Ground Up has officially become my "accidentally ordered too many coffees again" place--and honestly, no regrets. The cappuccino freddo is the star of the show. It's smooth, perfectly foamy, and dangerously drinkable. I order multiple every time because apparently I believe I'm running a small coffee distribution center from my home. Every single one arrives amazing. No weak links. Just great coffee across the board. The spinakopita pastry deserves its own fan club--golden, flaky, warm, and packed with spinach and feta in that perfect savory balance. It's the kind of pastry that makes you pause mid-bite and go, "okay... this is really good." And the blueberry muffin gets an honorable mention because it quietly does its job extremely well--moist, full of blueberries, and not overly sweet. The reliable supporting actor of the order. Bottom line: if you're ordering from Ground Up, maybe plan on getting more than one coffee... because you'll probably wish you had anyway. read more

Ground Up - Freddo Cappuccino; Greektown Frappe; Greek coffee; Americano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A cute cafe with lots of seating inside and friendly baristas, a great find overall! My friend and I were at the farmers market nearby and popped into Ground Up afterwards. I love a specialty latte so the Honey Bee latte caught my eye and oof, delicious but maybe a little too sweet for me. I think with an extra shot of espresso and a little less sweetener it would have been PERFECT, but as is, it was just a little too weak and a little too sweet. My friend got the banana coffee from the same specialty menu and felt the same way. This is one of her favorite spots in town, so definitely good coffee and worth another visit, but I might stay away from the specialty drinks menu. We also got a spanakopita as a quick bite and that was a hit! read more

Ground Up - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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NOT just another coffee house! Ground Up has a beautiful blend of coffee that gives you a variety to choose from for your pick morning or afternoon pick me up. Berries, Bananas, Brain and more for Muffins. Home made style doughnuts, and avocado toast. A warm welcome when you walk in, and the aromas to stimulate your senses. Fast friendly and helpful. Great spot to catch up on emails or with colleagues and friends. read more

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Neither the best nor the worst, it's a good coffee shop serving the area and a ton of UIC students. Strengths of Ground Up are its expansive menu and abundant seating and free WiFi, but no item on the menu is particularly standout in my opinion. The paper cups are flimsy to the point I had to drink half my coffee in store before being confident to bring the rest home. Staff are friendly and the loft look is very cute. read more

Ground Up - Exterior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Spacious and inviting downtown espresso spot, I found 15 minute parking right in front. Staff was friendly and happy to use my glass mug however odd it didn't add any personal cup discount. I got the nutmeg latte, well balanced and tasty. The best of four on my Chicago roadtrip along with Conscious Cup Cook St Dubai chocolate in Barrington. There's a neat main room and quiet side room. It's a cool place. read more

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This place was so welcoming. I had to leave a $2 tip only because the guy taking our order was absolutely welcoming and let me tell you... an awesome sense of humor. I would come again just to get some positive energy. read more

Ground Up - This is some type of matcha drink. It was a bit sweet but quality matcha. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Been here several times to the point where this is my go to coffee spots. The atmosphere of the cafe is very welcoming from the workers to the music. There's plentyyyy of seating, even an extra room if you're looking for quiet studying. There's bathroom, wifi, and very few outlets here. Out of the times I've been here, I'd say the lavender sunrise latte and hand pies are my recommendations read more

Great coffee shop in West Loop! Their raspberry muffins are to die for! You have to request it heated for 100/10 flavor. Their specials are always a hit and are all so unique. I usually opt for my vanilla iced latte and they get it done right. Prices are fair and there are plenty of seats to do work or hang with a friend. read more

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I ordered a medium hot latte and stayed there for about an hour. Friendly staff. Nice vibe, while the light inside might make you sleepy lol. read more

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Delicious smooth hot latte, light and yummy blueberry muffin. And great customer service.

The Cashmere caramel latte was insanely good, I've never had a latte that tasted like it!!! The pastry case here looked delicious, I am dying to come back and try one of them! Decent sized cafe, kind staff. Provided good recommendations. Only complaint is my medium latte WITHOUT upgrading milk was over $8 which is a bit painful. read more

Ground Up - Cashmere caramel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A solid local coffee shop with some fun drink specials! They didn't have many tea options but they did the ginger turmeric iced tea well! It was strong, not watered down with the ice but I wish there were a couple more herbal options. Service was quick and there is some nice seating inside or just walk around the corner to enjoy your drink in the park. read more

They have seasonal items and I loved the verdure latte! It was a creamy pistachio drink which fresh pistachio. So comforting read more

