Typical coffee place where you get many types of coffee beans to select from. They do have a good collection of tea as well. Knowledgeable staffs.

+1

The coffee is always fresh any time of day! My favorite by the pound is the Colombian Supreme, by the cup the Costa Rican which is a perfect well balanced cup with notes of gram cracker and what tastes like chocolate covers caramels. Super good to pair with one of there fresh packaged cookies!

a neighborhood gem! Not only is the coffee amazing, but the prices are so fair. We always buy our coffee beans from here and they make the best lattes!

The best selection of tea and coffee I’ve seen in Chicago! The specials are IMMENSELY creative, which are my personal favorite part.

Great selection of loose tea and coffee beans, all excellent quality. The tea lady here is amazing, Darien’s Green Tea and Buckingham Palace Garden Party blends are delicious! The London Fog latte is the best I’ve had, it makes Starbucks London fog taste like burnt dirt. Try it!

I get a lb of coffee each week for past 5 years. Great local place with good service. Lots of flavors to choose. Our GoTo is 1/2 lb of Hazelnut and 1/2 French Roast mixed together for flat bottom drip.

Adorable store, love the Studio Ghibli specials ! One of the best coffees I've ever had.

I love this place. The staff is very knowledgeable and helpful. I drive 30 miles to this place to buy my loose leaf tea. I also introduced my wife to their herbal tea. She loves it. I'm so glad I found this place. Thanx

Love this little shop! The owner is so nice and funny. He always has really good recommendations and the beans are FRESH FRESH FRESH! Such a huge variety….you really can’t go wrong with whatever you take home

Amazing space, delicious coffee drinks and awesome service! The Pride menu offers flavor combinations that work soooo well together, definitely recommend trying them all!

Consistently the best! Staff is so kind. They always make my Flat White perfect when so many other coffee shops mess it up.

This is a great local spot for coffee. Not a coffee shop to sit and relax in, as there are no chairs, but if you are looking for a grab and go or to buy coffee beans, this is the place!

Great sessional lattes and locally roasted coffee. There can be a bit of a line but it’s worth the wait. I only wish there was seating outside but it’s understandable and there are public benches nearby. Staff is very friendly! Great place to order gifts online from during the holidays!

A huge selection of coffee and teas. Friendly staff. Amazing golden latte.

You know how that big coffee chain whose name rhymes with "car trucks" only has a regular roast whose name rhymes with "likes mace" on tap after a certain hour? Well, at The Coffee & Tea Exchange, they always have a light roast, a regular roast and - my fave - a dark roast at the ready whenever you walk in! And whichever you go for, that coffee is delicious. And like that aforementioned coffee chain, The Coffee & Tea Exchange has a tantalizing array of boutique snacks to go with your coffee, at least some of which are sourced nearby. Then you have the atmosphere. None of the soulless, fast food vibe of other places. When you walk into The Coffee & Tea Exchange, you know you're in a coffee shop. The store is all done up in earth tones, with floor-to-ceiling shelves stocked with the wares in jars and bags, a lot like an old-time general store, and the air is permeated with the aroma of coffee. Saving the best for last, we have the staff, who are super friendly and helpful. In juxtaposition with the nerve-tingling reputation of caffeine, The Coffee & Tea Exchange presents as a place to come in, relax, linger for a bit, savor a cuppa while you're there and pick up a bag of beans (and maybe some tea leaves and a snack) to enjoy later at home. I will surely be back!

I stopped in here looking for a closing gift for some clients who love coffee. The employee was so incredibly helpful and patient with me, recommending the best assortment of coffees for my clients (which they loved!!). The prices are very fair and the shop just has a peaceful, welcoming feel about it. As someone who enjoys coffee but admittedly does not know very much about different kinds, I'm looking forward to revisiting for myself! Such a wonderful stop.

Everytime I come here I discover a new tea. My Mom and sisters who live out of town(st.louis) also always makes it a point to stop by to grab coffee and tea. Just overall the best! Love yall alot!

It was quite busy on a Saturday afternoon when I visited, but they kept the line moving and were very pleasant and efficient. I don't know a ton about coffee and tea, but they seem to have everything you could ever want! I got a hot latte and some loose earl grey tea for later. Both were delicious.

