Forget Starbucks! When in Andersonville, head to a locally owned coffeehouse

Taste of Heaven's controversial sign;
courtesy of abcnews.com

Kopi Café has called Andersonville home for 17 years; Taste of Heaven joined the stalwart four years ago, when it relocated from its previous locale on West Foster; and the coffeehouse trifecta became complete this year with the opening of the The Coffee Studio. The best part? The three spots offer distinct amenities and vibes:

A Taste of Heaven

This corner coffeehouse/restaurant looks as innocent as they come, but it caused quite the controversy when it put up a sign reading 'Kids of all ages have to behave and use their indoor voices when they come to Taste of Heaven.' The story of the sign, which stemmed from a situation when the owner had to kick out a family because of rowdy kids, landed the cafe on the news show 20/20.   But even the sign, decked with colorful kiddie handprints, should speak to this shop’s sweetness. And so should its amazing scones—buttery mounds of blueberry-studded dough that are big enough to share. The décor has a country-kitsch feel, with a blue-and-white checkered floor, tin pie posters and hanging quilts. It serves Casteel Coffee from Evanston, and breakfast is available all day.

Kopi, A Traveler’s Café

Kopi’s hodgepodge environs channel the campus coffeehouse every co-ed dreams of—from the cozy nook in the picture window up front, where relaxed patrons sit on pillows with their legs tucked under a coffee table, to the display of goods for sale in the back. Grab a Lonely Planet travel guide, a scarf or a trinket, and then sit down on the wicker-like chairs to order off the mostly vegetarian menu. The coffee is top-notch, as are the teas, but if you really want a treat, opt for the fresh fruit and yogurt smoothies to pair with your panini or veggie burger. The crowd is a little bit boho and intellectual; though there’s no wifi, you’ll often find customers on their laptops, presumably rhapsodizing about their foreign travels or writing the next great American novel.

The Coffee Studio