A few weeks ago, we discovered a new coffee shop in our neighborhood, Dropshot Coffee, and I absolutely fell in love with the space. I loved it so much I had to share an Instagram post on it right away. The first that that came to me was that it would be such a great place to meet friends for coffee dates.

There’s something about coffee shops. Well, I have a thing for coffee shops (ooh, I wonder if that hashtag is being used on social media yet). I love coffee shops, cafes, or whatever you want to call them because 1) I love to drink coffee and 2) they are great places to meet with my friends so we can catch up and 3) some cafes have the loveliest spaces (for pictures and to share on Instagram, of course).

Chicago has some really cool and beautiful coffee shops. I’m finally getting the chance share some places in Chicago  that I love to frequent with friends or just to enjoy a good cup of coffee. It was hard to narrow the list down to five coffee shops in Chicago so I plan to share more in the future. Here are my five current places for coffee and coffee dates in Chicago, not to mention they are my  current picks for “most Instagrammable coffee shops in Chicago”.

Dropshot Coffee & Snack Bar

312 W. Chestnut St.

Dropshot Coffee & Snack Bar is located in the lobby of the Fieldhouse Jones, a boutique hotel/hostel. Aside from the coffee, I love the space for its vintage decor and most importantly, a big seating area. Dropshot Coffee in Chicago also serves food (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). I really appreciate that they have a kids menu, which makes it a perfect place for a coffee date with Luke.

Sawada Coffee

112 N. Green Street

I have to admit, I never had a green tea latte until I tried one at Sawada Coffee and have been hooked ever since. I am obsessed with the Military Latte which has shots of espresso in it. The cafe is somewhat small but shares the space with Green Street Smoked meats, which is not open in the mornings. So there is plenty of space for even a coffee date of four. And did I mention, they also serve doughnuts from Doughnut Vault?

Heritage Bicycles and Coffee

2959 N. Lincoln

Heritage Bicycles and Coffee. What a great combination, huh? Bikes and coffee. They do go together. I mean you can drink your coffee while waiting for your bike to be repaired. This place welcomes you even if you don’t have a bike. The atmosphere is very laid back and the baristas are so good at what they do. We’ve had a few mom meetups here. The kids love it because they can watch the bikes being repaired. The mamas love it too. I especially love the lavender lattes.

H!Bar at the Robey Hotel

2022 W. North Avenue

I stumbled upon the H!Bar (aka the Hollander) in Wicker Park his past winter (when I had decided to give up coffee). Needless to say my friend really enjoyed her coffee. It is located in the lobby of the Robey Hotel. The warm tone of the space makes it a perfect place to sit back and enjoy a cup of coffee. I did go back here for my first cup of coffee after giving it up for lent.

The Allis at the Soho House

112 -125 N. Green Street

The Allis is my favorite place to meet friends for coffee and/or tea or brunch. It’s in the lobby of the Soho House hotel in the West Loop. This space is beautiful and very comfortable. I wish my living room looked like The Allis. This is the first place to pop in my head when out of town friends or in-town friends ask where to meet for coffee.