They were so thoughtful and patient and kind. The selection is amazing and they even have a little cafe to buy tea and coffee from for immediate consumption. I love this place!

Throwback coffee and tea shop since 1975 with amazing selection of beans. Delicious cold brew and super friendly staff. And who doesn’t love a What We Do In The Shadows theme menu in October?!!!

I’ve been buying a variety of green teas in bulk from here for ten years and cannot imagine my Chicago lifestyle without it. They are always very helpful. And any place with Laura Palmer’s high school graduation picture in the window will always win my vote.

Great prices. The store smells amazing. I had the best vanilla latte & frozen hot chocolate I've ever tasted in my life. Baristas were friendly & most of them wore masks.

I go here to get their whole bean Ethiopian coffee and have been buying it for years. Love the service and the selection! Awesome staff! 🎉

Loved the entire experience. I got two bags of ground coffee (I recommend the maple walnut flavor) and tried a good coffee and a delightful peach cinnamon latte with my fiancee. The staff were wonderful and extremely patient while we examined the overwhelming list of options. I wish I lived closer so I could go here more often! I only tried the coffee but it seems like a great place for tea and spices as well, and they have mugs and assorted equipment for making tea and coffee also. Will go back next time I'm in town!

Great sale price 1 lb of coffee, cute store with lots of stuff to look at while waiting for order, and good prices on spices! Got 3 oz of ground ginger for $4.50, not bad! The golden milk healing latte was amazing 😋

Value for money is fantastic and staff is always kind and helpful. Way better coffee that popular chains for like half the price. And you get properly brewed coffee from a daily selection of beans. They offer an incredible variety of beans that you can buy for the pound at around the same price (and less) of much lower quality grocery store coffee!!! Not a tea guy but they do also offer a large selection of tea.

Great place for bulk coffee and tea, plus basic and unique drinks. They have countless options for coffee beans, from single origin to blends and whatever roast you need. The tea options are fantastic, with dozens of options for black, green, herbal, and everything in between. You can buy a full pound of coffee beans for a very reasonable price, and you can get small bags of tea to try out something new with little risk. They also have brewing equipment for every technique. Their drip and cold brew coffee are great, as are their specialty drinks like the golden latte. Service is quick and friendly and very knowledgeable about tea and coffee options. Highly recommend!

I was a little overwhelmed when I walked in. Thankfully, the young girl behind the counter was extremely helpful, sweet, and patient with all my questions. I purchased a chocolate cherry pour over, and 3 half pound bags to take home. The prices a very reasonable. I already looked into having this stuff shipped to Florida. So delicious!

I recently received a coffee and tea order from Coffee and Tea Exchange. Their order service is prompt, and they are very conscientious about providing customer service and a quality product. And while I like my favorite standby teas, it is always a fun experience to try a new blend. In this past order I requested to try the Almond Cookie Black tea blend. Boy, did it deliver! With or without sugar and half-n-half, this brew is a new favorite to stand beside my old tried and trues. Thank you for providing so much quality and variety to tickle the tastebuds. - M. May

Such a cute experience! ☕️ This is a shop where you can buy loose leaf tea 🫖 and coffee! They also serve lattes, coffees, teas, etc. they have soo many flavours! Take a Saturday morning and head over to the tea and coffee exchange shop! Also very friendly staff 😊

The Coffee & Tea Exchange has been roasting award winning beans from all over the world for over 3 decades in the Lakeview neighborhood. I’ve been getting my coffee here for that long and have never been disappointed. I LOVE all their beans! They roast onsite and you get premium taste every time! They have regular standby roasts and blends as well as epicurean mono varietals (the bean is single sourced from one plantation). You can even make your own custom blend/mix; anything goes here! They will gladly grind the beans fresh for you and have different grinds depending on your machine and taste pallet. I’m not a fan of flavored coffees but at C&TE I do love their toasted almond and hazelnut beans. They toast the nuts in with the beans so you get a real original flavor and not imitation. You actually see the nuts scattered in the bag amongst the beans. Prices are fair and the quality is excellent. They also have a huge selection of teas, accessories and gifts.

There's an extensive selection of both coffee and tea available. The coffee beans feature an array of options, ranging from single-origin to flavored specialty beans.

