BowTruss Coffee in Lakeview

We were devastated when our favorite coffee shop closed last year. But the promise of a new spot, complete with roasting works on site, kept us going.

Since BowTruss opened over the summer, we haven't been disappointed. The weekend barristas greet Z and I warmly every Saturday and Sunday morning. The menu is basic--lattes, cappuccinos, drip coffee and pour overs in two sizes, eight and 16 ounces. Lattes and cappuccinos are smooth and delicious; I'm always disappointed when I finish the last drop. The pour over technique, which you've also seen at Intelligentsia, highlights the unique flavors in each carefully crafted and roasted coffee blend. So far, my favorite BowTruss coffee blend is from Rwanda. It's light, citrusy and refreshing.

Although BowTruss is just down the street from Intelligentsia in Lakeview, it seems to have a following of its own. The family-style tables are always filled with Lakeview residents pouring over books, magazines or their MacBooks. BowTruss doesn't serve food, but on weekends local bakeries and sweet shops, like Glazed & Infused, take over the table near the shop's window. 

Stop by BowTruss to try a super-smooth cappuccino or to pick up a bag of beans to try at home.

Spring(time) in Winter

Spring Cafe in Lincoln Park

Trying a new brunch spot is typically a low-risk endeavor. The meal is usually inexpensive and if you can't stomach the meal, you have plenty of time throughout the day to fill up on other food. So after I saw a new brunch spot in Lincoln Park, we casually thought, "Sure. We'll give it a try."

When we stopped by Spring Cafe last weekend, we were not disappointed. (The restaurant received some poor reviews on Yelp, but I disagree.) The atmosphere is bright and cheery with plenty of flat-screen TVs on the walls to watch a game or CNN. Our servers were attentive and helpful and provided regular coffee and water refills. And the food came out quickly and piping hot. I had the Alaskan Omelet and Z had the Crazy Eggs. Portion sizes are manageable, just two eggs per egg dish, rather than what has become the customary three. 

This is also one restaurant where I don't mind drinking the coffee. Both the drip coffee and cappuccino were above average for restaurant coffee.  And did I mention that it's very affordable? One coffee, two cappuccino's, one omelet and one Crazy Eggs including tax and tip: just $32. 

Closing Time

 Just Grapes retail store

Two of my favorite brick-and-mortar retail businesses have closed over the past few weeks. Just Grapes, a lovely, personable wine shop in the West Loop moved out of its space around the end of January. I loved going into the store to check out new wines and sample a few at the tasting bar. According to an email I got from the owner, the company had difficulty negotiating its lease. The company will continue to sell wine on its website.

This past weekend I learned my favorite coffee shop had closed. Signs on the door over the past few weeks said the store had been struggling with plumbing problems. Still, I was optimistic that doors would reopen once the pipes were up and running. Noble Tree had delicious cappuccinos and some pretty tasty-looking baked goods.  Not to mention a comfortable, old-school coffee shop ambiance and friendly baristas behind the counter. I learned to recognize a cappuccino by the barista who made it.

Although I will miss Noble Tree, I was happy to learn that the Noble Tree crew has plans in the works for a new coffee roasting and education company, Bow & Truss and free-standing cafes, P.O.C. For more information about the new venture, click here. Sounds like a really cool concept. And I know of quite a few neighborhoods in the city that are deprived of quality coffee!

Caffeine buzz

My sister visited me a couple of weekends ago. She lives on the East Coast and usually travels with a husband and a two-year-old. But on this particular weekend, I had her company to myself.

We packed in a week's worth of activities into just a couple of days, including dinner at Friend's Sushi in the Gold Coast, a visit to Saigon Sisters in the French Market (yeah, I might be an addict...), a Second City show, dinner at Chilam Balam, yoga at Exhale, brunch at Meli in River North and a visit to the Christmas tree at Macy's.


To fit all of this in and to stay awake for the late show at Second City, we started the weekend with a strong caffeine buzz at the Roasting Works Tour at Intelligentsia Coffee. The tour covers the history of coffee, coffee-growing regions, the smells associated with coffee and concludes with a take-home gift--a 1/2 pound bag of freshly-roasted Intelligentsia Coffee!!

I've taken the tour once before, about a year ago. My only complaint with the tour I took with my sister is that the guide turned the roasting machinery on while he was talking. Despite his headset, we found it difficult to hear.

This tour is offered twice on the first Saturday of every month. It books up several weeks in advance, so be sure to reserve your tickets as soon as you know you can go.