Ground Up - Turtle turtle mocha Matcha latte Cinnamon Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love Ground Up! It has become one of my go-to coffee shops in Chicago. They also allow me to come in with my dog to pick up my coffee on the weekends, which is really appreciated and makes my life easier. There is a decent amount of seating, but get here early if you want to get some work done. You'll be competing with others who WFH and UIC students studying. Check out the seasonal drink menu while you're here - I especially love the cozy flavors they offer in the fall. Staff are all really nice and give great recommendations, so don't be afraid to ask! read more

I'm obsessed! Very cute spot, lots of table space inside too. The guy who took my order was very nice, some of the best service I have received at a coffee shop. There were 10 people in there and my coffee was ready in 2 minutes! I got the iced very demure, highly recommend if you're a pistachio lover! It was a great fall treat! read more

Good vibes for working & studying! Drinks and food are all decent. They have an additional space next to it for people to sit and work / hangout, which is nice. Only things I would be aware of is that it is a bit dark inside, there aren't too many outlets, and the music can be kind of loud sometimes (they usually play some sort of House EDM mix) read more

Great cute place. Serves Greek coffee as well as nice fresh made pies/croissants. Staff is very nice as well.

This is what every neighborhood needs. A solid, independent and comfortable coffee shop. You can easily spend a morning at Ground Up, surrounded by fresh baked goods, interesting espresso drinks and my favorite...hot, black, coffee. It's a darn good cup of coffee. Freshly brewed, hot and delicious. My daughter enjoyed the Fresas Con Crema. I'm not exactly sure what it was, but she definitely enjoyed the fact that I was buying. She really enjoyed her drink. If you are in the neighborhood, stop by for an excellent cup of Joe in a very comfortables store. Support your local coffee shops and make sure you tip your barista well!! read more

Ground Up - Fresas Con Crema - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ground Up's one of the better coffee shops in the area. Their beverages and foods are pretty good. Their employees are nice and friendly as well. It's a cool place that everyone should go to at some point. read more

The quality of the coffee beans is great, prices are unbeatable and theres usually room for me to sit down and be productive. Definitely worth checking out! read more

Came here to work on my laptop for a few hours and loved it! The coffee was great. The hand pies were stellar tho! I got the spinach and feta. I also tried the English muffin sandwich and it was great. Staff were so friendly. Plenty of places to plug in and overall a great little coffee shop that I'll be back to soon. read more

I was in the area recently and this quickly became my go to spot for coffee and an occasional light breakfast. On each of my visits, the place busy with a small line for ordering. The staff did an awesome job of moving the line along without making anyone feel rushed. In addition to being super friendly, the staff did an excellent job of keeping up with orders and ensuring no one waited long for their beverage of food item. As for the drinks, I can only speak to the drip coffee as that is my go-to. Every cup I had tasted freshly brewed and was hot. As for the food, each time, I ordered the Turkey & Swiss breakfast sandwich which was delicious and tasted freshly made. As for the space, there are numerous chair/tables available along with a few community tables. On each visit, most seats were taken as this place popular for those looking for a place to work from. Ground Up will be my go-to spot whenever I am in the area. Hot fresh coffee, tasty food and great staff...one cannot go wrong here. read more

They have some pretty great lattes (I recommend the "Stormy Weather"). Food is not that great, although they are known for their hand pies. Interesting low-fi music and ample seating (there is additional seating on the north side atrium). Conveniently next to UIC and the blue line. Shout-out to William who's always been great to talk to and provides excellent customer service! read more

Great space, fast and friendly service, solid coffee beans and interesting and delicious lattes. I grabbed my baklava latte and a spinach/feta pastry (both yum!) to go today, but I'd love to come back and hang out with a bit. read more

Ground Up - Baklava latte though once it's in a togo cup it can be anything lol It's really good though, so definitely try it! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fantastic cafe! Really close to UIC campus, so it's frequented by students. A really great environment for studying! The music is a little loud but I don't mind. My cashier was fantastic, he had a great attitude and helped me pick out my drink. Super polite!! I ordered a honey almond milk iced latte and it was delicious, exactly what I was looking for. Highly recommend you check this place out! read more

Ground Up - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute coffee shop with a hip vibe and great prices! Wish the breakfast sandwiches were a little more traditional with bacon/sausage and eggs instead of ham and turkey. read more