+1

my favorite place to get coffee in the city! Love their changing themed monthly menu and their coffee is just good in general. I often get their different flavored coffee to make at home too (love the blueberry flavor!). Love going here!

This is such a cute coffee shop! 1st time here, & I had "The Margo". It was awesome! Great fresh coffee 💜 They are going above & beyond with covid protection! Customer service was also awesome. Parking can be hard to find sometimes, so order ahead so you can just skip the line & pick up (:

+2

Our go to coffee shop in our neighborhood! Great selection, friendly service, and excellent coffee and tea for an even better price (and a good selection of locally sourced baked goods). We love to bring visitors here and have them pick their own coffee beans for their trip. It's especially handy that they will do quarter pound orders of coffee and down to an ounce on teas. We also love their seasonal specialty lattes, always creative and interesting.

This is my favorite coffee shop in Chicago. The staff is warm, friendly, and efficient. I always order one of their monthly rotating specialty lattes and have enjoyed every single one. Their looseleaf teas are unique and flavorful. Prices are very fair for the high quality. Thank you CTX, you are a staple of our weekend walks!

I always enjoy my experience here. The workers are really friendly too. It’s a good atmosphere. Its warms my day to see happy people in the morning.

Look at how cute that stopper is! You know it's another Chicago classic. They have a superb selection of everything! I have to return to try so many more things! Swiss water process chocolate raspberry decaf, pumpkin pie latte, I need to snag an aeropress, and buy some organic Ceylon cinnamon! Will be back!

This is my go to coffee/tea stop in the mornings. We come in three to four times a week and every time the service is A+. Everyone is so warm and friendly and somehow they even remember our order! What's not to love? I feel good about supporting a neighborhood place like this. They also have an insane selection of teas and coffees to take home and make yourself. I recommend the London Fog Latte or if you're picking up loose tea, I really like the cream earl grey or the Russian earl grey.

The busy place in the city to buy whole bean coffee and loose leaf tea. The Northwest blend is excellent for espresso and moka pot brewing.

Are you a coffee and tea aficionado? This is the spot! Perhaps the largest coffee and tea store in the whole midwest With over 135 different kids of tea and over 35 different kids of beans constantly rotating o am sure you will find your favorite. Excellent service

+4

I got the best Christmas gift ever for my parents here. They have the best coffee in the city

Great place. The rotating special items and theme menu board are a cool quirky touch. And stopping by for a quick pick me up on the way to the farmers market at nettlehorst looks like it's going to become a tradition this summer. I also don't think I've ever had anything bad here. Even when I ordered the wrong thing for my partner (or when they did the same for me) we both ended up liking the totally random thing we ended up with.

Great selection, and very knowledgeable and helpful staff. My only complaint is that lines can get pretty long, but it’s worth the wait.

The Coffee & Tea Exchange is a true Lakeview gem. I swung by last weekend and dropped about $12 on a 16 oz "Midwest Princess" latte—salted honey butter, English toffee, and vanilla bean—and a banana walnut muffin. The latte was straight-up fire, and the muffin hit the spot. The shop's cozy vibe, with its earthy tones and barrels of beans, feels like a step back in time. The staff are super friendly and know their stuff, making the whole experience even better. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and check this place out.

Finally found a place that can make proper coffee! Staff there are super nice and knowledgeable. And don’t even get me start on the options, products they have! Amazing! Best coffee I’ve had in Chicago to date!

Coffee lovers just go. Seriously, this is the place for you to set your nose working into overtime with the numerous smells and coffee types to be had. I haven't even ran into these types on Amazon so you know the owners take their time to get it right. I went with two different types, the blueberry and the mint chocolate and omg they are soooooo good!

cute cups and bowls selling! Many options for coffee and tea, would try next time Their staff are so friendly!

Great coffee!! Also I love their wide selection of teas and coffees that I can make at home

Absolutely loved our time here. As soon as you walk in, you are met with a great staff and an amazing smell of coffee. Drinks were great and prices for beans were great as well!

