Two Shades Cafe
Quick info
About Two Shades Cafe
Flavored lattes anchor the drinks list at Two Shades Cafe, a coffee shop on W Taylor St in Chicago's Little Italy, where the Nutella latte and Cuban latte sit alongside a raspberry matcha for the students next door at UIC, who get a discount. Plain drip coffee, cafe au lait, and chai round out the menu, which runs to 113 items across drinks, food, and bottled options like Poppi Soda and Topo Chico. The bakery side brings donuts and a chocolate croissant, and paninis come served hot, including a turkey version. Seating splits into a section of tables suited to working and a side with plush couches and stalls. Dogs are welcome. The cafe runs on walk-ins and opens daily during the daytime.
Good to know
- ParkingFree of charge street parking · Paid street parking · Somewhat difficult to find a space
- AccessibilityHas wheelchair-accessible entrance · Has wheelchair-accessible seating · Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- DietaryServes vegan dishes · Serves vegetarian dishes
Menu & Prices
113 dishes · mains $2–36- Lemonade$5.10
- Bottled Water$3.65
- Smart Water$5.80
- Poppi Soda$5.80
- Topochico$4.35
- Sparkling Water$4.35
Reviews
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention matcha, lattes, turkey panini and chocolate croissant.
What reviewers say
Reviewers most often mention matcha, lattes, turkey panini and chocolate croissant.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often point to the lattes and other espresso drinks at this Little Italy coffee shop, naming a Nutella latte, a Cuban latte described as smooth yet flavorful, and a cafe au lait, with the matcha and chai also singled out. Close behind is the food, which one diner called hot and not skimpy in a turkey panini and another found fresh and unlike typical cafe fare. A chocolate croissant is also called delicious. Many describe a cute, friendly spot near the UIC campus with comfy couches, plush furniture and unique artwork, where one side has tables for focused work and the other suits catching up with friends. Service is called friendly and quick. The complaints are small and specific: one reviewer found a donut not very fresh, and another found a plain cup of coffee a little acidic, though that same reviewer loved the latte. One diner wished they had known about a supposed student discount.
Customer Review Summary
Reviewers most often point to the lattes and other espresso drinks at this Little Italy coffee shop, naming a Nutella latte, a Cuban latte described as smooth yet flavorful, and a cafe au lait, with the matcha and chai also singled out. Close behind is the food, which one diner called hot and not skimpy in a turkey panini and another found fresh and unlike typical cafe fare. A chocolate croissant is also called delicious. Many describe a cute, friendly spot near the UIC campus with comfy couches, plush furniture and unique artwork, where one side has tables for focused work and the other suits catching up with friends. Service is called friendly and quick. The complaints are small and specific: one reviewer found a donut not very fresh, and another found a plain cup of coffee a little acidic, though that same reviewer loved the latte. One diner wished they had known about a supposed student discount.
Featured reviews
- David Seligson
“Nice coffee shop. Good coffee and food offerings. The cafe au lait was nice. Very friendly service, cool vibe.”
- Cat M
“The food was very good and nice and hot. I got the turkey panini and it was hot and not skimpy at all. I also got a Nutella latte with good flavor and a raspberry match that was smooth and not grassy or clumpy at all. I wish I knew about the supposed student discount.”
- Amber Simpson
“Amazing food! Great place! The food really surprised me. It did not taste like your typical cafe level food. It was fresh and tasty. Chai was also great”
- Michael Damato
“Great spot with good vibes, food and service were pretty quick and there's a decent number of options on the menu. A lot of nice space for collaboration or quiet work. Definitely worth your time if you're at the university.”
- Chill Guy606__
“Great coffee, I had their Cuban latte which tasted smooth yet flavorful!”
Hours
- Monday
- Tuesday
- Wednesday
- Thursday
- Friday
- Saturday
- Sunday
Highlights
- Serves great coffee
- Has great tea selection
- Popular for popular for breakfast
- Popular for popular for lunch
- Popular for good for solo dining
- Popular for good for working on laptop
Amenities
- Has Wi-Fi
- Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
- Free of charge street parking
- Dogs allowed inside
- Has no-contact delivery
- Offers takeaway
Show more amenities
- Serves dine-in
- Serves vegan dishes
- Casual
- On-site services available
- Serves coffee
- Serves comfort food
- Dining options· 4
- Serves breakfast
- Serves lunch
- Has catering
- Serves dessert
- Highlights· 1
- Has great tea selection
- Accessibility· 2
- Has wheelchair-accessible seating
- Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
- Popular for· 4
- Popular for breakfast
- Popular for lunch
- Good for solo dining
- Good for working on laptop
- Facilities· 1
- Has toilet
- Parking· 2
- Paid street parking
- Somewhat difficult to find a space
- Service options· 1
- Offers delivery
- Offerings· 2
- Quick bite
- Serves vegetarian dishes
- Atmosphere· 3
- Cosy
- Quiet
- Trendy
- Pet-friendly· 1
- Dogs allowed outside
Location
Cafes near Two Shades Cafe
- Mojo Coffee4.64001.2 mi$1–10Reservations
great coffee, free wifi for remote work, smoked salmon on rye
- TARY4.79841.9 mi$20–30
latte, traditional Kazakh bakery, Tary milk tea
| Place | Rating | Distance | Price | Mentioned in reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two Shades CafeWi-Fi | 4.5282 | — | $10–20 | matcha, lattes, turkey panini |
| Mojo CoffeeReservations | 4.6400 | 1.2 mi | $1–10 | great coffee, free wifi for remote work, smoked salmon on rye |
| TARY | 4.7984 | 1.9 mi | $20–30 | latte, traditional Kazakh bakery, Tary milk tea |
The 2 nearest cafes by distance. Ratings, hours and review terms come from public business profiles.
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