Coffee and Tea Exchange in Lakeview

I recently moved to East Lakeview, and when I am at home I tend to avoid Starbucks.  When I'm traveling on business, on the other hand, and I need strong coffee, I'm not going to spend another twenty minutes going out of my way every single day for an indie coffee shop, as much as it pains me to patronize the 'Bucks.

East Lakeview has the usual Starbucks and Caribou, but there are also some great indie options.  Intelligentsia is on Broadway between Belmont and Diversey, and the coffee there is very good, but I've taken a strong liking to Coffee and Tea Exchange. 

Not only is it only about three blocks away, but it also has the sights and smells of coffee.  And not espresso, but coffee beans.  Lots and lots of coffee beans.  There are huge barrels in the store filled with coffee, and you can lift the plastic covers and stick your nose in caffeinated goodness.

The coffee section consists of regular blends of light, mild, and dark roast coffees, including a Jamaican Blue Mt. Mavis Bank Estate that goes for $54.95 a pound.  I will not claim to be a coffee expert by any means, but I've taken a liking to the organic Galapagos Islands blend.  It's a bit pricey at $20 a pound, but this mild roast is high in caffeine and is very smooth.   Those nostalgic for flavored coffees can bring home some chocolate, hazelnut, and vanilla flavored beans. 

In business since 1975, the Coffee and Tea Exchange also roasts their own beans in a warehouse on the West Side, so when you buy them they come freshly roasted. 

There is also a huge selection of teas, coffee accessories, chocolate, and spices.  They also make coffee and espresso drinks.  The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere of the place makes buying coffee a much more pleasurable experience than the neighborhood super market.

Coffee and Tea Exchange

3311 N. Broadway

773-528-2241

Comments

[consumatron]

I lived in Lakeview/Boystown for a year and C&TE was my daily stop for a cup of coffee. I rarely make it up there anymore, but each year, I head up to Coffee & Tea exchange for holiday gifts. My father can't get enough of their Orange Coffee and there's always a smartass coffee mug or two. Glad to see you've found your neighborhood coffee shop. I only wish it were still mine.