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    Swadesi Cafe

    4.3 (184 reviews)
    ModerateBakeries, Cafes
    Open 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

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    Recommended Reviews - Swadesi Cafe

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    Rose and Cardamom Latte
    Peter D.

    Went here a while back, but I enjoyed my experience! Heard they have new matcha drinks on the menu, so I'll have to check that out next time I'm in Chicago. The rose and cardamom latte was better than I expected. I definitely finished my drink faster than I expected. The cafe also had plenty of indoor seating and was very clean. The service was pretty quick and the staff members were friendly. I recommend folks to swing by next time they're in Chicago!

    Chocolate Chip cookie
    Melanie B.

    Showing up at 1:30 on a Sunday was a bummer because almost everything was sold out. And I mean everything. There were only two lattes available. Even their iced coffee was sold out. All of their pastries. Just one cookie left in the case. They close at 4 on Sundays, so being sold out at 1:30 was a bit crazy. Come early if you want to try anything I ordered a strawberry shortcake iced latte. I didn't taste much strawberry at all, but the coffee was good. I didn't really want the strawberry shortcake, but with such limited options, I took what I could get

    Samosa Chaat Croissant
    Vaishnavi W.

    This cafe offers amazing combinations of bakery items with a desi twist. The Samosa Chaat Croissant and the Banana Cream Latte was super delicious. They had so many good options to choose from. Definitely going to go again to try some more options in the menu. The place is usually super busy on the weekends and the seating is first come first so plan your visit accordingly. The ambiance is quite cute. The service is good but if you're ordering a sandwich it might take some time because they prepare it hot. Definitely 9/10.

    Alia S.

    I was finally able to try this spot after hearing a lot about their pastries. I had a delicious pistachio custard pastry, although maybe slightly too sweet. I was also surprised that they had hojicha but it was pretty good! I am definitely returning to try other items. It got quite busy very quickly so I'm looking forward to returning on a week day instead.

    Lico J.

    Friendly and welcoming coffee shop with a great drink menu! We ordered an iced banana cream matcha, an iced cookie butter latte, and their signature dirty chai -- and would recommend all three. The dirty chai was my favorite; I'd especially recommend getting it hot. It's rich and creamy without being overwhelming, and perfectly balanced. There are a bunch of street parking spots outside.

    Salinda N.

    Drinks ordered: * Swadesi Masala Chai * Iced Toasted Peanut Latte (roasted peanut praline, jaggery, brown sugar, sea salt, cold cream foam, cocoa nibs) Foods order: * Malai custard croissant (rasmalai, pistachio cream, crushed pistachios, rose petals) * Chicken Tikka & Amul Cheese Naanwich (shredded chicken tikka in kadhai sauce w/ onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, ginger, garlic; layered w/ amul cheese and wrapped in naan; served w/ mint chutney) * Samosa Chaat Croissant (spiced potato, peas, tamarind, cilantro, mint) * Butter Chicken Croissant (burrata, picked onions, red pepper makhani) The drinks were unfortunately disappointing. Chai tasted watered down and I tasted literally none of what was listed for the Toasted Peanut Latte. They also ran out of cold foam. All the croissants were good! Favorite was the samosa chaat. The naanwich was so-so. I would come here again to try more even though the drinks weren't so great. The croissants and the welcoming staff were enough to make me want to re-visit.

    Swadesi Chai Malai Custard Croissant Jaggery Choc Chip Cookie
    Sami U.

    Swadesi Cafe is an absolute gem in downtown Chicago near Union Station! Even though the place was packed, the service was quick, friendly, and well-organized. My wife, sister, and I tried the Swadesi Chai, Chili Cheese Toastie, Butter Chicken Croissant, and the Samosa Chaat Croissant -- and every single item was bursting with flavor. The fusion of classic Indian street food with café-style pastries is done perfectly here. For dessert, the Jaggery Cookie and Malai Custard Croissant were the perfect sweet ending -- rich, unique, and not overly sweet. The vibe, the creativity, and the quality of food make this place a must-visit. Totally worth the wait and already planning our next trip back!

    Food
    Ria P.

