An Updated Version of the 'L' Coffee Map, Courtesy of Corner of the Table

By Jon Graef in Food on Apr 27, 2014 8:30PM

Last month, we made mention of the 'L' coffee map, a map of locally owned coffee places located near the stops on Chicago's elevated train.

The project, from website Corner of the Cafe, was in beta. As such, we said the Corner's 'L' coffee map had "delightfully tantalizing potential."

The Corner of the Cafe let us know that 'L' coffee map version 2.0 was ready:

Tune to http://t.co/lAiycajYu3 tomorrow morning. CTA Coffee Map 2.0 drops at 8am. @Chicagoist @GrazeMagazine @dropkickjeffy @eaterchicago

— the table (@cornerofthecafe) April 17, 2014

Ladies and gentlemen: it is with great pleasure that I finally unveil the #CTA #Coffee Map V2.0: http://t.co/TTzAd6ZcD1 #Chicago

— the table (@cornerofthecafe) April 18, 2014

Of the new map, Corner of the Cafe said this:

Making this map showed me a few things about the city that really discouraged me. First of all, Chicago’s public transit system isn’t all that great (especially when compared to the map Transit Future has envisioned); there are so many areas of the city that aren’t all that accessible by the L.

Secondly, Chicago’s south and west sides are coffee oases; there are some promising things happening in Pilsen, however, and I’m really happy to see the Latino community there embracing coffee - I’d really like to see specialty coffee (especially Mexican specialty-grade coffee) take off there.

Lastly, most of the city’s best coffees are heavily concentrated in one small area along the Blue Line; while the Red and Brown Lines have an abundance of shops from the Loop on out, the quality is not as consistent as it is in West Town/Ukraine Village/Bucktown/Wicker Park

Above all, the Corner emphasized that the map's purpose was to "focus on the local economy" and that it purposefully excluded "all major corporations and chains" such as Dunkin Donuts.

"This map is very subjective and is in every way an endorsement of the shops labeled," the Corner wrote. "While the range of quality of the shops is incredibly varied, I nonetheless encourage everybody to shop local and support small businesses."

Check out a screengrab above. Here's the map in full.