The best cafes in DeKalb

6 cafes we’ve checked and stand behind — with the story on each one. Not a ranking; a record.

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Cafes · 6 places · showing the latest additions first

Green Tomato Cafe is the low-key neighborhood go-to for from-scratch soups, stacked sandwiches, and bright salads that actually taste like…

3750 W Ogden Ave (Chicago)

Green Tomato Cafe is the low-key neighborhood go-to for from-scratch soups, stacked sandwiches, and bright salads that actually taste like someone cared. Add breakfast wraps, smoothies and shakes, plus a legit coffee bar and bakery, and your weekday lunch break just got interesting.

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Housed in a restored gospel record shop, New Sound Cafe pours good coffee with a mellow, soulful vibe, and all profits support neighborhood…

5958 W Lake St (Chicago)

Housed in a restored gospel record shop, New Sound Cafe pours good coffee with a mellow, soulful vibe, and all profits support neighborhood organizations. It’s the kind of spot that makes weekday catch-ups or quick solo resets feel meaningful, right on the edge of Oak Park.

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Craving more than your usual caffeine fix, A Cup Of Joe brings Pilsen-rooted vibes, creative specialty drinks, and a menu that actually…

6806 W Archer Ave (Chicago)

Craving more than your usual caffeine fix, A Cup Of Joe brings Pilsen-rooted vibes, creative specialty drinks, and a menu that actually feeds you... think cupcakes, soups, sandwiches, even Mexican street food. Independently Latino owned and big on community, it’s the cozy reset your week deserves.

From the Cicero newsletter, August 21, 2026

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Settle into the cat café lounge at The Catcade - Cat Cafe & Rescue and hang with adoptable snugglers while supporting a rescue that pulls…

624 W Belmont Ave (Chicago)

Settle into the cat café lounge at The Catcade - Cat Cafe & Rescue and hang with adoptable snugglers while supporting a rescue that pulls cats from tough situations. Low-key, cozy, and frankly therapeutic, it’s the midweek reset your brain deserves. Go get some whisker-fueled calm.

From the Chicago newsletter, August 5, 2026

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Tree House Cat Cafe brings the caffeine and the cuddles. Book a lounge visit to hang with a few adoptable FeLV-positive charmers, then grab…

7225 N Western Ave (Chicago)

Tree House Cat Cafe brings the caffeine and the cuddles. Book a lounge visit to hang with a few adoptable FeLV-positive charmers, then grab a quality brew and some perspective... a midweek reset that sticks to your sweater in the best way.

From the Evanston newsletter, August 20, 2026

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Luckycat is serving Chicago coffee with an Asian twist in Lakeview East, pouring Yunnan-sourced beans and creative sippers like black…

2806 N Clark St (Chicago)

Luckycat is serving Chicago coffee with an Asian twist in Lakeview East, pouring Yunnan-sourced beans and creative sippers like black sesame lattes, osmanthus-honey matcha, and Kyoto-style slow-drip cold brew. Swing by when you want something thoughtful, bright, and way more interesting than your usual.

From the Chicago newsletter, August 11, 2026

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