Who doesn’t like sipping coffee with their friends in an ultra-chic place? Walking into Handcraft Coffee Company at 300 S. Wells Ave., the entire space feels like an Instagram post. The aesthetic is clean, the shop is sleek, and the wooden barstools and big comfy armchairs make the place feel like a home away from home.
The best part? The steaming hot coffee and the short but sweet selection of sandwiches and pastries are served in adorable pink mugs and plates. Maybe I walked into Barbie’s Dream House without knowing it?
The coffee is divine, including cappuccinos, macchiatos, lattes, americanos, breves, flat whites, espressos and flavored lattes. There are also drip coffee, nitro brews and cold brews. And while that may sound like an impressive line-up, I haven’t even dived into the ways to customize drinks. Move over, Starbucks.
This time of year, warm cups of decaf vanilla americano or non-dairy lattes are heaven. I’m interested in warming myself from the inside out while exploring the list of flavor options, including every taste from caramel to banana mocha.
Blended coffees are available, for a morning or afternoon caffeine fix that feels a bit like dessert. Flavors include mocha, caramel, java chip, vanilla and matcha. Decaf coffee options are available too.
And, of course, there is tea, brewed, loose leaf or a classic London Fog. You can also ask for chai or a tea latte.
I highly recommended taking advantage of added flavors or milk alternatives (they offer soy, oat and almond milks).
The food is a simple menu of easy meals. Nothing is over-the-top, but there is a selection of pastries that includes everything from fruit turnovers—cherry on the day I visited—to homemade bear claws. Chocolate and butter croissants are eye-catching in the glass case, which shares space with grab-and-go snacks, including donuts from Mother of Macros.
For a savory breakfast, the best bet is a breakfast sandwich served on a toasted English muffin. Go vegetarian with egg and cheddar cheese, or add a meaty protein such as sausage, turkey or ham. Again, it’s a simple fix, warmed and delicious but simple in its presentation and taste.
The same can be said for the lunch items, including grilled cheese, turkey pesto, or a brie, fig and ham sandwich.o There are also bagels and a selection of fresh fruit smoothies.
Dine inside from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or come in on Saturday or Sunday from 7 a.m.-3 p.m.
While the indoor space is curated for luxurious comfort, there’s also a shared outdoor patio where one can sip coffee and enjoy breakfast surrounded by greenery right in the middle of it all on Wells Avenue.