This place is chef’s kiss. I grabbed a ½ lb. of their Ethiopia single‑origin beans and a lavender Earl Grey tin, and splurged on a salted honey latte. Spent about $30 total. Staff was hella friendly, chatting about the roast and flavor notes like they actually care. Barrels of beans and loose tea everywhere—totally chill vibes in Lakeview. Deeply love this local gem.

I love visiting this coffee shop when I’m in Chicago! They always have a fun menu and a great selection of tea and coffee beans. Plus any brewing accessory you could need! :)

Great variety of coffee🇺🇸🇧🇷🇨🇴🇫🇷🇪🇹 ☕️, and you can grab🥄 your own beans! With respect to tea🍵, amazing the amount of blends and types of tea they have! Best of all 🙌, you can buy and at the same time drink your coffee or tea!

+6

Fantastic cafe/coffee & tea market! It reminds me of Tin Roof teas in Raleigh, NC, only bigger, and more laid back! The store is so fun, and stimulating with all of the diverse colors and smells! Plus the prices are to die for! I believe my 2 ounces of Earl Grey loose leaf came out to be around $3.98 before tax?!?! Much love!

+6

Visited Lakeview area and had one of the best coffees! Brought home a couple bags of beans too. Great service, friendly and knowledgeable! Definitely will be back!

Great experience and products. Loved the selection and the atmosphere of the place, can't forget the amazing smell of all the coffees of teas combined.

The best coffee shop in our neck of the woods! They always have fun themed drinks, reasonably priced, and you're always greeted with a warm smile. The staff are very friendly and incredibly coffee savvy. Once you get a coffee from this place, you'll never go back to a national chain.

Great experience at Coffee Tea Exchange. Staff were super knowledgeable and helped me find teas I actually love — no small feat! Prepared drinks were excellent, and they kept a crowded line moving smoothly. Will definitely be back.

Their Love Potion No. 9 just blew my mind. This is my new go to at home and for gifting. Can’t wait to go back and stock up on more. Also, the staff is amazing. If there is a line out the door, get in it…worth the wait.

Great selection of coffee and tea, wished we lived closer! Very helpful and informative employee assisted us with picking out bulk coffee to take home.

Quentin

I recommend this place if you want a good cheap cup of coffee not too expensive but I got the iced apple pie latte and it is the bomb

Lauren Bayer

One of my favorite places in Chicago! I will always go out of my way to come here. The best coffee and the friendliest people :) Even though there isn't anywhere to sit and stay/work, they have created an atmosphere that makes it a true experience to come here.

Katie Stuck

Really cool spot. TONS of coffee and tea. Can get very, very busy on weekends (line out the door). For good reason! But they move fast and have it down to a science

Anna Nicklow

Absolutely love this spot for coffee and purchasing gifts! The monthly rotating menu is always so fun. Their coffee, teas, and matcha are always perfect and they have so many flavors to choose from. I do wish they offered lemonade, which I like to add to my iced teas, but that’s my only small qualm.

thomas scanlan

The Coffee & Tea Exchange is my go to destination for so things coffee and tea. The selection is amazing. The staff are sooo helpful. The selection of coffee beans whether whole bean or ground covers all the bases. An easy recommendation for anyone looking for anything tea or coffee related.

Nattawoot Maneetorn

This café is truly impressive. Their coffee tastes authentic and expertly crafted, and the tea is absolutely excellent — rich, fragrant, and brewed perfectly. Every drink feels like it’s made with real care. The quality is outstanding for the price, and everything tastes worth every dollar. I really enjoyed my experience here and would definitely come back again. Highly recommended!

Bob Skelton

Hands down the biggest and best coffee andtea selection. Ginseng oolong is the bomb.

Jose Uribe

I love all the different types of coffee here. However, I have some serious decision anxiety. Am I going to like this single origin coffee? Would I prefer this other coffee more? I had an amazing shopping experience here and I attribute a great deal of it to Natalie's service. It's almost like she could sense my indecision because she was ready for a recommendation for me and set me up with a wonderful single source Colombian. A+ service, excellent coffee, will definitely be back soon.

Derrick

Really impressive store! Colorful. It's very very popular. My wife and I went and scanned the loose leaf tea he's got very excited had four bags ready to go and then noticed a sign on the wall that said you have to stand in this line and pay. The lion had about 10 people in it so we put the key back and left disappointed. They have another cash register on the left side near the door but they didn't choose to use that. It's a great place if you don't mind standing in line!

