The 5 Coolest Coffeehouses in Chicago

For all of you adventure seekers out there with a coffee obsession, Chicago offers a wide variety of quirky, tasty, cozy, award winning (the list could go on) coffeehouses. No matter what neighborhood you call home, there is a coffeehouse that can fulfill your daily caffeine craze. So grab your to-go mug and head out to experience the coffeehouses that Chicago has to offer.

Charitable Chai

Intelligentsia Coffee prides itself in not only having award winning (a couple- "One of American's 10 Best Boutique Coffees"- Forbes April '08, "A Best US Coffeebar"- Food and Wine August '08 among MANY) coffees that will please the most discriminating palate, but also giving back to the community. Intelligentsia supports programs such as the Chicago Battered Women's Network, the Lakeview Pantry, and the Christopher House, among others. Intelligentsia Coffee seems to be the perfect example of coffee with a conscious.

• Location- 3123 N. Broadway

• Phone- 312.563.0023

• Price of a pound of beans- $13-17 (5 pound bags are also available from $58-$75)

• Gift Cards- Yes

The Loyola Escape

The only way you could be a student at Loyola University and not have heard of the glorious coffeeshop Metropolis is if you've been living under a rock (or in the Info Commons). Basing their philosophy off of the idea, "Reward is finer when earned, and coffee is sweeter when challenged," Metropolis has been providing sleep deprived college students with their coffee fix since 2003.

"We get beans from all of the world and toast them here with a roaster who has been recognized for his talent which makes a very, very fresh product. We also do different latte art designs like rosettas and hearts which a lot of coffee companies don't do," said Kahle, manager of Metropolis. "Metropolis coffee is in a lot of restaurants and out organic fair trade coffee is also sold in Whole Foods. Most important though is location, location. We're right here for all you Loyola students to come!"

• Location- 1039 W. Granville Avenue

• Phone- 773.764.0400

• Pound of beans- $12.25- $18.25

• Gift Cards- Yes

Vienna Meets Chicago

At this quaint coffeehouse, Julius Meinl Cafe offers the fast Chicagoan a traditional Vienna "Kaffeehaus" experience right here in our very own backyard, just five short blocks West of Wrigley Field. With live music on Friday and Saturday nights, this is the perfect place to bring your date. what would outdo enjoying delicious coffee and espresso beverages, tasting traditional European food, and listening to music? Genießen Sie!

• Location- 3601 N. Southport Avenue

• Phone- 773.868.1876

• Pound of beans- $8.90-$35

• Latte- $3.80

• Gift Cards- No (however, offers a variety of gift baskets sets.)

Vegan Muffins and Soy Cheese

When entering Atomix, the words quirky, wired, buzzed, (and even to-furkey) can't help but pop into your head. If you're looking for a place to study, chat with a friend, or enjoy some delicious veggie-friendly cuisine, hop on the 66 bus on Chicago Avenue and be prepared for a high-octane coffeehouse experience.

• Location- 1957 W. Chicago Avenue

• Phone- 312.666.2649

• Non-caffenated- $3 Atmoix themed Photo-booth

• Best deal on the menu- "Breakfast of Champions" includes coffee, juice, toast, and choice of cereal for $5.25

Best Outdoor Seating

The Bourgeois Pig, or better known by its regulars as "The Pig" is a trendy little cafe near the DePaul campus. It offers seating on two levels and patio seating (for those sacred days when it's warm enough for outdoor seating.) With fresh, health food and friendly baristas, The Pig has good scones, biscotti, omeletts, muffins, quiche, brownies, shortbreads, and oh yeah... coffee.

"The Pig has a unique good feeling. I love working here- it has a great, feel good vibe," said Chris Green, a manager at The Pig. "The employees all work together and work hard. I love this cafe and when it's busy... we love our customers."

