We're talking dessert this week, and what goes better with something sweet than a good cup of coffee, or maybe some tea? In Chicago, one of our favorite sources is The Coffee & Tea Exchange, a quirky little corner shop with a great selection.
Located in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, The Coffee & Tea Exchange offers a wide selection and plenty of charm. Jars of teas, herbs and spices line the walls while coffee beans are stored in large barrels in the center of the store. Each variety is identified with a handwritten label made from brightly colored paper and magazine clippings.
The company roasts its own coffee beans and says care is taken to roast each variety to its individual peak flavor. We're particularly fond of their interesting herbal teas – our current favorite is the blood orange blend made with apple bits, hibiscus, rose hip peels, citrus peels and safflower petals. It smells and tastes heavenly.
The Coffee & Tea Exchange also stocks coffee and tea accessories, storage containers and serving pieces. We found customary gourds and metal straws for drinking yerba maté, an interesting coffee grinder/storage container and sweet pieces like a tiny elephant-shaped pitcher for cream.
If you need an immediate fix, you can grab a cup of coffee or tea to go. The company also offers a nice selection of products on its website for order.
Related: What Is the Best Way To: Make Coffee at Home?
(Images: Joanna Miller)
Store History
- Founded: 1975
- Headquarters: Chicago
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Wow. As a lover of both, I can't wait to visit the shop next time I head south.
Okay so I'm a little biased because they're at the end of my block, but this *is* my coffee and tea place and my second favorite place to pick up a brewed cup. The prices can't be beat (see picture of the menu board) and I've recently gotten spices there and I was quite happy with the quality.
If we are talking dessert and tea -- how about a tea flavoured cookie?
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/dessert/recipe-earl-grey-tea-cookies-013268
It is a fantastic place. I have been getting coffee and tea there for about a year now. It is cheaper than Whole Foods and the best I have ever HAD period. Why did I wait 30 years to go in and get a few pounds of coffee? I have no idea! A coffee place surviving one block from Starbucks and Caribou, and staying in business since 1975. This place is amazing.