This place is HUGE for a coffee and tea shop. They sell everything from beans and loose-leaf tea to spices and syrups, and the latte counter is all the way in the back. I don't think I've ever seen this many syrup flavors in one place. There's no seating inside since it's mainly a retail shop, but there's a bench outside. I also loved seeing how inclusive the space is with Pride flags throughout the shop. The Cross Cross Apple Sauce Latte (9/10) was nutty, not too bitter, and had the perfect amount of sweetness. I was expecting more apple, but it actually tasted more like vanilla with a subtle apple flavor. Still super good and honestly impressive for a latte this huge. read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Apple Pie Spice - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My favorite place to buy loose leaf teas! Highly recommend! Great variety and friendly staff! The menu of teas they sell is expansive and I found myself tempted to buy so much more than I planned. They carry a variety of herbal, green, white, black, and floral infusion teas. I love the calming sleep and immunity blends. This place gets very busy especially in the mornings since they also sell coffee/tea to go. A line up of folks happily walking out with their morning drinks. I suggest looking through their menu of teas and take a walk around to look at the jars of teas and coffees. Then make a list and head up to the counter. At the counter you can mention what you'd like to purchase and meet the employee over by the teas. You can ask about any teas you like and/or get suggestions. The staff member was very helpful in suggestions and letting me smell some of the floral teas. I walked away with a variety of lose teas and even got some matcha powder too! They store coffee beans in big barrels and can grind for you too. The shop also carries various coffee and tea accessories, mugs, T-shirts, and even vintage gum! No restroom or indoor seating. This is a gem of a place! I came back after over 15 years and it is still the same cozy welcoming shop where I could get lost in the many jars of tea, spices, and coffee beans. read more

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Super cute inside! Feels like a place designed by someone who really loves coffee and tea. Something good to know is they dont have a seating area ao you will be taking your drink to go. That being said, some of the best coffee I've had in Chicago! They also had tons of options of loose leaf tea to bring home to brew - cant wait to come back and explore those options. read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Did you know they have matcha tho?! have been coming here for awhile for loose leaf tea and found they also carry ceremonial grade and grade A matcha as well as the wisk and all you need! What a neighborhood gem read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Matcha - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cool neighborhood spot for a great cup of coffee or tea. Always busy, so expect a wait but it's worth it. No seating, which is a bummer but the quality of the drinks and pricing are really good. read more

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I saw a line out the door, so I knew I had to check it out. I grabbed a hazelnut latte, and it was great! The staff are super friendly and impressively quick, even when it's busy. I would not wait in line but it is a solid coffee. read more

But the barrels... they're so tempting! Running right across the middle of the shop, there are barrels full of different kinds of coffee beans. It is so tempting to open them and start smelling, only the signs very nicely ask you not to. Wanting a break from dime-store coffee and tea (Folgers - no hate, it has a place), I decided to get something a little less "meh". Added bonus is that I am able to support a family business, as opposed to the Walton family and their associated shareholders. The staff at The Coffee & Tea Exchange was wonderful! They helped me select three different coffees to take home, speaking to the roasts and what makes them unique. I'd also like to award some bonus points for just the right grind of coffee for my reusable Keurig pods. My amazement does not stop at coffee, either - this also applies to teas. I went home with a few varieties of some of the more flavorful loose-leaf teas I've had! The kicker? The prices were very reasonable! True, it is not as cheap as a large can of Red or Blue coffee from the grocer's, but at the same time, not as expensive as something a corporation (maybe with a two-tailed siren??) has convinced you comes from a magical place called Seattle. Final verdict: My freshman year roommate had 4 open tubes of toothpaste because "variety is the spice of life." I have one tube of toothpaste, but coming up on a dozen different coffees and teas in my cabinet. Once I start running low, The Coffee & Tea Exchange is the first place I'll go to restock. read more

Love this place. So many selections. It smells great when you walk in. 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 read more

One of my favorite ways to start my day is at The Coffee & Tea Exchange. I always try to go to locally owned coffee shops over a chain, and what CTX does is all I can ask for in a coffee shop - they showcase their specialty drinks and menus. I love the thoughtfulness and creativity that goes into their monthly menus. (Can you tell that I will immediately buy something if I know it's for a limited time?) The baristas are wonderful people. Their coffee is incredible and so is their vast tea selection. Sometimes they have seasonal tea box offerings, which are fun and make great gifts. They always have an iced tea on tap too. The Coffee & Tea Exchange is a charming, welcoming shop. It's always a highlight of my day when I stop in. read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Best joint in the city of Chicago, Period. when I was in the scale business I used to sell them scales. I knew the owners back then and I've gotten my coffee there ever since. I even have them send me the beans to my Vacation place in California. Vibe is great and all inclusive for sure. Marty L. Old Town. read more