    The samosa chaat croissant is incredible!! The chili cheese toastie is also very solid and I'm not a fan of very cheesy things. Chai definitely had condensed milk in it, which is sad, but maybe the non-swadesi version doesn't?? not sure but I'll definitely be going back to try the butter chicken croissant now.

    Yining D.

    A cute, Indian style cafe and bakery. It's a little in the pricier end with $10-14 baked goods, but it's a really nice, special treat since you won't see many of these kinds of baked goods elsewhere. The chai was perfectly sweet and pipping hot for a cold Chicago day. The butter chicken croissant was my favorite thing. Perfectly flakey croissant with savory chicken on top. It was a little messy to eat because of the shape of the croissant. The samosa croissant was good! Potato was seasoned well and it was easier to eat. Service was efficient and friendly. I went on a Monday during opening and it wasn't crowded. It did take about 10 minutes to get my food and drink. Highly recommend giving it a visit! I'll definitely have to be back to try the breakfast sandwich.

    Chicken Tikka Toastie
    Srinanda G.

    Heard a lot of great things about the menu, so expectations were pretty high going in. Unfortunately, by the time of the visit, a lot of the items that were being looked forward to were already sold out, and there was no time to go back again, so definitely go early if trying to get the more popular items. Got the strawberry shortcake matcha, and something about the drink felt a little off, although the strawberry part itself was good, but overall it was a bit of a miss. The jaggery chocolate chip cookie was exactly what the name suggests, a really big cookie that tasted great, but it was hard to finish. Also got the chicken tikka toastie, which was enjoyable.

    Chili Cheese Toastie
    Puneet S.

    Wow oh wow! This gem is a must see in your next trip out to the city. If not, make it a priority. This chef-inspired vision behind Swadesi starts at the top with the Michelin-starred chef Sujan Sarkar and his vision for the mix between Indian culture and modern day coffee. He has perfectly blended the two into the items here within the cafe. You walk into a seemingly unique cafe setting with "SWADESI" written in big bold letters across the windows inside. The furniture reminds you of a traditional Indian home. The wallpaper is colorful and artful like back home in India. Hats off to the idea behind these minor features that help make the environment soothing. I ordered the Jaggery Chocolate Chip cookie, Chili Cheese Toastie and the breakfast egg sandwich along with a simple cappuccino. Let me start with the coffee: they use metric beans and the light roast was a nice fruity blend that was smooth and fruity and overall solid. Next, the jaggery cookie: this texture was out of this world. They captured the essence of a crispy outer edge with gooey inside while maintaining shape and managed to get chocolate in each bite with different types of chocolate as well plus the jaggery. Next, the chili cheese toastie: best item I had this day with a chili paste with Indian spices and a perfectly melting cheese that sits between two pieces of toasted toasts that just brings the whole dish home. A++++ (perfection) Last, the breakfast sandwich: the fluffy egg and cheese are a nice parking with the two ingredients. You can tell the use a fine egg based on the taste of the fluffy egg alone. They use a pillow soft bun and the patty inside is some sort of vegetarian patty that is panko crusted and the crisp is unparalleled. This whole experience was beyond anything I thought of with an Indian fusion cafe with so many failing the concept; not this time. Well done team!

    Inside
    Rupali K.

    Mid size space inside lots of tables. Service was good Vegetarian food review out of 5 point Chili cheese toast- 4.5 - good amul cheese with chillies. Not spicy. I might be OK with more chutney Masala chai - 3 Verhonala chocolate almond milk - 4 Veg egg sandwitch - 5 Samosa croasaint- 5 Jaggary chocolate chip cookie - 4 Halwa tart - 5

    Caramel Jaggery Latte, Samosa Chaat Croissant, Malai Croissant, Dirty Chai
    Harshita S.

    The pastries were delicious, especially the malai one. The croissant almost tasted like a cake/tea rusk and the filling was soooo good. I personally couldn't really taste the jaggery in the Jaggery Latte. Food came out really fast and the atmosphere is nice to hang out or study.

