Best Coffee Shops and Cafes in Riverside

"We like going to Stan’s when we want a lot of variety or a donut that sounds like it was created by an eight-year-old. For example, they have a caramel marshmallow, Cap’n crunch, and our personal favorite, the biscoff (a.k.a. cookie butter-filled) pocket. If you don’t feel like feeding your inner child, consider ordering something like their pretzel-glazed or the pistachio old fashioned."

"Amazing is the first word that comes to mind when describing these doughnuts (or donuts). We ordered an Apple fritter, glazed pretzel, cinnamon roll, and..."

"Find your way to this cute cafe and you’ll be forced to leave all your cravings at bay. Order their Concord grape and salty brown butter walnut tarts, honey pie, coffee cake, almond croissant, or even pecan roll, and you’ll find your senses thanking you for such a lovely reward. The cafe is well lit, and the environment is clean and chic, service too, is friendly and quick."

"This bright cafe and bakery is known for their rustic French pastries, made using fresh ingredients sourced from local, sustainable farms. Head straight to the dessert case to choose from a rotating selection of from-scratch goodies, like croissants, Basque cake, fruit galettes, and more."

"The Wormhole will take you back to the future—a model of Marty McFly’s DeLorean is literally in the shop. This ‘80s themed coffee shop has a menu full of delicious coffee options and is one of the coziest spots in Wicker Park. Order for pickup now!"

"Like a trip back in time, The Wormhole Coffee in Wicker Park serves coffee in an atmosphere filled with quintessential nostalgia pieces, complete with an almost-to-scale model of the Delorean."

"The Wormhole Coffee is one of the best-reviewed coffee shops in Chicago. It’s located in Wicker Park. The interior has this relaxed retro vibe going on."

"Located just steps away from Millennium Park in Chicago’s South Loop, Wildberry Pancakes & Café is one of the best breakfast joints in town, with a range of mouthwateringly delicious choices for breakfast, brunch, and lunch. The café’s all-encompassing menu features everything from eggs and skillets to yes, you guessed it, pancakes, and the casual eatery is always packed with crowds of locals and tourists alike waiting for a table. The menu boasts a wide range of egg dishes from omelets and scrambles to egg entrees and skillets, but it’s the signature specialty pancakes that draw the crowds, with toppings such as chocolate chip and banana, Oreo cookies, fresh berries and granola, and lemon buttercream and vanilla crème Anglaise."

"Wildberry is a favorite stop for many when visiting downtown Chicago and gets amazing reviews on both Trip Advisor and Yelp. With 2 equally awesome locations in downtown Chicago, be sure to visit Wildberry Pancakes and Cafe near Millennium Park, or when close to the John Hancock Building and 360 Chicago in Water Tower Place. Wildberry is widely known for offering huge, delicious portions of breakfast and lunch comfort food."

"Not only is the coffee amazing (their CBD lattes are quite popular) and their sandwiches scrumptious, but they have best-in-class tech support that will keep your remote work laptop running like a dream. They can fix smartphones, consoles, computers, and tablets — they can even help you set up your website!. The location is spacious and ideal at the beautiful Bridgeport Arts Center, with both indoor and outdoor seating and plenty of outlets available in “normal times.” As of my visit last week, they still hadn’t opened up the inside for work, but I know that there are plans for indoor seating to return in the near future."

"The Tempo Café is a family-friendly 24-hour diner that serves an all-day breakfast that is packed with favorites such as fluffy omelets, egg scramblers, gourmet sandwiches, fresh salads, hamburgers, and more. Established over three decades ago, the warm and welcoming neighborhood diner has been providing locals with delicious comfort food for more than 30 years and continues to do so today. Breakfasts are wholesome and hearty, with dishes such as huevos rancheros, continental chicken livers, steak & eggs, corned beef hash & eggs, eggs Florentine, poached eggs and eggs Benedict."

"Chicago’s my kinda town with bars generally open until 4 a.m. That means late night grubbing is an essential part of the going out experience – the greasier the better. Also Try: Hollywood Grill, Melrose Cafe"

"Matcha lovers now have a dedicated cafe to satisfy their cravings. Housed inside Squeez Juice Bar, Matchacita creates all kinds of hot and cold green tea beverages, including a “Purple Haze” latte (CBD, lavender, matcha, oat milk), a charcoal matcha latte, and a matcha horchata. They’re paired with brunch-y foods like waffles, toasts, and smoothie bowls."

"Sip on a variety of refreshing beverages at Chinese bubble tea chain Tsaocaa. Customers can mix their drinks with fruits or try cheese tea, a popular food trend featuring a foamy top layer of milk, cream cheese, and salt. There are also snacks like fried chicken and egg waffles on the menu."

"You may have a hard time saying their name but the bubble tea at TSAôCAA is the real deal. Bubble tea shops have popped up all over Chicago to meet the growing demand for bubble tea. TSAôCAA Tea specializes in fruit teas, mixed teas, and milk teas."

