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    Rivers and Roads Cafe

    4.0 (215 reviews)
    ModerateCoffee & Tea
    Closed 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

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    RIVERS AND ROADS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed
    Good for working

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    Halloween pie
    Tabitha W.

    We drove up to Rivers & Roads Cafe around Halloween, and I loved the fun seasonal items they had available. Everything was really cute, but not necessarily the most flavorful. It was so crowded inside though, so we felt lucky to snag a spot. It was difficult to navigate around people inside. This is an hours' drive for me, so I probably wouldn't venture out this way again since the seating availability seemed iffy with how crowded they get.

    sign in the front window
    Meredith S.

    There was a line out the door and MY GOD it was worth it. Delicious seasonal matcha with a subtle hint of pear, and delicious pastries that basically melted in my mouth on my walk along the "beach." So cute.

    Menú
    Mary M.

    TOP NEW CAFE ALERT. Big fan of the outdoors / national park theme. Big fan of the breakfast sandwich. Huge fan of guava and PR pride. Banana daiquiri latte with macadamia nut milk was delicious -- not overly sweet, had a nutty flavor, delicious espresso. Definitely recommending to my friends and family. Excellent folks behind the counter. Vibe was good

    Asja D.

    Once upon a long time ago, I used to come to this space as a child and had Saturday school here. Walking in here brought back so many fond nostalgic memories with childhood friends and running around causing mischief but although it's since changed to a coffee shop, the warmth of the space has remained. I love the way that Rivers and Roads have utilized this space- a beautiful and welcoming space not just in spirit but also in the various different causes and actions that they support. When they say everyone is welcome, you cannot just feel that, you can see it. I went on a Sunday afternoon and it was popping! Good luck finding a place to sit because you'll be outta luck! Overall, pretty decent space but when it's so packed it looks smaller than it actually is. I had a specialty latte that they offer in the fall and my mom had a regular latte. I also had their cookie- so good Omgosh. I would love to comeback to try the rest of their breakfast menu. The staff was so friendly and they were communicating with each other effectively - there was cohesion between them from my POV and honestly that really affects the flow and mood of the space. Anyways, highly recommend coming here!

    Giardiniera croissant
    Nick R.

    A short walk from the Loyola Chicago campus, Rivers and Roads felt like a hidden gem, but for the fact that it seems pretty locally popular. Friendly informative and quick service, great original selection. Interior is cozy and rustic (per their national parks theme). The Giardiniera Croissant was absolutely delicious. If I lived nearby, I would be here often.

    Marissa M.

    This is a favorite among favorites of coffee shops and such a hidden gem of Rogers Park! I first found Rivers and Roads on Instagram. I've been to a couple of those foodie account coffee shops, and they've all been OK. However, this place exceeded expectation! Great theme. Great food. Great coffee. Great atmosphere. Easy street parking. Friendly baristas. Amazing spot!

    Nazia C.

    Great coffee, fun theme, delicious cookies. The syrups are all made in house and they have a lot of fun options. I had the mango matcha latte and it was delicious. You must try the cookies. We tried three different cookies and every single one was fantastic. There is plenty of seating and it would be a great place to go to work. I noticed a lot of outlets along the wall seating.

    Interior
    Theresa J.

    Very busy coffee shop with great unique flavors. Gives a vibe of Yellowstone amongst a big city.

    Nicholas W.

    Great people, great coffee. They brew counter culture beans, which I'm partial to, and their pastries/baked goods are pretty great too.

    Sausage (turkey), egg & cheese
    Jim D.

    Place was recently featured on infatuation's best breakfast sandwich establishments & seeing as how I'm desperate to find some new establishments I indulged. My initial reaction was that the sausage was reminiscent of play dough & seeing as how we eat with our eyes 1st I wasn't looking forward to this. Sandwich was subpar & seeing as how uber eats wasn't cheap I wasn't pleased. Do yourself a favor & go to loaf lounge

    Iced Coffee - Mocha with Oat Milk
    Shay R.