Wow, this place is awesome! As soon as you walk in, you're affronted by large barrels of beans, shelves of jars with fun labels, and lovely scents! I was a bit confused of the setup even though there was a clear as day sign lol and I jumped out of line to look more closely at the teas so I could be more ready to order at the register... this was a mistake! It's unusual, but the employees switch off helping customers at various counters/registers. The very nice woman who helped me abandoned the front register to take me through some tea options and someone else jumped in for her to continue helping the line. So what did I get? I opted for their iced tea special that day - herbal peach, which was refreshing. I also got a bag of cardamom, and the honeybush peach rooibos, which smells delightful but after brewing I decided it's not punchy enough in flavor for me. Maybe just what a chose, so I'll just have to return and try a different one next time :) read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Rows and rows and shelves on shelves of wares! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The pastries here look incredible, and the almond croissant I ordered was delicious and flaky. Unfortunately, the espresso itself tasted quite burnt and bitter, even after adding milk. The staff is polite, but the lines move incredibly slow during the morning rush. read more

I loved the vibe, the staff was excellent - welcoming and helpful. We bought a few teas, the Earl Grey and Lavender mix they concocted was excellent. The prepackaged cookies were just OK, I had Lemon Poppyseed (too lemony), and the PB-ChocChip (not bad). Will definitely be returning. read more

One of the best coffee shop matcha lattes in Lakeview, Chicago. It can get busy in the mornings / afternoon especially on the weekends but it's worth it. Quality service always from the nicest team too! read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - 24 oz matcha latte iced $7.20 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I tried a drink and my sister ordered a tea both were a little sweeter than we expected. The cafe itself has a cozy atmosphere and the selection is impressive, with an incredible variety of syrup flavors to customize your drink. read more

What a great local coffee shop to have in the neighborhood! As a person who needs her daily coffee to function within society, I had quite a few people recommend this place to me. The line does move fairly fast and they have monthly themed drinks as well, which was a fun touch. There isn't much room to do anything other than stand in line to order and then stand in line to pick up. There are a lot of options to buy coffee and tea to take home, too. The coffee wasn't too sweet and the prices were very fair. The wait times weren't bad either for a late Saturday morning. Given a lot of big chain coffee shops, it's really nice to see this place succeeding and having such great coffee. Of course, as a Heated Rivalry fan, I had to get a themed drink. I went with the We didn't even kiss and my friend got I'm coming to the cottage. Both were SO GOOD! I'm glad I got a bigger size because it was so tasty. Can't wait to go back for more drinks! read more

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The line moves quick! I noticed the iced vanilla bean latte was super popular while waiting but since I'd already had coffee earlier I opted for a London Fog. They made it with Lavender Earl Grey and asked if I wanted extra Lavender Syrup. I opted out and it was still delicious! read more

Now that my husband and I are getting into teas, we figured it was finally time to stop by The Coffee & Tea Exchange. The experience was SO fun and filled with joy. Emma helped us find some incredible teas - offering great recommendations and letting us smell the different kinds of teas. It was such a unique experience, and we can't wait to come back! read more

The smell of fresh roasted coffee beans hits you as soon as you walk in. I grabbed a coffee to go and it was perfect -- strong, fresh, and smooth. It feels like a real, authentic coffee shop, not a generic chain. The prices are very reasonable ($) for the quality you get. Highly recommend if you appreciate good coffee! read more

Hands down a top-5 coffee shop in Chicago, easily. Friendly, knowledgeable staff that know everything coffee. Also one of the last great deals in coffee - you can get out of there with a coffee with milk and flavor for under $5. I literally don't know another place in the city you can do that! Highly recommend. read more

