Caffe Umbria

It was raining and I had been up for 2 hours with no caffeine, so Caffe Umbria deserves three stars for causing an end to that crisis alone. But no, this is 5-​star coffee and service through and through. The two baristas were friendly and professional. The coffee was light but delicious. I wish I had tried some of their food but at the time, I was working at cro-​magnon response level. Seriously, I am useless without morning caffeine.

There are few things that remind me of my time in Paris and this was one of them. Stopping in. Having an espresso. Taking time after a bite to eat. Soak it in. Before heading back to work.
Nice job!

After trying Bowtruss at 2 locations, Gaslight, intelligentsia, caffe Rom, and numerous Starbucks … Caffe Umbria was the last stop on my caffeine tour and I wish it was my first. It was the perfect pull and the best I’ve had in Chicago. Also the chai latte was equally great.
This tiny café is unassuming and had a clean aesthetic. It had a small windowed showcase of baked goods. Their small by curated selection of coffee drinks was interesting and unique compared to the usual Starbucks sugary offerings. I had the chai latte one cold afternoon and I loved the strong tea flavour that was well balanced with the strong spices and smooth milk additions. It was not sugary at all… It reminds me of some of the chai I’ve had in India.
The cappuccino was incredibly well crafted and allowed me to have a nice conversation with the barista as he made it. I honestly loved this place and would make it my first coffee stop the next time I’m in Chicago

Love this sunny little shop! The lattes are smooth and balanced. The sweets are local. The coffee/​tea cups make me miss Spain. The staff are super friendly. I came wearing a baggy t-​shirt and Nike flip flops, for goodness sake. Three other customers were in full blown office attire. No judgement. Summer is finally here! Can’t wait to try the cold brew :) :)

Beautifully made coffee drinks and delicious baked goods to pair! The service is also very friendly.
Ordered a medium hot latte and a ham and cheese croissant. The latte was served in a beautiful tall glass that kept the drink insulated. The foam was creamy and silky smooth. The chocolate piece they give along with drink in orders paired wonderfully. The croissant was just perfectly flaky and savory to get my morning going.

I enjoyed this spot the first time I visited, a cold dreary Chicago winter morning. A latte and beignet later, I felt awake.
Chicago is certainly a nexus for new and established coffee and espresso shops so to see this West Coast staple plant itself in River North is exciting.
The second time I came by, I enjoyed a drink I never had which had a frothy milk poured over a chocolate hazelnut mix and a «financier» pastry. Everyone that I’ve introduced Caffe Umbria to has walked out ready to visit again. The staff is friendly and the venue itself is cozy and quaint.
Also, on a side note, it appears that places like Caffe Rom are using Umbria as a source for both coffee and espresso. Another side note, chocolates are provided (on the house) to all those that sit down for coffee.

In a city with excellent coffee roasters and shops, this one may be the best. Rich flavorful espresso, accompanied by sparkling water. It’s an experience. Some pastries available.

Wow! We love coffee and this place is OUTSTANDING!!! Get the Caffe Mocha, just the glass is amazing!!! PERFECTION!

EVENTUALLY! A coffee shop that escapes you to Rome. A warm and inviting surroundings with handcrafted mugs and plates and the VERY BEST croissants you’ll see in Chicago (as said by a guy I ‘d met there) but I tasted it and fully concurred. The culture of catching espressos with buddies is common in Italy and hopefully it’ll be here also in this coffee shop. Only one high top table as well as a couple bar stool seatings facing the windows so that you might need to crowd yourself in or request your java to go but please stop in. Additionally they provide you with a little square piece of dark chocolate by means of your order as well as the cost is a little more pricey then Starbucks but what’s Starbucks when you’ve got more of the ‘third wave’ coffee shop. Can not wait to go back again and again!

This is my new favorite local coffee house. I come here a few times a week for a café au lait and it’s perfectly done with consistently the right amount of foam. I often see people sitting near the window reading or on the computer– it’s a nice place to hang out for a bit and the coffee smells are delightful. I’m so happy to now have an option other than Starbucks around the corner and I hope this café stays around!
Venue & atmosphere ⁵⁄₅
Coffee ⁵⁄₅
Service & staff ⁵⁄₅ — everyone is so pleasant!

I was hoping for another coffee shop in this old Crumbs cupcake location. What luck. While I’m a serious regular at Glazed and Infused, I like to change up my coffee shops every so often. The employees here always seem very welcoming. I usually take my drink to go since seating is limited. I tend to go around after lunch like a lot of after-​lunch-​need-​coffee goers. But, there is free wifi. If you need to get work done and need a sit down coffee spot, this might be another option in the area. Also, check out the pastries they have. I can only comment on the hazelnut macaron and the hazelnut beignet on different occasions. I really like my sweets, and these go well with my coffee as my afternoon pick-​me ups.

