Ipsento is a hub for coffee culture in Chicago. It’s been around long enough to have developed a loyal following and become an institution in Bucktown (first established in 2006). Not only does it function as a community coffee shop, they also host events and workshops and classics so you can truly immerse yourself in coffee culture. They check all the boxes: in-house roasts for pretentious pourovers, a whole host of espresso drinks (including seasonal concoctions), nitro, and sandwiches named Bowie, Twain and Austen, because of course they would.
There are a lot of coffee shops in this part of town, but few get the crowds that Ipsento sees. Maybe it’s because they serve alcohol. The tables are pretty full with people plugged in and sipping on cardamom and rose lattes by day, and swapping fancy caffeinated brews and laptops for pretty cocktails and, well, human interaction.
the details
| Address | Western: 2035 N Western Ave, Chicago |
| Website | https://www.ipsento.com/ |
| Yelp | Western | 606 |
| @ipsento | |
| Hours | 7am to 6pm |
| Price | $$ – your standard third wave coffee prices, with most falling in the $3-6 range |
| Aesthetic | the 606 location is modern minimalist with industrial accents (beautiful copper ceilings), while the original Western location is a little more eccentric and colorful with its furnishings |
good to know
Go here for: a drink, of the caffeinated kind or alcoholic kind
Order this: a latte (perhaps with their special syrups) and an in-house made donut
Amount of time to spend: you’ll want to hang out for a while
When to come: if you’re coming to get some work done, earlier in the day. If you’re here to hang, then mid to late afternoon.
Getting here: the closest to station to both locations is Western on the blue line.
Other things to note:
- The 606 location moonlights as a bar, serving beer, wine, cocktails and bites after dark.
- They sell beans online too, by the bag or wholesale or through subscriptions.
Last visited: June 2019
Last updated: June 2020
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