akureyri: bláa kannan

where: hafnarstræti 96, akureyri, iceland
weekend hours: sat & sun 10:00 am - 11:30 pm

this cafe, with chandeliers, eclectic decor and a selection of cakes, is a great spot for an evening coffee with it's late hours and location right on the main shopping streets.

chicago: intelligentsia (loop)

where: 53 w jackson blvd
weekend hours: sat 8:00 am-4:00 pm; sun closed
nearest L stop: jackson (blue line) or jackson (red line)

the monadnock location of intelligentsia is designed to resemble an italian espresso bar, with original tile floors and marble-topped tables and counter seating. it's often busy during the weekdays, but if you're downtown touring on a saturday it's a lovely spot to stop in for a quick rest!

reykjavik: ida zimsen

where: vesturgata 2a, grófin, 101 reykjavik, iceland
weekend hours: sat & sun 10:00 am-10:00 pm

ida zimsen is a café and bookshop near the old harbor in reykjavik. the illy coffee is strong (like all coffee in iceland), the refills are free, and the sunshine through the windows makes it a pleasant spot to stop as you plan your day in reykjavik!

kohler: the greenhouse (the american club)

where: the american club, 419 highland dr, kohler wisconsin
weekend hours: sat & sun 6:00 am - 9:00 pm

this lovely greenhouse is a wonderful spot for morning coffee or afternoon tea if you're enjoying the american club. it's especially cozy and inviting in the winter! in summer you can grab an ice cream before walking the grounds.

chicago: la colombe.

where: 955 w randolph st, chicago il
weekend hours: sat & sun 8:00 am-7:00 pm
nearest L stop: morgan (green/pink lines)

just at the end of the blocks of trendy restaurants on randolph street is la colombe. there's a giant window in the front that becomes an open space on warm days, and their iced latte is one of the best i've had. the atmosphere is comfortable, making it the perfect place to relax after lunch or wait on a reservation for hot spots like girl in the goat or au cheval.

chicago: stan's donuts (streeterville)

where: 259 e erie st, chicago il
weekend hours: sat & sun 7:00am-9:00pm
nearest L stop: grand (red line)

fun and a little funky, stan's donuts has a range of treats and intelligentsia coffee to make for a tasty sugar high any time of day. the ambiance is a little lighter and brighter, and a little less gritty-city, than shops in the wicker park area.

menu:
blueberry fritter: (x)(x)(x)(x)(  )
biscoff pocket: (x)(x)(x)(x)(  )
coffee: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
iced coffee: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )

chicago: dollop coffee & tea (streeterville)

where: 345 e ohio st, chicago il 60611
weekend hours: sat & sun 7:00am-8:00pm
nearest L stop: grand (red line)

google maps describes dollop as a "modern java bar with a wall of windows", which is certainly accurate. the windows let in a wonderful amount of light for all of the students (and bloggers, work-from-homers, etc) who park at the communal high tables and window-facing counters with their laptops and their cup of energy. while seating is sometimes difficult - northwestern law & med schools are just down the street - the coffee is always good.

menu:
dirty chai latte: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
iced coconut vanilla latte: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )

chicago: borgeois pig.

where: 736-738 w fullerton ave
weekend hours: sat 7:00am-10:00pm, sun 8:00am-10:00pm
nearest L stop: fullerton (red line)

bourgeois pig has a great outdoor space that is perfect for sipping coffee on a warm weekend. one side of the building is a restaurant, the other side is the coffee house, so if you stay long enough you can grab lunch or dinner as well. there's a little free library tucked away in a corner too, so if you're looking for new reading material you can find it here as well.

menu:
iced latte: (x)(x)(  )(  )(  )
jamaican latte: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )

chicago: sip coffeehouse.

where: 1223 w grand ave
weekend hours: sat 8:00am-7:00pm, sun 8:00am-6:00pm
nearest L stop: Grand-Blue or Chicago-Blue

the entry looks small, but once you order and walk down the hall, sip opens up to a great indoor space and a cute little patio. the patio is far enough back that the street noise is dulled, so it's great for a comfortable chat while you sip at your beverage of choice.

menu:
breve: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
coffee: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
chocolate frosted donut: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
banana bread: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )

chicago: gaslight coffee roasters.

where: 2385 n milwaukee ave, chicago il 60647
weekend hours: sat 8:00am-8:00pm, sun 9:00am-7:00pm
nearest L stop: california-o'hare (blue line)

there are two-person tables, a larger shared table and counter space to sit and enjoy your coffee, read a book or browse the web in this triangle-shaped coffee shop on the edge of milwaukee and fullerton. the large windows might be the best feature of the place, especially on a sunny day, and the space is welcoming as all good local coffee shops should be.

menu:
iced latte: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
coffee: (x)(x)(x)(x)(  )

chicago: julius meinl (streeterville)

where: 211 e ontario st, chicago, il 60611
when: sat & sun 8:00am-5:00pm
nearest L stop: grand-red (red line)

there are a few julius meinl locations in chicago. some are larger coffeehouses and some, like the one on ontario, are smaller cafes. the cafe felt fresh and welcoming, with a crisp color scheme of black, white and red accented by tiny tabletop bouquets and a striped bench. spend a minute asking the staff to explain the menu - the options read a bit differently than your usual starbucks (but taste great!). he says:

• "it was like the miel latte - it was warm, welcoming - but not too sweet."
• "it was like the cafe of a small, well to do eastern european country - modern but still comfortable."
• "it was like a modern version of a cafe you would have found in the austro-hungarian empire"
• "it was like the cafe off an upscale, eastern european hostel - i could imagine it with a crowd full of aspiring creatives."
• "it was like a mid-century, eastern european salon - with a dash of proletarianism."

menu:

london fog (early grey latte): (x)(x)(x)(x)(  )

miel latte: (x)(x)(x)(x)(  )

linzer bar: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )

chicago: elaine's coffee call.

where: 1816 n clark st, chicago, il 60614
when: sat & sun 6:30am-5:00pm
nearest L stop: sedgwick (brown line)

elaine's coffee call is attached to the lobby of hotel lincoln, just across the street from lincoln park. the walls are covered with faux-peeling wallpaper, rotary phones line the back of the coffee counter, and eclectic but comfortable seating is readily available in the cafe and adjoining lobby. if you stop in around 3, you can enjoy a coffee and then join the line for the j.parker rooftop restaurant.

menu:
latte: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
coffee: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
cinnamon crumb cake: (x)(x)(x)(  )(  )
scone: (x)(x)(  )(  )(  )

packard's in okc.

coffee at brunch, packard's in oklahoma city. try the sourdough pancakes if you go. or anything, really, because it was all delicious.

365:207

chicory coffee and coral nail polish... :)

365:28

dinner at cafe navarre...a lemon drop, french onion soup & filet mignon, with apple tart & french press coffee for dessert

french pressed.

he was my cream, and i was his coffee- and when you poured us together, it was something.
{josephine baker}