Unilocal strikes again! We were looking for a place to get something hot and delicious on a temperate Chicago winter days where the high was approximately –5. This place was relatively new on the map, but they are serving up some pretty rad stuff here!
Aside from the excellent coffee and drinking chocolate, yes drinking chocolate, was the fact that the baristas were incredible conversationalist. Thomas, and a lady whose name I forget, but who apparently does stand up comedy with Second City, we’re both incredibly knowledgeable and unbelievably pleasant. We had a 15 minute conversation with the two of them basically about where we were from and what we were doing in the city. We found out that Caffe Umbria originated in Seattle and that they make some mean drinking chocolate!
The drinking chocolate was incredible and made for excellent dipping of a croissant! I had a Caffe Marocchino — Holy coffee! Great flavors, layered for asthetics and went perfect with a hazelnut beignet.
An incredible find a little off the beaten path and while the digs were small, it was a perfect place to relax and unwind!

Great place, great tasting coffee! I’d love to see this place open a bit later at night!

Visitng from DC, I stumbled upon this cute little coffee shop. It is located across the street from the Westin Hotel, which is along the North River. Umbria has coffee, lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, and hot chocolate! If you have a sweet tooth or need a little bite to eat, they have a lovely selection of pastries too. The staff is very friendly and welcoming. Thomas, the owner (I believe), offered me a sample of their «drinkable chocolate». WOW! It comes in a 6oz size for all you chocolate lovers! I absolutely recommend getting it! I’m so happy I stumbled upon Umbria on my search for coffee. Thank you for your hospitality :)

The Place:
This location has a very welcoming feel to it; nice music, beautiful pastries, and delicious cappuccino’s served with a little square of chocolate. It’s a nice change if you are tired of Starbucks, the coffee is better and service much more personal. We sat at a long bar the length of the window, on comfortable bar stools, looking out to a view of high rises. The background music and barista sounds were pleasant, and not distracting one bit. We stayed two hours and we will be back!
The Staff:
McKenzie greeted us warmly as we walked in from the rain. I had trouble deciding on a drink and after my husband ordered his cappuccino, I shrugged my shoulders and said I’d just have an Americano. I was in the mood for a specialty drink, but can’t have milk and didn’t want any sugar. But instead of just taking my order, McKenzie noticed I was not really fully satisfied with my decision and mentioned lightheartedly that it seemed I had just «settled» for the Americano. I told him the cappuccino looked great but I didn’t want milk and he suggested using the other options of milks they had on hand. I ended up with a wonderful almond milk cappuccino and it was just what I needed. After ten minutes, McKenzie asked if we were happy with our coffees, and then a bit later he brought us waters as he cleared our empty coffee cups. His customer service skills are far and above what you would expect from a local corner coffee shop.

After a work night with my fraternity brother who I hadn’t seen for years, I was in (dire) need of food and coffee, and Umbria provided both in spades. The excellent cashier helped me get the biggest croissant they had, but that wasn’t the best part. I ordered a large latte, but as she was ringing it up, she realized that a medium latte with two shots would be $ 0.69 _​cheaper_​— I happily took her advice.
I’ll definitely make a point to go here next time I’m in Chicago.

Hands down the best cappuccino in Chicago. The foam is so creamy it’s like heaven. The espresso pulls thru the foam to give that perfect mix of true coffee, thin and hot, with the richness of the creamy foam. This is not coffee-​colored milk. This is as it should be.
Get a macaroon too. Trust me.
The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the seating. They have six bistro tables in the foyer of the office building they are adjacent to. It’s cute, but not that coffeehouse feel. If it had more seats… I’d probably never leave.

This is a new small coffee shop in River North. So far, I have ordered an espresso macchiato and an americano and they have been really, really good. The price premium on the nearby Starbucks is worth it, in my opinion.
The owners and employees of the café really try to get to know you, and try to remember your name which is a really nice touch, especially for the River North area which is usually about as impersonal as it gets.
Also, if you elect to drink the coffee in-​house you are given a dark chocolate to bite on as you sip your coffee. Such a cool touch!
I find myself wishing that they had more places to sit down in the café itself, but what can you do? The coffee tastes so good and the level of service is really above-​and-​beyond.
The best coffee house I’ve been to in Chicago :)

FINALLY! A coffee shop that escapes you to Rome. A warm and welcoming environment with handcrafted mugs and plates and the BEST croissants you will find in Chicago (as said by a fellow I had met there) but I tasted it and completely agreed.
The culture of grabbing espressos with friends is common in Italy and hopefully it will be here too in this coffee shop. Only one high top table and a few bar stool seatings facing the windows so you may have to crowd yourself in or request your coffee to go but please stop in. They also give you a small square piece of dark chocolate with your order and the price is a bit more expensive then Starbucks but what is Starbucks when you have more of the ‘third wave’ coffee shop. Can’t wait to go back again and again!

Swanky new coffeehouse located near the Merchandise Mart. It’s store #4 for this business and they started in Seattle. You’ll love the fresh pastries and tasty coffee. Hopefully these folks thrive and open many more retail stores!