Specialty coffee in Chicago, IL.
Few places in the Americas can match the depth of specialty coffee in Chicago, IL. The Roasters community has logged 139 cafés and roasters here, enough to plan a week of coffee without repeating a counter.
Where Chicago, IL sits on the map
Across the Americas, Chicago, IL ranks #6 of 1,217 cities on Roasters and holds 2% of every specialty café listed in the region.
On the podium in the USA: Chicago, IL is #3 with 139 cafés, about 2.9 times smaller than New York, NY at the top. One step up the national table is Los Angeles, CA (272 cafés); one step down, San Francisco, CA (125 cafés).
Only 22 cities anywhere list more specialty coffee on Roasters than Chicago, IL.
The scene is big enough for themed guides: 9 of them cover Chicago, IL, from espresso to where to work on a laptop.
Finding the best coffee in Chicago, IL
Good specialty coffee in Chicago, IL tends to come from small, owner-run places: a short menu, beans roasted within the last few weeks, and someone behind the bar who can tell you where they were grown. The community has found 139 such spots so far.
What to look for: a short menu, light-roasted single-origin beans, a proper grinder behind the bar, and staff who can explain the origin and process of what you're drinking. If a café in Chicago, IL ticks those boxes, it belongs on Roasters.
- Single-origin or light-roasted blends
- Origin and process on the bag
- A grinder dialled in daily
- Pour-over and espresso both on the menu
Find every specialty café
in Chicago, IL.
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About specialty coffee in Chicago, IL
How big is the specialty coffee scene in Chicago, IL?
There are 139 cafés and roasters in Chicago, IL on Roasters, which ranks the city #3 in the USA and #23 worldwide.
How does Chicago, IL compare with other cities in the USA?
Chicago, IL ranks #3 of 931 cities on Roasters in the USA. The median city there lists 1 café; Chicago, IL lists 139.
What other cities in the Americas are comparable to Chicago, IL for coffee?
Looking only at the number of specialty cafés listed, Vancouver (Canada), Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico) and Buenos Aires (Argentina) are the nearest peers to Chicago, IL in the region.
Are there themed coffee guides for Chicago, IL?
Yes, 9. Roasters publishes themed guides for cities with at least 30 specialty cafés (plus curated surf, cycling and running cities), and Chicago, IL qualifies.
I run a café. How do I manage my listing?
Claim it in the app. Verified owners and staff can update hours, photos and menus, answer reviews, and post events or job openings.
Can I add a café in Chicago, IL to Roasters?
Yes. Anyone can submit a café or roaster. Submissions are reviewed before going live to keep the listings in Chicago, IL focused on specialty coffee.
What makes a café “specialty”?
Traceable, high-grade beans (80+ on the SCA scale), careful roasting and precise brewing. A specialty café can usually tell you the origin, variety and process of every coffee it serves.