"This is one of the most popular seafood restaurants in all of Chicago. Just to give you an idea about why you absolutely have to try this restaurant at least once, it has received rave reviews. Eater Chicago calls it one of the best “hidden sports to catch great seafood,” Forbes cites it as one of the best seafood restaurants in Chicago, and CBS has called it one of the “best places for fresh fish in Chicago,” and “one of the best places for late-night eats.” With all of these high-recommendations rolling in there must be something very special about Lawrence’s."

"About 30 years ago, there were shrimp and fish shacks dotting the industrial parts of the city offering blue and white collar workers a quick oil-stained brown bag of hot fried fish chips, shrimp, clam strips, perch and a plastic container of slaw and hot sauce. It was cheap, delicious and they're almost all gone. Bringing us to Lawrence's Fish and Shrimp established more than 60 years ago on Canal Street with a parking lot full of folks gobbling hot shrimp in their car."

"This 24-hour spot has mastered the art of fried—and fresh—seafood. Founder Lawrence Schweig opened up a shrimp shop in 1950 right on the bridge crossing over Canal Street. After getting the hang of working with fishermen and exploring new recipes, Lawrence expanded both his shop and his menu."

"LakeviewWhat you’re getting: Baby Spanish octopus a la plancha with spicy red pepper coulisWith quirky touches to emulate (or mock) a fish shack, DMK’s seafood outpost dishes up ocean classics with a modern twist. From standard oyster po-boys and lobster rolls, to perfect pieces of rainbow trout and sweet, buttery shrimp, and fennel-and-chili-spiced octopus a la plancha, it serves it all wild caught. With “sea sippers” like the “Three Hour Tour,” a double-rum, guava, and lime concoction, you’ll need at least three hours of imbibing on the patio."

"A post shared by Fish Bar Chicago 🐟 (@fishbarchicago) on Sep 26, 2018 at 3:04pm PDT. As the name suggests, this casual restaurant on North Sheffield Avenue offers a wide range of fish dishes and manages to fuse the New Orleans approach of grills and gumbo to a New England aesthetic that includes lobster, crab and much more besides. A diverse menu includes Faroe Island tuna steak and steamed mussels, while the basics are also well covered - check out the spiced shrimp on a bed of grits as a snack option."

"The Fish Bar is a shack style establishment with a focus on sustainable fish and seafood menu items that are as fresh as you can get. The chef Michael Kornick is a James Beard-nominated professional with 5 of these prestigious recognitions to his credit. Menu items include both East and West coast raw oysters, Oyster Po’ boys, Maine Lobster rolls, gumbo, Octopus a la plancha, and a variety of craft beers and sea sippers."

"If you’re looking for a fun night with kids in tow, head for Oyster Bah. Their oyster happy hour features half-priced oysters for adults, while kids (12 and under) eat free. The kids’ menu contains good stuff, too, including New England clam chowder, fish and chips and, for the pickier kids, handmade chicken tenders and white-cheddar mac and cheese."

"Oyster Bah brings high-quality seafood to the heart of Lincoln Park and locals here just love it. This casual eatery feels just like a quaint New England Seafood Shack thanks to th..."

"The food is great, but the atmosphere is really chill and casual. Definitely not a stuffy seafood restaurant at all. For instance, start by splitting some oysters and garlic shrimp!"

"Source: Photo by Flickr user Patrick Hoesly used under CC BY 2.0. Photo is only for illustrative purposes. Addison is a smaller, cosy mall (fewer than 30 stores), located in the Avondale neighbourhood."

"A gorgeous brick warehouse with garage doors that open in the summertime, Spiteful Brewing is anything but. In fact, they’re more likely benevolent to their loyal customers, producing a delicious, new beer every season. Communal seating rounds out the welcoming atmosphere that comes with a visit to Spiteful Brewing."

"A southside brewery that edges so far down, it’s hardly considered urban territory, Open Outcry is an unexpected oasis in this part of the city, encouraging you to quench your thirst in their garage-style taproom. Featuring a flight inspired by the colors of the original Rainbow Cone—Palmer House IPA, Strawberry Imperial Stout, Orange Milkshake IPA, Pistachio Brown Ale—Open Outcry promises that you can’t go wrong with any of their signature brews. And their blissful beer garden with yellow accents is the go-to lounge for the summer!"

"High up there on the other end of the Chicago spectrum, Old Irving resides just east of Portage Park and offers plenty of beers for all kinds of hops lovers. Favorites include the Being Ernest, a Hemingway-inspired Belgian tripel made in collaboration with Forbidden Fruit, Marz, Maplewood, and Off Color, and ‘Til Death, a Pilsner worthy of wedding bells. It’s homey and delightful and a perfect hideaway spot."

"Old Irving Brewing is a craft beer brewery and kitchen located in the Old Irving Park neighborhood of Chicago. In addition to a large menu of house brews, they also feature several guest ciders and an extensive selection of bourbon and other whiskeys. Old Irving also offers beer-inspired cocktails, like the Hoplama cocktail, which uses Beezer IPA."

"The food is often very kid-friendly, and parents can kick back with a few craft beers. Old Irving is no exception. It’s bright and spacious with plenty of room for squirmy little ones."