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    3 Arts Club Cafe at RH Chicago - Cheeseburger

    3 Arts Club Cafe at RH Chicago

    (1.7k reviews)

    $$$

    Near North Side

    I had a really good experience at 3 Arts. I wasn't able to get a reservation for Sunday brunch, so…read morewe made sure to arrive before opening. There was already a small line of guests with the same idea, but we were able to get on the waitlist. While waiting, we checked out the small coffee shop inside the gallery and browsed the furniture, which helped pass the time. Our wait was about an hour before being escorted to our table in the courtyard. Initially, we were placed at a low coffee table with couch seating. It's a cool lounge style setup, especially for drinks, but not ideal for a meal. It would have been pretty awkward trying to eat comfortably. We asked to be moved and were told that table preferences should be requested when joining the waitlist. Since it was my first time visiting, I wasn't aware of that, and it also wasn't asked by the hostess. Thankfully, they were able to accommodate us and moved us to a table in the wine cellar. The wine cellar had a completely different vibe, dark and moody, compared to the bright, airy courtyard with its beautiful glass ceiling and natural light. We ordered the lobster roll and the RH Burger, both with fries. The food came out fairly quickly and was well-presented. The lobster roll was served on a buttery brioche with just the right amount of seasoning, and the burger was juicy and flavorful. Overall, I had a great experience and would definitely visit again.

    1. Service is top notch…read more 2. Food was great! Enjoyed breakfast menu items on a Sunday morning. Mimosas were 3. The ambiance is really the big draw here (in my opinion). It's artfully designed. The esthetic is inviting - feeling like you're enjoying both an indoor and outdoor atmosphere.

    Buttercup  - Buttercup - shaved iced on top.

    Buttercup

    (39 reviews)

    Near Southside

    Buttercup in the South Loop is an absolute gem, especially if you're even remotely into amaro. The…read moreselection is unreal, like the kind of list that makes you pause and realize you're about to learn something whether you wanted to or not. It's curated in a way that feels intentional, not just "we stocked a bunch of bottles." You can tell whoever built it actually cares. And shoutout to Axel behind the bar, because she is amazing. Friendly, dialed in, and genuinely knowledgeable without doing the annoying bartender thing where they make you feel dumb for asking questions. You can tell she really enjoys working here. She makes a fantastic Negroni. Great vibe, great drinks, and the kind of place you immediately want to make "your spot."

    It's nice to have another coffee shop in south loop and this place is very cute! Cozy vibes and the…read moreservice is nice and fast enough. My friends and I each tried their specialty drinks and i got an everything croissant. We had high expectations because everything looked so good on the menu. Unfortunately none of us particularly enjoyed anything we got. All of our drinks just tasted like milk (both iced and hot options) and my croissant was oddly sweet because of the filling and I didn't love that. The pastries are actually being shipped in from elsewhere (they have exactly the same one in coffee shops out in Naperville too lol). Which leaves nothing special here. It's also very small so it gets crowded and swamped pretty fast. You're really constantly stepping out of someone's way when you're just waiting for you order, so that's not ideal either. Likely won't return.

    TARY Coffee - Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Balkaimak Cream

    TARY Coffee

    (200 reviews)

    $$

    River North, Near North Side

    Fresh food and beverages prepared in meticulously neat and clean area and served in peaceful and…read morecalm environment

    What a place. This is so much more than just a coffee house. Tons of options, great ambience, and…read moregenuinely kind people. We started with a mocha, a solid, well-balanced drink that wasn't overly sweet and was just perfect. We didn't plan on eating here, but the menu was way too tempting. We ordered the cinnamon roll, and wow. This was insanely good. Most cinnamon rolls in the U.S. feel like sugar-heavy, cinnamon-flavored buns, but this one was light, flavorful, and beautifully made. The irimshik on top really elevated it, subtle, warm, and just sweet enough. Easy 10/10. Next was the cottage cheese pancake, which was also very good. It had a generous amount of cottage cheese stuffed inside, and paired with the sweet irimshik dip, the dish came together really well. 9/10. We then tried the qattama. It was good. flaky, crispy, and reminded me of a paratha. It came with a sour irimshik dip. While each component was good, I felt the qattama would shine more with a gravy-based dish. 7/10. Finally, we ordered the Nan Salma pasta. It's a tarry-based white sauce pasta with a unique flavor profile, and it was genuinely yum. Definitely something different and worth trying. Highly recommend it. 8/10. You have space to sit down and work as well. Service was good too. Some of the dishes might take 7-10mins to get prepared. It's not like your daily coffee shop who have stuff ready to go Overall, a great spot with unique food and a welcoming vibe. Definitely coming back. 9/10

