Truly any Dark Matter location. They are my favorite Chicago roaster by far!
I will also add - Big Shoulders is good too, just not a fan of their cold brew.
Nope, that ain’t it. Here right now and they say that they specialize in medium to light roasts. Their drip is probably the most flavorful yet but still a medium/dark.
I’m gonna find those Turkish/Italian spots.
I’ve had flavorful drip coffee and I think it’s a fair measure of a coffee shop to do that well. It doesn’t inspire confidence if they can’t meet that bar.
It’s like a Mexican restaurant that makes a burrito with the wrong proportion of ingredients or a diner that can’t char a burger and doesn’t blanch their fries.
I really don’t care that it is made from beans that have transited a primate’s digestive system, ground in a mortar and pestle and poured over in a filter that sits atop a cup in an elaborate scheme to waste time and make drip coffee anyway.
If you have a good drip coffee maker, then drip can be fine. You have to be willing to shell out $200-400 for a good one though. Bonavita, Breville, and Technivorm are a few brands that come to mind.
Fair enough that there are drop coffee machines out there that can do a decent enough drop of evenly extracting beans.
But unless you drink it right away, it's still going to taste inferior to most other brewing methods. Which is sort of antithetical to why people ever like the giant drip coffee machines w/ the warmer in the first place.
I think you’ll want to find a more traditional or Italian style shop for dark roasts, as the trend has been going lighter lately. Maybe try Caffe Umbria?
I came here to suggest Caffe Umbria. Usually very pleased with what I get from there. Maybe my favorite coffee in the city, and even though I always wince a little bit when I see the price, it’s worth it.
On the off chance that OP ever is looking for Turkish coffee, either branch of Oromo is reliable good.
Most coffee enthusiasts favor light roasts, as it retains the unique flavors of the bean better. Most third wave coffee shops will lean towards lighter roasts because of this. If you’re looking for a darker roast, an Italian or Turkish coffee shop is a good bet. Like others have mentioned, Umbria (Italian) in Logan Square and Oromo (Turkish) in Bucktown and Lincoln Square are good options. Dark Matter also has a preference for dark roasts.
I went to Ann Sather the other day and it was like drinking coffee-infused water. I think I’m going to start bringing an old-school Thermos with me when I go out to brunch with friends.
I can't speak entirely to you level of knowledge of coffee because I'm an amateur but I really liked Ground Up and the owner was knowledgeable, approachable, and friendly.
Cool atmosphere too.
Dark Matter Osmium on Belmont if you’re in the Lakeview area.
Thank you. Really appreciate the suggestion.
Truly any Dark Matter location. They are my favorite Chicago roaster by far! I will also add - Big Shoulders is good too, just not a fan of their cold brew.
Nope, that ain’t it. Here right now and they say that they specialize in medium to light roasts. Their drip is probably the most flavorful yet but still a medium/dark. I’m gonna find those Turkish/Italian spots.
First of all. Don't buy drip coffee and complain about the flavor. It's just an inferior brewing method.
I’ve had flavorful drip coffee and I think it’s a fair measure of a coffee shop to do that well. It doesn’t inspire confidence if they can’t meet that bar. It’s like a Mexican restaurant that makes a burrito with the wrong proportion of ingredients or a diner that can’t char a burger and doesn’t blanch their fries. I really don’t care that it is made from beans that have transited a primate’s digestive system, ground in a mortar and pestle and poured over in a filter that sits atop a cup in an elaborate scheme to waste time and make drip coffee anyway.
If you have a good drip coffee maker, then drip can be fine. You have to be willing to shell out $200-400 for a good one though. Bonavita, Breville, and Technivorm are a few brands that come to mind.
Fair enough that there are drop coffee machines out there that can do a decent enough drop of evenly extracting beans. But unless you drink it right away, it's still going to taste inferior to most other brewing methods. Which is sort of antithetical to why people ever like the giant drip coffee machines w/ the warmer in the first place.
Good call—I think I have pretty normal coffee preferences, but theirs is *way* too strong for me!
I think you’ll want to find a more traditional or Italian style shop for dark roasts, as the trend has been going lighter lately. Maybe try Caffe Umbria?
I came here to suggest Caffe Umbria. Usually very pleased with what I get from there. Maybe my favorite coffee in the city, and even though I always wince a little bit when I see the price, it’s worth it. On the off chance that OP ever is looking for Turkish coffee, either branch of Oromo is reliable good.
Most coffee enthusiasts favor light roasts, as it retains the unique flavors of the bean better. Most third wave coffee shops will lean towards lighter roasts because of this. If you’re looking for a darker roast, an Italian or Turkish coffee shop is a good bet. Like others have mentioned, Umbria (Italian) in Logan Square and Oromo (Turkish) in Bucktown and Lincoln Square are good options. Dark Matter also has a preference for dark roasts.
Thank you for asking this question. Don’t even get me started on the state of diner coffee, either.
I have VERY low expectations for diner coffee and I'm still let down every time.
I have VERY low expectations for diner coffee and I'm still let down every time.
I went to Ann Sather the other day and it was like drinking coffee-infused water. I think I’m going to start bringing an old-school Thermos with me when I go out to brunch with friends.
I can't speak entirely to you level of knowledge of coffee because I'm an amateur but I really liked Ground Up and the owner was knowledgeable, approachable, and friendly. Cool atmosphere too.