooth as the vibe. more ›

Time Out Chicago's dining team focuses on coffee with this week's issue. David Tamarkin and Julia Kramer ranked what they feel are the top 15 coffee houses in town and at the top of the list is our own neighborhood joint, Bridgeport Coffee Company. Tamarkin lists the points we've made about the space over the years, but saves his best praise for the single cup pour-over brew fancied by many places in town these days. Tamarkin calls it "a revelation — bright and clean and smooth." more ›

First Pepsi, now Starbucks - a new year, a new logo. Starbucks, the Seattle based coffee giant that secretly controls our lives from an underground coffee vault buried in the Cascade mountains, has reworked its logo yet again. There is no longer any mention of coffee in the logo, because who would ever expect Starbucks to be limited to just coffee? According to a statement that the CEO gave to the Seattle Weekly, this marks Starbucks' diversification - now they can sell whatever they want, which apparently they couldn't while their logo mentioned coffee. We can see the confusion: a patron walks into a Starbucks, sees a breakfast sandwich and freaks out, screaming for coffee and only coffee. Never again. more ›

A good meal out should be a full sensory experience. From the tastes to the smells, sounds, and even sights, it should be almost holistically pleasing. Many restaurants focus their efforts on creating a great tasting dish. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. In fact, it makes those rare occasions when all of your senses are engaged even more enjoyable. Cozy little Crêpes à Latte provided us with just such an experience. more ›

The holiday season is upon us, friends, and you know what that means. Parties. Lots of them. Be it Hanukkah, Christmas, or otherwise, you’re bound to find yourself in someone’s home, making small talk and avoiding the mistletoe lest that mouth-breathing creeper ogling you from across the room tries to make a move. more ›

Just in time for lazy gift-givers across Chicago, Wilco is launching its own brand of Intelligentsia coffee. (You can pre-order the "Coffee Lovers Bundle" here.) As the AV Club points out, this is just the latest in a recent trend of Wilco transcending itself as a critically acclaimed alt-country band, into a powerful marketing brand that trades in comestibles. Unfortunately, if you stop for gas on the Eastern seaboard (and Chicagoist hears they serve coffee there, as well), Jeff Tweedy won't see a single penny of your purchase at a Wilco Travel Center. (They're privately held, so it's not even in his 401(k).) more ›

Variety may be the spice of life, but as any foodie will testify, spices bring true variety. At Cafecito, the spices are as bold as the concept behind the cafe. A Cuban-inspired cafe featuring coffee, salads, and signature pressed sandwiches, Cafecito delivers on taste, variety, and ambience. For non-meat eaters, it also delivers a wonderful selection of vegetarian dishes. more ›

Perfect for Lakeview/Boystown residents needing a pick-me-up for their morning commutes, Kickstand Espresso Bar (824 W. Belmont, 773-248-6300) will be giving away free 12-ounce coffees tomorrow morning from 7:30-9 a.m. more ›

Bourbon is the fuel that turns the Chicagoist engine, but coffee is the primer. Today is National Gourmet Coffee Day and we decided to take a very (un)scientific poll of the staff to see if their favorite coffee houses have changed since the last time we paid homage to our favorite java castles. more ›

• Tonight: Head out to D.O.C. Wine Bar (2602 N. Clark, 773-883-5101) for their $25 “Millionaire’s Flight” Fridays. Every friday through January Sommelier and Wine Director Greg Sorrell hand-selects special wines that are generally offered only by the bottle to showcase.
• Saturday: La Madia's cooking class series continues with tomorrow's lesson in how to make pizza. from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., learn how to make proper artisan pizza dough and proper “stretching” techniques. Recipes include a classic margherita pizza, which includes La Madia’s signature tomato sauce, as well as a seasonal winter pizza. Both wood-burning oven firing and home-oven baking techniques will be discussed while participants enjoy perfectly paired wine selections. Guests will also receive a take-home pizza making kit so they can try the recipes. (59 W Grand, 312-329-0400)
• Saturday: the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Wine and food has set up a tour of Intelligentsia Coffee's Fulton Street roasting works from 10 a.m. - noon. Cost is $30 ($20 for AIWF members). RSVP here.

Crain's reports that Kraft is in talks to sell its Maxwell House brand coffee to Sara Lee. This is part of Kraft CEO Irene Rosenfeld's ongoing efforts to raise enough capital to increase its bid to purchase confectioner Cadbury. That bid now stands at over $16 billion. Kraft has until November 9 to raise $9 billion in financing and make a formal offer for Cadbury to the British Takeover Panel. [Crain's] more ›

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, The average commute in Chicago lasts 31.6 minutes. That's among the nation's longest and, if we're "average" in any way, usually means that coffee is necessary whether you park, lock your bike, or leave the train or bus. more ›

Early this year Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea stirred up some controversy over how they produced single-cup coffee orders. To wit: the local coffee purveyor had begun to switch how they brewed single cup coffee for patrons, abandoning the drip coffee method for a more labor and time intensive brew in the $11,000 Clover machine. That system, which was deployed in all but the Monadnock store resulted in a pricier cup of coffee and a longer wait. Fast forward seven months and Intelligentsia is again making changes in their stores. more ›

• WTF is Homaro Cantu up to now? "Disruptive food?" [Homaro Cantu's Twitter]
• Chicken McNuggets confit [Fancy Fast Food]
• Ice Cream from one single ingredient [the Kitchn]