• Location- 738 W. Fullerton Avenue

• Phone- 773.883.5282

• Latte- $2.89

• Gift Cards- Yes

(Photo by- Amanda Anderson)

A New Future For The Ghettoplex?: Village North Movie Theatre Undergoes New Management

Village North Movie Theatre, known to many Loyola students as The Ghettoplex, has recently undergone new management. It is located at 6746 N. Sheridan Rd. and is currently under the ownership of Visionary Theatres.

So far there have been little to no changes done to the theatre, but that does not mean changes are not on their way, even if the owners do not know exactly what those changes might be just yet.

“I want to change several things, I just don’t know what they are right now,” said Don Rousso, the new owner of Visionary Theatre. “I want to get better movies more often and introduce a movie club where a patron can see a movie for free if they see eights movies, or something. They would carry a stamp card.”

No Complaints Here

Reading reviews for Visionary Theatre, you can come to the conclusions that this is the perfect place for penny-pinching college students, who still want to see first run movies for $5. (And who not want to only see a movie, but have a memorable experience.)

“I went to go see Harry Potter at the Ghettoplex and the sound kept going in and out,” said Sue Ellen Flak, a Senior at Loyola University and a regular movie-goer. “That happened another time I was there and this random person decided to make up their own words.”

Ghettoplex- A Historical Landmark?

A brief background on the Visionary Theatre- It was built in 1912 and was known as the Regent. In 1930, it was renamed The 400 and sat 725 guests. It was made into the four auditorium theatre it is today in 1990 and bought by the owners of the Village Theatre and named the Village North. Now, in 2008, it was bought and renamed by Visionary Theatres.

“One of my favorite things about this theatre is that you can’t be talking on the phone and run a credit card at the same time because they only have one phone line,” said Flak. “I was buying Batman tickets and they had to make one of their employees hang up their phone call so they could run my credit card.”

What’s In Store?

Even though no changes are facing the Visionary Theatre just yet, some upgrades can be expected in about a month. “I have to wait for the physical part,” said Rousso. “And I’m not sure yet about increasing ticket prices. I’m going to try to keep them low.”


You Decide!

Would you miss the Ghettoplex (the Visionary Theatre) if it were shut down?

(Photo by- Amanda Anderson)

Two Bars in Two Hours

If you find yourself on Chicago’s Gold Coast with a couple of hours to kill, what sounds better than bar hopping? The face of Chicago may be a big, bass-bumping club, but its heart is definitely a dive bar. Check out these two downtown dives- you won’t regret it.




Streeters

When walking down the stairs to Streeters Tavern, there’s a sign that reads “the greatest bar below earth.” It’s true. When I saw that the table stands were made out of beer kegs, I knew I had found a gem. The crowd was a good mix of people with the same kick back and relax mind set. There were people just getting off of work and pool-playing college students. The drink prices weren’t too bad for this neighborhood- $11 for two vodka tonics. With fun themed nights like Monday bowling league night and Wednesday movie and trivia night, Streeters is a must visit Chicago bar.

• Address- 50 E. Chicago Avenue

• Phone- 312-944- 5206

• Price- $ ($5.50 for one vodka tonic) has daily specials.

• Reason to visit- Foosbal, pool, and ping pong (or beer pong) tables, duck hunt, darts, and Big Buck Hunter.

Dublin Bar and Grill

First off- best spinach artichoke dip in the entire Gold Coast. The setting is very eclectic- couples sitting at candle lit tables mixed with sports fans sitting at the bar watching one of many different games. The princes are higher than Streeters, but I think they are typical for this neighborhood- spinach artichoke dip cost $9 and my Hoegaarden cost $6.50. It took about a half hour for our food to come, but once it did, it was worth the wait. One problem with Dublin’s is that there is only one bathroom stall. On a slower Wednesday night, this isn’t much of an issue, but on a busier Saturday night, the wait to use the bathroom can be 20 minutes.

• Address- 1050 North State Street

• Phone- 312-266- 6340

• Price- $$ ($6.50 for one beer. Entrees $16-$26)

• Reason to visit- Spinach artichoke dip.

(Photo by- Amanda Anderson)