If you're looking for literally any and all flavors of tea, The Coffee & Tea Exchange is the place for you! This is truly where tea lovers unite. They have a lot of coffee, as well, but their tea is what takes over. I have seen flavors I've never even heard of before. They had pumpkin pie tea, apple cider tea, and seriously any and all kind of fruits and combinations. I wish I remembered more flavors but there was a TON! They had a special Halloween/October menu where I ordered a matcha latte that also had blackberry and another fruit in it. It was good, I'd try something different next time but it wasn't bad! The prices here were very reasonable, too. One thing about this business is it's a tight space with no seating inside. It was superrrr busy on a Saturday midday and there was a line that reached the door. There's lots of barrels with tea and products in the center of the store which takes up space; the line to order is on the right and then people wait on the left to get their drinks, but you can also purchase teas and other products on the left side too if you don't want to order a drink. I think this is why it gets a little cramped. The baristas were booked and busy, too, and they seemed a little understaffed. The staff was very nice, though! For how busy it was, it went by relatively fast. They had quality tea & coffee and tons of cute products like mugs and accessories. I would come again and try their tea! read more

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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. Service is fast and the store is kept clean and organized. read more

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I've always loved this place!! Friendly service, amazing products and they are really good at making suggestions!

lovely and cozy ambiance. Delicious coffee at a reasonable price, and attentive and knowledgeable staff. Also, the playlist in the store is fantastic! read more

I won't return. I was made to feel small and it wasn't unnecessary. A few words of explanation, a general sense of invitation-- would have made all the difference. I still spent over $100 but I won't again. Don't decide who's important. Just treat everyone the same. read more

can't comment on the quality of the products here (the teas looked lovely and abundant in variety!) because the customer service in this quaint store on a quiet day was bizarrely rude. I walked in on a Wednesday afternoon, and was the only customer in the store. I walked past two staff members who were talking to each other, neither of whom greeted me in any capacity or offered any sort of assistance. I came in here today for the first time looking for a specific herbal tea, but did not feel like wading through the bins myself in this quite tangibly unfriendly environment where I was actively being ignored. I'm all for cute little local shops and happy to pay extra to support the community instead of a big chain, but why is their customer service often so lacking? It almost seems like they are judgy on appearance and only want to interact with certain customers or with each other Perhaps you will have better luck than I had! read more

What a GREAT place! When I first stepped inside and saw the line, I considered turning around and leaving, but they get those drinks made QUICK! I noticed while standing is said line that they have a GREAT selection of flavored decaf coffees available which is NOT the norm. They also offer gift cards. And yeah, the coffee's good too! read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Decaf coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Drinks here are great! I really come for the beans themselves though as this location is really unmatched so far in selection and variety of whole coffee beans. The space is a bit tight inside, but the ambiance is lively and exciting, where everyone (employees included) seem happy to be there enjoying a shared passion for high quality tea and coffee. When I have friends in town who are big coffee/tea heads I love to bring them here as it's always a great experience. I wish I lived closer otherwise I'd probably be in here weekly to try every single origin bean I can. So far for my daily espresso I've been grinding their Steve's Blend which is nearly impossible to mess up when brewing and has a solid nutty, rich flavor with a great balance of bitterness and acidity at nearly any grind size. Their Mexican Chiappas is also a great bean for espresso and one of my mainstays. Keep up the great work! read more

Hands down one of the best coffee shops in Chicago. This spot consistently has awesome themed lattes, great coffee beans, and an incredible assortment of teas. All of the staff are very friendly, too. Would highly recommend. It is my absolute favorite! read more

This is my go to spot. I love their lavender lattes and matchas, but will always try something new! I continue to come back here and the staff is great! Pricing is good too read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Bury me here. I love this place so much- the girlies who work here are the best, the fun monthly themed menus are everything and the coffee is great. They also have a huge selection of coffee & teas which i don't buy but i do buy the syrups which they have an entire wall of with every flavor and they're at a good price too!! I always send people here, it's the best read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Pride month menu!! So fun - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was visiting chicago two weeks ago and this was one of my favorite stops. All the employees were so nice and seemed genuinely happy to be at work. I got a black lychee tea and it's amazing I drink it everyday! also the person that helped me was so sweet and cute I hope they're having an amazing day and next time i'm in chicago i WILL be back read more

This place was such an experience! The staff was super helpful and welcoming. Got 2 different kinds of beans based on my usual likes. Also picked up 5 different teas too. My friend and I enjoyed some cold brews which were strong and did the trick read more