    Sawada Coffee - Military Latte

    Sawada Coffee

    (1.2k reviews)

    $$

    West Loop, Near West Side

    One of my favorite coffee spots in the city in Chicago! There's always a huge line to order so best…read moreto plan ahead and avoid peak hours. The spot has plenty of picnic style seating and great music to catch up with friends, grab a drink, or a slice of pizza! I typically go there for coffee. Their cold brew and lattes are fantastic! I like the Tokyo style syrup in my oat latte (1.5 pumps). The baristas are very friendly and have great recommendations.

    DRINKS I opted for their black camo latte. The hojicha…read moreflavor was strong, and the drink itself was not too sweet. Their military latte is their iconic drink, so if I'm ever back in Chicago, it'll definitely be something I'll check out! FOOD They have a limited selection of pastries like donuts available for purchase. Selection was limited near the end of the day. SERVICE The staff are kind and friendly! It gets busy fast, but they are efficient in pumping out orders. AMBIANCE Ample seating is available inside the store that is shared with the BBQ place adjoining the coffee spot. I visited around 2:30pm and it was filled with people working/studying or meeting with friends/coworkers. Complimentary wi-fi is available (password on the menu board). Finding the entrance was a bit confusing despite all the signs, but it's the one with a lot of stickers! PARKING Paid street parking is available at a limited capacity. BATHROOMS Restrooms are available downstairs at the back of the establishment.

    Goddess and the Baker, 33 S Wabash-Millennium Park - Cinnamon Roll (~$7)

    Goddess and the Baker, 33 S Wabash-Millennium Park

    (1.8k reviews)

    $$

    The Loop

    Ordered: Turkey Bacon & Egg Croissant (~$11) w Avocado…read more(~$2): scrambled eggs, turkey bacon, smoked gouda and sambal aioli on a flaky croissant Cinnamon Roll (~$7) Iced Banana Cream Cloud Latte (~$6): creamy banana milk topped with light espresso cold foam sweetened with date syrup Iced Banana Fosters Latte (~$6): blend of espresso, creamy banana, and sweet caramel Aya's take: First stop on my recent Chicago trip and we decided to try a Chicago classic. This is a fast casual spot so service was pretty fast. There is a decent amount of seating, most of which was surprisingly taken around 11am on a Thursday. For starters, they no longer have their rainbow cake! I was surprised to hear that considering how popular it's supposed to be. We got both banana lattes which were extremely sweet. It's basically dessert with a hint or caffeine. I'm a big fan of banana, so I actually liked this but I would've preferred half the sweetness. The Turkey Bacon & Egg Croissant was so good! A solid breakfast sandwich - the eggs were cooked perfectly, the turkey bacon was insanely crispy, and that sambal aioli was just what this needed. I highly recommend adding Avocado like I did for some freshness & creaminess since it's a heavy sandwich as is. The Cinnamon Roll was soft, moist, and not overly sweet. Overall, I really enjoyed this breakfast!

    Cute vibey breakfast place conveniently located in walking distance from my hotel. If you Iike…read morediabeetus for breakfast/brunch there are tons of pastries and specialty drinks to get your blood sugar spiking in AM. Avocado toast was great, definitely felt bougie and filling. The "matcha Americano" is just an iced matcha without the sugar or milk which was refreshing and what I wanted.

    Froth - Iced ladybird

    Froth

    (182 reviews)

    Near West Side, West Loop

    Ordered from Froth Cafe thinking it'd be a normal coffee situation... it was not. It was better…read more The dalgona latte showed up with massive chunks of toffee--like, not decorative, not subtle... full-on "we believe in happiness" pieces. Every sip felt like a reward for simply existing. Also tried something called "False Spring," which has carrot juice in it (I know, I had questions too). But somehow it works! It's fresh, a little sweet, and makes you feel like you've made a good life decision--even if you're just ordering coffee in pajamas. Everything arrived perfectly and tasted like someone actually cared while making it. 10/10, would absolutely order again and pretend I'm a sophisticated person with a refined palate.

