The Coffee And Tea Exchange

I love loose leaf tea, and this place had so much variety to offer. When I described my preferences, they were quick to recommend a few flavors that would fit as well, which I very much appreciated. There is also a café inside that you can get drinks from, though there's nowhere to really sit inside the building. It's more of a grab and go option.

This is my favorite coffee shop in Chicago. The staff is warm, friendly, and efficient. I always order one of their monthly rotating specialty lattes and have enjoyed every single one. Their looseleaf teas are unique and flavorful. Prices are very fair for the high quality. Thank you CTX, you are a staple of our weekend walks!

This is my go to coffee/tea stop in the mornings. We come in three to four times a week and every time the service is A+. Everyone is so warm and friendly and somehow they even remember our order! What's not to love? I feel good about supporting a neighborhood place like this. They also have an insane selection of teas and coffees to take home and make yourself. I recommend the London Fog Latte or if you're picking up loose tea, I really like the cream earl grey or the Russian earl grey.

If I could give this place 500 stars I would. As someone who is not a coffee drinker (just never liked the taste) but LOVES tea, I’ve never been able to find any sort of coffee shop that offers more variety than 6ish tea bags. This place has everything!! The assortment of loose leaf teas is absolutely incredible and you can get any of them brewed at the shop, iced or hot. It’s become my go-to place any time I want to try something new and I’ve got about 8 different teas now sitting at my desk at work with another dozen at home. The prices are also fantastic! I can’t find loose leaf teas anywhere else (not that there are many places that even come close to the selection) that are this reasonably priced and they even have small 1 oz bags for smaller commitments. Cannot recommend this place enough to tea drinkers and the coffee variety is also amazing! Shoutout to the staff too, who are always super helpful and nice!

The Coffee & Tea Exchange has been roasting award winning beans from all over the world for over 3 decades in the Lakeview neighborhood. I’ve been getting my coffee here for that long and have never been disappointed. I LOVE all their beans! They roast onsite and you get premium taste every time! They have regular standby roasts and blends as well as epicurean mono varietals (the bean is single sourced from one plantation). You can even make your own custom blend/mix; anything goes here! They will gladly grind the beans fresh for you and have different grinds depending on your machine and taste pallet. I’m not a fan of flavored coffees but at C&TE I do love their toasted almond and hazelnut beans. They toast the nuts in with the beans so you get a real original flavor and not imitation. You actually see the nuts scattered in the bag amongst the beans. Prices are fair and the quality is excellent. They also have a huge selection of teas, accessories and gifts.

Forever my favorite coffee shop in Chicago. Astonishingly impressive selection of spices, teas and coffees from all over the world, with a true small business feel. They make expert level lattes that outshine any chain by a mile. The staff comes up with creative monthly latte specials, shown on a board in front, that follow a theme and have hilarious names. Perfect place for gifts and the prices are by weight, enabling you to try a variety of options. Be patient but the line moves quickly, plus the customer service and products are beyond worth it.