+2

Almudena Veiga-Lopez

Our place for anything coffee or tea! Amazing place for freshly roasted coffee, loose tea, and spices. Excellent quality and a huge variety. The shop is always packed, especially in the mornings for to-go drinks, but worth it. Pro tip: there’s a 15-minute standing parking area just across the street, which makes quick stops easy.

+1

Ash Chaudhury

Some of the best coffee in Chicago! Iced oat latte is always a winner. They make a mean flat white too.

Quinn Cosley

I simply cannot put into words how much I love this place. I discovered it on a walk around the area when I moved to lakeview last year. I was enticed by the creative themed drinks outside. Upon entering I was greeted by barrels upon barrels of coffee, jars of tea lining the walls, and fun/silly pottery as well as other gadgets for your coffee/tea affini(tea). I had come back multiples times and it is consistently great every time. The baristas are friendly, and efficient. When it is busy they take your order in line before the register, so even if there is a line close to the door, it wont take more than 10 minutes to get a drink. The workers are amazing, I had wanted a tea that they had just ran out of, and they made the blend for me on the spot. The creative menu is what gets me coming in time after time, knowing that there is always some fun combination to try. They have themes based on bugs, queer haircuts, famous mothers, and most recently, recession indicators. I love that they always have a fun corresponding menu on the inside as well. Whenever someone I know visits the city, or I make a new friend, the first thing I suggest is that we go to the Coffee and Tea Exchange. In a world where every coffee shop menu is the same maybe 10 drinks, Coffee and Tea exchange is bringing back the fun side of beverages.

+2

Rai Rakhman

As a coffee addict, I loved this place. I bought coffee from here, not any drinks. I love trying out new flavors and they have Colombian, Arabica, French, Italian and many more. Each of the barrels you see in the video has different coffee in them. They have around 3 different decaf coffee alone. When it comes to their price point I found it on more expensive side per pound. Most of their coffee starts at $14-$17 per pound, there are a few much below or higher than that. As I like to experiment with coffee tastes I paid even more expensive price point of $5 per quarter pound. In my opinion it is really expensive but again coffee flavor adventures do cost more than Costco coffees which are around $6-$9 per pound. I would definitely suggest to stop by. When you buy any coffee they do ask how you would like to be grinded. I couldn’t answer right away so they asked a few questions and figured out what I would need.

+3

PJ M

lovely spot! no seating like i hoped but the staff recommended me a drink since it was my first time. i got an apple tea with sugar free pumpkin pie syrup and soy milk. 10/10 recommend.

Meghan Hendrix

The Coffee and Tea Exchange is wonderful. I appreciate the variety of syrup options that they have, particularly the fruity options, which are great in Italian sodas. They also have fun monthly specials! The staff members are incredibly sweet and nice. They are very accommodating of my syrup concoctions. The vast majority of the staff members wear masks as of January 2024, which could make this a great spot if you are COVID-conscious. The orders are also prepared super quickly, and all of the items seem to be a fair price. In addition, it is worth noting that there is no seating inside, but it is a great place to get a drink to-go, as you can grab something and then walk around the cute shops nearby, including Unabridged Bookstore.

+7

S. D.

Highly Recommend: the coffee here is great! Had their seasonal latte this time and it was good as all else. Only caution can give is that at peak morning hours like 9-11 am, the line can get pretty long, going outside, and you may have to wait about 15-20 minutes to just order your drink. I am sure that next time I will be in line waiting, I probably will go somewhere else. It is though a great place with great coffee so if you don't see a big line definitely get some.

Eran Dromy

Nice place with a hipstery vibe. They have a lot of teas, spices and coffee that you can buy by weight or drinks. The entrance area where you can order it's pretty small so only a couple of customers (2-3) can fit there at a time. This makes a line form outside, especially during the mornings. I personally love the vast variety of caffeine-free tea. Tried the cranberry apple iced tea and loved it. Also ordered the banana walnut muffin and a chocolate croissant (both were great).