    Rivers and Roads Cafe is my go-to place to work when I want a change of scenery. Every time that I have visited the staff has been wonderful. Everyone is always smiling and they acknowledge you from the moment you walk into the cafe. They have ample seating to accommodate large to small groups of people. It can get really busy so if you want one of the prime working spots you have to get there early. In the warmer weather they have a decent sized outdoor space. Depending on the time of day the area is pretty shaded and tolerable to sit outside for a longer period of time. I love working at Rivers and Roads Cafe because they have a good amount of plugs for charging your devices. If you site along the wall you are not too far from a plug and I have not run into an issue asking someone to let you charge your laptop at the plug near them if it is not in user. Aside from the periodic bender/coffee bean grinder noises the music isn't too loud so you can take a call at the cafe. My go-to order are the lox bagel. They have a really delicious parmesan cheese bagel that takes the sandwich up a notch. I normally struggle to complete a whole one so you could easily share the sandwich. If you like sweets, they typically have a rotating seasonal cookie!

    Halloween cookies- so fun!
    Katrina M.

    I really enjoyed studying here. For a packed house, it was surprisingly still possible to focus! Everyone there seemed to be working on stuff so it was not too much activity to get my own work done. I prefer my coffee a little sweeter/more flavor than it was made, but I know that's a personal preference. Lastly, the lox bagel had so much potential but was ultimately way too salty to eat. I got it on a rosemary sea salt bagel, so that was on me, but there is also sea salt on top and I just had to take off the tomato since that's where all the salt was. I'd just ask for no salt next time.

    Paul J.

    Another stop at Rivers and Roads - this place still keeps the crunchy caffeinated vibe going in Rogers Park. This time we got our various forms of caffeination, all good, especially drinks with oat milk creamer - smooth and delicious. Highlight of the snack was a fruity pebbles-infused cookie that they were giving away for their anniversary. Giving away!? A clear sign that Rivers and Roads is invested in the community. Always a fun, bright stop in my Chicago travels, I'll be back.

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    1 year ago

    Love a themed coffee shop! Wish they had longer hours. I had the house made macadamia nut syrup in a matcha latte.

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    1 year ago

    The coffee is good, place is chill, service was fast and friendly. Highly recommend this place.

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    Page 1 of 6

    Rivers and Roads Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

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    This place is usually pretty busy. I put my name down for 5 people. The wait was about 15 min for…read morethe raised area where you sit on the floor. We had to take our shoes off to sit comfortably. I think we could've had tables too, but the wait would've been longer. If you have a large group, I would call first to see if they can accommodate you. All the staff here are so kind and friendly. I've been here twice total now, and both times the food has been excellent. I didn't realize this place was pescatarian the first time. I picked the mister grecco panini for the artichoke hearts: It was a little salty due to the olives, but it wasn't overwhelming. I really enjoyed the fresh side salad especially the honey mustard dressing. I would order this again, but there's so many other menu items I want to try too.

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    I wanted to try the white rose but they ran out so I got the blue lavender mint bubble and it…read moretasted so delicious! The service here was great as well. Hopefully when I stop in again they'll have the white rose iced tea. I love how this place offers unique flavors that other tea shops don't have. I really enjoyed what I got today. They are also informative and let you know what drinks have zero caffeine, high caffeine or low caffeine, I think that's so important and it was great to see that. I read the bad reviews and I highly disagree. I've been to a lot of tea spots and milk tea spots all over illinois, I wanted something other than the same old boring brown sugar boba or matcha and this place delivered everything I wanted because they incorporate unique flavors and the result is magical. If you appreciate unique flavors like I do, come here!

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    So many tables to gather with your friends with multiple access to outlets and wifi
    So many tables to gather with your friends with multiple access to outlets and wifi
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    Rivers and Roads Cafe - coffee - Updated August 2026

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