Chicago.com
Angel Food Bakery is a slice of heaven on Montrose Avenue located on the corner of Montrose and Paulina. Everything about this place reminds me of growing up in an “easy bake era”, from the light green color scheme, walls lined with Easy Bake Ovens, and Mr. Potato Head toys for the kids. This place is a neighborhood staple to the Ravenswood area; as you walk up you are greeted with “YUM” etched in the concrete at the front door. And “yum” is the experience I had. I purchased the brisket sangwich for $9.50 that came with a carrot daikon slaw w/an Asian dressing and Matt Bonaccorso had the club sandwich.
Not your average coffee shop food, their Chef Oliver De Los Santos personally made me a bowl of his first-rate posole. The autumn menu also has Mac and Cheese, Chicken pot pie and Mediterranean Tuna. So there’s something on the food menu to please all palates. Since opening up in September 2004 they have been featured on food Network three times (recipe for Success, Sugar rush, and Unwrapped). Stephanie Samuels (Owner) is an artist and a chef who believes “a cake should not only be a work of art but also taste delicious too”. From Homemade Twinkies (airstream) and cup cakes, to extravagant custom cakes and cookies, you can gain 5 lbs walking in this joint. You can also grab fresh honey (straight from the farm) www.conservationfarm.com . Hearty eating, family atmosphere and great music made my experience very enjoyable.
Angel Food Bakery is located at 1636 W Montrose Avenue. Call them at (773)728-1512 or check out their website and order a custom cake at www.angelfoodltd.com. They are top notch and get Chicago.com’s seal of approval. Until then talk to you later Chicago!
I have visited countless coffee shops all over the world, and I can say without a doubt that Chicago is home to some of my favorite. So it’s a good thing that I live here, where I can visit these places regularly. The great thing about working for Chicago.com is that I don’t have to spend 9-5 in the office every day, so you can regularly find me working hard on your favorite Chicago website in one of many coffee shops in Chicago during any hour of the day or night.
Since I live on the north side, I am partial to coffee shops around there. And after many years of exploring pretty much every coffee shop in the area, I would like to present to you the three best coffee shops on Chicago’s North Side (in no particular order, of course).
The Menu
As the name suggests, Stella’s menu is focused around coffee and espresso. I’m into to their vanilla lattes, but I would also recommend the pumpkin spice. If you want a solid cup of coffee, this is the place to go. However, their food menu is lacking compared to other coffee shops. You can find the typical bagels (with a self serve toaster), several pastries, and paninis. Don’t come here expecting a great lunch, but do expect great drinks. Coffee refills are under a dollar, so have fun with that.
The People
The baristas here are great. Not long after I started coming here, almost every one of them had memorized my order. Since Stella is in Roger’s Park, you can find a wide array of people here. You’ll always find Loyola students here during the semester, and they’re typically quiet and involved with their work, so it’s a great place to come to be productive. There’s also more colorful customers here that keep the clientele from being too bland. Don’t be surprised to hear people next to you speaking French or Russian. You’ll get to know the regulars and the employees, and quickly feel at home.
The Atmosphere
Stella is one of those coffee shops where you feel at home. For seating, you have bar stools by the window and the counter, tables and chairs, and two dangerously comfortable couches in the back. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sat on those couches, started working, and next thing you know five hours have passed and they’re closing. With the exception of the usually wobbly tables and chairs (which they do promptly fix if you ask them), Stella’s seating is perfect.
They also have a number of board games, magazines, and children’s toys laying around, so there is something fort everyone here. They do have peak hours on weekend afternoons where it’s almost impossible to find seating. But I’ve found the people here to be willing to share tables. It may also be hard to find an outlet for your laptop during these times, so bring a fully charged battery just in case.
Wifi
Stella has free wifi. There’s been more than a couple times where it stops working momentarily, or it is not working altogether. In fact,out of the three coffee shops in this list, I have found Stella has the most problems with wifi. But the baristas are always on top of it when the Internet stops working.
The Menu
I only started visiting Coffee Chicago recently, so I haven’t explored the menu outside of the coffee. But like Stella, their menu is focused on coffee, which is pretty good. They also offer assorted bagels, pastries, fruit, soups, and ice cream, so you’ll find something here to eat if you’re hungry enough. Everything is reasonably priced, and your first coffee refill is free, so if you come here expect to drink at least two cups.
The People
I’ve noticed that almost everyone here fits into one of three categories: young people on laptops, old people reading the paper, and homeless people asking for money. I, of course, fit into the first category. I only wish the baristas would not allow the people in the third category inside. I have nothing against giving my loose change to someone who needs it more than the jar on my nightstand, but when I’m sitting down having a cup of coffee, and making an awesome new feature for Chicago.com, I don’t want bums bothering me. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
The Atmosphere
Coffee Chicago has one big advantage over the other places on this list. They have outside seating (during the warmer months, of course). I can guarantee you that you will find me sitting outside of Coffee Chicago a lot this summer. The seating inside isn’t anything too impressive. There are 32 chairs sitting around 16 tables, and that is it. No cool couches, or bar seating. The chairs are comfortable, but I would like some more diverse seating options.
Wifi
I have never had a problem with the free wifi here. They do require you to enter your email address and agree to some terms of service that I (or probably anyone for that matter) have never read. It’s fast, it’s free, and I’m using it right now. So if you need a solid Internet connection, this is a good place to come.
The Menu
Zanzibar has the best menu out of all of the coffee shops listed here. I highly recommend their sandwiches, which come with a side dish. The sandwiches are named after surrounding streets, so the locals will feel right at home here. The coffee is okay, but it comes in smaller cups than I like, so I only come here if I am planning on staying for a meal as well. The food menu rivals that of nearby restaurants in both quality and price. You can find just about anything here.
The People
You can find just a lot of different people at Zanzibar, so it’s difficult to categorize or list the kinds of people who you see here. You don’t find as many college kids as you do at Stella, and they keep the homeless folks outside, unlike at Coffee Chicago. There’s a nice mix of people. The baristas are always friendly. After going there just a few times, a couple of them greeted me every time I walked in the door.
The Atmosphere
When you first walk into Zanzibar, the booths will trick you into thinking you just walked into a restaurant. But take a walk to the west side of the coffee shop, and you will find tables and chairs, and some pretty amazing armchairs. There are also a few bar stools by the window. Although there are plenty of seats, I don’t think there is enough coffee shop style seating here. When I sit down with a cup of coffee and a laptop, I want to be at a table, not an oversized booth. But when you can find a seat on the west end, you’ll be very happy.
Wifi
Zanzibar’s free wifi has always worked for me, so I have no complaints here. They don’t make you agree to any terms of service, or anything like that. You just turn on your laptop and it works.