Ground Up - Inside the spinach and feta handpie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We've been here twice now. We went once with the college soccer coach as it was his idea. We went again as we had some time to kill before going to college campus. I love the ambience and decorations. The menu is bigger than it looks at first glance. Breakfast food and lunch food are equally good. It's a cozy place to study. Very unique. read more

Love their seasonal specialties! I had a lavender salted one recently that I loved. This place is homey and reliable, great corner spot. I like how early it opens, the pickup order online is super useful. Everyone is super nice who works there, and it's great casual neighborhood vibes. Recommend. read more

Groundup is my go-to coffee spot when in the west loop! They are open earlier than any other craft coffee shop and close later too. The food and beverages i have tried are so good everytime. I have gotten multiple friends hooked on the lavender latte ! read more

Decent, but the matcha made me do it is weird... I ordered the matcha-made-me-do-it which has matcha, coffee, strawberry, and sea salt. I love all of those things, so i figured it was worth a shot. After 5 sips it was very overpowering. If you love coffee and matcha together you would probably enjoy this a lot more than me, but unfortunately this was a miss in my opinion. I reordered and got an iced chamomile tea and it was very pleasant. My partner enjoyed their iced chai, and the hand pies are very yummy! I wouldn't say this place is bad, but what I got is definitely an acquired taste so beware of that. read more

Ground Up - matcha made me do it and cheese hand pie - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Stopped by to get a quick coffee before stopping by the farmers market. The cafe itself is cute and the cashier was friendly and quick. I got a regular cafe latte w oat milk, it was delicious and hit the spot! I'd love to try their golden milk latte next time and their pastries!! read more

The espresso here is so good! They ask you so many different things to customize your order how you want it. Calm ambience and tons of little snacks + merch to take home :) read more

Ground Up - Freddo Espresso, Bagel - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came I on a Sunday to grab a quick coffee with some friends. The menu they have on the board is very simple and classic. I opted to get a iced lavender latte and it did not disappoint. I felt the lavender was noticeable but not so much that it overpowered the coffee. A perfect pick me up to your day. They have many flavors you can add to your latte but it isn't listed on the board so you can ask. I wasn't sure if they had flavors only because I've been to coffee shops that didn't have syrups/flavors listed and when I asked they would get all offensive like getting flavored coffee is a crime. They have many flavors such as the classic caramel, vanilla, hazelnut, and seasonal like pumpkin. Their coffees comes in 12 oz, 16 oz and 20 oz cups. The ambiance was very friendly and the large glass windows made it very open and relaxing. I definitely recommend coming here if you are looking for a place to catch up with friends, or even get some work done as others were doing. read more

Ground Up - Lavender Iced Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

LOVED this! Stopped on a Saturday and it was packed but the coffee was fast and DELICIOUS. Would absolutely come back and they have lots of seating for warm weather and some inside. Fun atmosphere!! read more

One of my new favorite coffee shops; has a unique, chic European vibe with great quality selections. Will definitely be frequenting Ground Up very often!! read more

Right by the UIC train stop. I ran in before work on a tight schedule & the service was speedy fast! I got a delicious matcha with vanilla! Everything about the drink was perfect! Creamy, flavorful, & yummy! The shop would be a fun spot to have a meeting or to do work! Definitely wanting to try more from the menu! read more

Ground Up - (ICED) Matcha *GREEN TEA*Latte - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Nice coffee shop, roaster. Have always enjoyed their drinks, both espresso wise or black coffee (drip, cold brew). Three main roasts (light, medium, dark). Would love to see more in way of single origins roasted here. Their roasts are good but not somewhere I would seek out if looking to purchase beans within the city. If in west loop, definitely good spot for light am bite or to work/study with coffee. read more

Ordered via app and was on time. No complaints there. Nice place, good food and service. It's in the city so it's overpriced like most everything else. read more

This is such a cute coffee shop!! So many desks not only in the shop but also in the hallway outside of it if you want silence. The drinks are super good - basically ordered an iced espresso with foamed milk on top which was fire. Their hand pies look soooo goood but I didn't get a chance to try it. I did have one of their old fashioned donuts that they source from a local bakery (not do rite) and it was a decent donut! The baristas and cashier were all very accommodating and nice as well. I wish I found this place earlier when I moved to West Loop, I would've worked here all the time! Oh also their hours are good and they don't close super early. read more

Ground Up - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

They have the best iced americano!!!! Always fast and friendly service with a good vibe. Also very reasonably priced, cheaper than starbucks! It's very close to UIC I often stop in during my morning commute or if I have an evening exam. read more