Coffee Lab in Evanston connecting coffee and culture
EVANSTON, Ill. (CBS) -- Coffee Lab in north suburban Evanston is serving more than coffee and pastries.
The specialty coffee shop on Noyes Street, near Northwestern University, focuses on community.
"It really is a safe space that people feel comfortable in," co-owner Jay Kim said. "It's the best, it's the best."
And that's just the vibe co-owners and best friends Kim and Daniel Quino want.
"We definitely use our business as kind of a platform to connect with the wider Evanston community," Kim said.
They help the community connect with other cultures, including their own. One of the ways is through their food.
They offer international coffee blends found all around the world, from Indonesia to Evanston, and incorporate special drinks inspired by favors from their childhood.
Their coffee is freshly roasted every week.
And what would great coffee be without great pastries? The pastries even have an Asian flare.
"We have two pastry chefs that bake our pastries; one of em specializes in Filipino pastries, the other specializes in Korean and Japanese pastries," Quino said.
During the pandemic the owners extended their village to local artists, removing seating for health reasons, but opening a gallery.*
"The artists were struggling as well during the early parts of the pandemic, so we wanted to offer the space we have to display their art," Kim said.
It led to a gallery about a mile away, to showcase coffee and art. A true community blend.
"I would say they both bring life to people, and they're both very therapeutic," Quino said.
Visit Coffee Lab at 910 Noyes St., near the CTA Purple Line and a little west of the Northwestern University campus.