+7

Real old Chicago vibe in a classic, hip Chicago neighborhood. Excellent, friendly staff. Good drip coffee. I don't generally get espresso drinks. Good quality beans for a reasonable price. Way better deal than the gourmet coffee roasters around the north side, but not gourmet level coffee. Better than supermarket choices at a similar price. I just can't see paying gourmet prices!

Stopped by and ordered lattes for my first time today and they are delicious! Very cool store and we got our lattes quick. Wish the service was better, the employees were talking to each other and didn’t acknowledge our presence, definitely not welcoming. It felt like we were interrupting them, but maybe it was a one off. I will try again in the future.

Delicious coffee with tons of options for coffee and tea! Cozy and eclectic ambiance with an efficient ordering system. The staff was very friendly and quick. They have an extensive menu with plenty of flavor options but the fun part is their evolving monthly specials menu. Fun themes and flavors that never disappoint!

Rachel R

I actually buy spices from here since spices from jewel osco have been tasting funny. As for coffee most of the time you need to know what you want or you will just be trying things out. They have cute mugs you can buy as well as cold brew crafts or slow drip coffee. They also can grind the beans for you which they have lots of choices for coffee as well to try and choose.

Annie Rodriguez

I had such a great experience when it came to ordering coffee and pastry. The team was extremely helpful and welcoming. I created a blend of tea and I received a lot of help and the staff was really friendly towards me. Unfortunately my friend didn’t have the same experience and mentioned the staff was snippy with her and overall negative. The space is so great but the line can get confusing when it comes to the cafe and the tea. There were a bunch of people just waiting on their drinks while others were in line waiting for help to pack tea.

The tea I have had here is good (the red tea latte in particular) but I bought some coffee beans that were honestly undrinkable. They smelled so gross and brewed up a very burnt musty flavor. Glad I only got a small bag. I'd go here for tea only.

Nice place for your morning/afternoon drink! I'm really into matcha, so I went couple times to order iced matcha latte (and once a frozen chocolate). The drinks are good and well prepared in a nice ambiance (loooove the décor and the vibe. I'm sure my fellow coffee drinker will like it even more). However, why 3/5? Your drinks quality will highly depends on who is making your drinks. I'm always disappointed when I see my favorite barista at the cashier. Once I ordered a matcha latte (again!) and got a chai latte (they redid it but still, not convenient in a rush). Once my matcha latte (again :) ) was very strong as it was not all dissolved/mixed. I personally don't recommend their iced chocolate: it's good! but soooo much sugar. It can get packed very easily but the queue goes by very fast!

I’m pretty disappointed that they use the cheapest Costco oat milk for lattes. And then they charge you 75ct for it (which is crazy for this low quality oat milk) so you end up paying 7$ for a latte that is not even that good. 3 stars because it’s a cute local place, and I hope that they invest in high quality dairy alternatives like a barista style oatmilk, and stop charging extra.

They have a great selection of teas, of all varieties. Now this may be because I had just got back from living in Washington for a while, but the teas didn't seem to produce as much flavor than what I was used to. I got Himalayan Honey (Green), Pu'er, Chamomile, Licorice, Ginger, Matte and a few others. I tried a few different methods of steeping but the only way I was able to get more flavour was by adding more tea while steeping. Compared to the teas I still had from Washington, the flavour was still less pronounced. But this again could be due to my pallet not used to Chicago again. Still, the selection and ability to get tea made there are good pluses.

+5

Daniel Gonzalez

Really frustrating experience. If you’re just trying to ask a question of which roast is an espresso roast to take home they make you wait in the same line to ASK your question as people waiting for lattés to be made. Staff is very dismissive. Last time I was in it was a completely different vibe, people available and excited to help you.

This place is extremely racist!!! As a black customer, to received a drink with a monkey sticker placed on it as a joke. The last laugh will definitely not be with your business.

It was the worst coffee I've ever bought. This is definitely not fresh product, the smell of a musty cellar and the taste of dust and mold. I definitely recommend being vigilant before buying coffee beans at this store. I'm still looking for a Coffee Roastery in this neighborhood.

The persons working there were so rude I didn't have a chance to buy anything. I was told I'd have to wait in line to know what was available in stock. The young lady was so rude I had to leave because I won't spend money in a place where I felt so incredibly unwelcome and uncomfortable. How very disappointing.