    Wow -- Froth, what a spot! My intern and I met here for a coworking session. I let her pick the…read morespot and I didn't do much research prior, so when I walked through the front door my jaw was on the floor. The place is stunning! It reminds me of a hotel lobby in the best way. Very open and spacious, with lots of tables and desks spread out throughout the space. The barista working helped me decide what to order. She said "iced coffee is a lifestyle" and because she was so cool I did end up ordering an iced beverage on a 10 degree day in February. I went with the dalgona iced latte. This is espresso with a housemade crumbled Korean toffee and milk. It's pretty sweet, but mighty tasty! The toffee melts into the drink to add a toasty sweetness to the latte. The food here is INCREDIBLE! I ordered a breakfast sandwich that was so good. It came with crispy potatoes that were amazing too. Cannot wait to come back and explore more of the menu!

    Postcard - Sweet pea toastie

    Postcard

    (21 reviews)

    West Loop, Near West Side

    What a vibey cafe! This cafe is set up great for hanging out and catching up with friends. l came…read morehere for remote work and it was a comfortable space for laptop work but there is limited seating. Chairs are comfy but some of them are stools, so no chair backing for many seats. There is a comfy couch area with small tables that are big enough to fit a laptop and a drink. The food and drinks were good! I had a hojicha latte which was exciting because it's hard to find around the city. I liked that it wasn't too sweet. My favorite were the toasties. They were fancy and you definitely pay west loop prices but they are high quality, tasty, and creative! The sweet pea toastie had mashed peas on petite crispy toasties. I really liked the ratio of peas to toast. I also loved the milk and honey toast. The cheese was piped onto the toast and topped with honey and spices that made for a dessert like treat. Will definitely be back! Apparently they have DJs on weekends which is also when they don't allow laptops (which I think is great for setting the weekend vibe!)

    Very trendy and aesthetic cafe attached to the Monos store. Decent amount of seating, outlets, and…read moretable tops. Biggest issue was how aggressive their policies were. Apparently there's a mandatory purchase rule and they will confront everyone. Our friend ordered a pastry so we joined him at his table. We were told and said we all had to order something or leave even tho the place was half empty. We ordered something else but I feel like there's a better way to let people know there's mandatory consumption. Pastry was expensive and my friend said their iced latte wasn't very good. Just a reminder why I actively avoid west loop.

    Cafe Deko - Iced vanilla latte

    Cafe Deko

    (173 reviews)

    $$

    Lakeview

    Fun spot to grab coffee with a friend or date!! The decor is so cute, love the gold and green and…read moretile theme they got going on. They really went all out!! There's a fair amount of seating considering the size of the place. Wasn't able to get a spot today unfortunately, but we did go at a busy time on a Sunday morning. I got the honey and lavender specialty latte with soy milk. I get mixed feelings about lavender - sometimes it tastes pretty soapy to me. I thought this was delicious! I'd definitely order again and recommend it. Overall, definitely recommend this spot especially if you're able to get a couch or table to enjoy the space!

    I went here with a friend the other day and we ended up spending a good deal of the afternoon just…read morerelaxing and catching up. Even though we were seated at a regular table, the place had a comfortable vibe and it was easy to settle into. The counter women were efficient, nice, and filled our orders promptly. They did give my friend the wrong size coffee at first, but corrected it quickly and without any problem. One thing I didn't love: my cappuccino was served in a Styrofoam cup while we were staying there. If you're drinking in, it really should come on a ceramic cup and saucer. Save the Styrofoam for takeout! The best part was that we stayed for a couple of hours and no one hovered over us, or made us feel like we had to leave. As for the coffee itself, it was just okay. Not bad, but not memorable either. That's a shame too, because the space is so comfy. Still, there are plenty of other coffee spots on the North Side - and this just gives me a reason to explore others in the neighborhood.

    Swadesi Cafe - bakeries - Updated May 2026

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