This place is very unique and impressive as it has tons of fresh tea herbs and coffee beans of all different flavors. There is usually a long line on the weekends but it moves fast and the staff is super friendly. The chai latte is not very flavorful but all of their coffee lattes are great. The prices are moderate. The inside is very cool and full of crates with tea and coffee all around and you can ask for any mixture of flavors. I love the vibe of this place and they have cool merch for sale. read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - Inside - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place is a tea (and coffee) lover's dream. My friend brought me to this place and I was astounded at the varieties of teas, coffee beans, and syrups available. We went on a Saturday morning and the line was to the entrance, but it moved fairly quickly. Near where the line starts there is a menu to look at their drinks along with a blackboard at the front. I got one of their special drinks and my friend got a dirty chai and a 1/4 pound of beans, which all came out to be $15. So affordable!! I will be definitely be back, the place is beautiful and the staff were very nice! read more

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Eggnog Latte seekers!! This place has them!! There's no where else in Chicago with eggnog lattes. A Big Peppermint conspiracy? Nogflation? Who knows. And even here it almost seems like a secret they have eggnog lattes. The special seasonal menu doesn't mention them. You even have to spot the sign that sits away from the register where you order. But alas they are here and they are wonderful. This place is great the rest of the year too. A constant rotating menu of really fun lattes. But if you are a tea drinker this place looks like it delivers for you too. Whether you need coffee or tea for yourself or you're looking to gift something, you'll find it here. And someone will gladly walk you through the huge assortment of tea and coffee they have. Beware though. This isn't the type of place with seats to linger with your drink. And this place gets a bit packed during the weekends. It's tough to look around at that time too if you want to do some browsing. But the line moves quickly. If you want a delicious latte with care and variety you'll want to visit. read more

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This was my first visit back to CTX, since my now-deceased spouse fell ill. Still owned by a brother and sister. Still a warm and homey place. Still a wide variety of teas and coffee. Still a decaf mocha latte that is smooth and flavorful. But what caught my attention this visit was the way the staff handled the Saturday crowd. While one counter person was taking an order at the counter, another one quietly slipped out to take my order. Then they traded places, & my order taker became the one ringing me up. Kept the line moving. read more

I have never visited this store in person. However, my brother bought me 1/2 a pound of Lavender Earl Grey tea for Mother's Day and it was absolutely phenomenal. It lasted me 6 months. Because I was so delighted with the tea, I placed an online order for a pound each of English breakfast tea, Russian earl grey and earl grey crème. I would have ordered the lavender EG, however, it has not been available for the past year :( the English breakfast is my fave as it's versatile and the taste can be subtly changed by adding ginger, lemongrass, lavender and rose petals. I enjoyed the earl grey crème and I thought the Russian earl grey was too floral; enjoyable for a cup and not to sip throughout the day. The 3 lbs of tea has lasted me just over a year. And I am pretty excited to try out a new set of loose leaf tea for the upcoming year. Because of the coffee & tea exchange, I cannot go back to bagged tea or the local teas in California. I love having this tea shipped in! read more

I low key hate this place but will give them 2 stars for at least existing. However, it depresses me that this is the best a city as large as Chicago can do for tea drinkers (besides something like Spirit tea which is great but doesn't have a storefront). This is definitely not a place to buy high quality tea. For example, this would not be a place that you would go in to peruse a few types of quality oolong from different regions and select which one you wanted after talking with well-informed staff. It's a place that you would go in and get your 1 generic black tea or flavored tea of unknown origin and call it a day because you want tea and don't really care about more than the fact it's tea. As I said, I appreciate that this place exists as the only tea storefront in the city, but I do wish they had more.... respect for their products? I don't know. I have come in here very sparingly for about 15 years when I absolutely needed something ASAP, but I was spurred into finally writing a review after having a random taste for milk oolong and buying the lowest quality, most artificial disgusting butterscotch tea I have ever had the displeasure of tasting. read more

I came here a few weeks ago to try the Charli XCX inspired menu. I really enjoyed my time there--an excellent array of teas and coffees can be purchased here. The folks working here are really nice, too. My only complaints are that most of the syrup used for their in house drinks appear to be Torani, and I am not a huge fan of the brand, especially if I'm paying $6+ for a drink, and the area is not very accessible to people with mobility aids or service animals. It's a very cramped space, and while I know it can't be helped, I would feel very uncomfortable here with a service dog. Besides that, the teas and coffees are lovely, the ambiance is fantastic, and I will be back. read more

The Coffee & Tea Exchange - BRAT - key lime soda - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Chicago, Illinois