Hot off the French Press: Beverly

“Beverly” by Elysa Valeriano

History of Beverly

Beverly’s breathtaking architecture, grandiose lawns, and tree-lined streets often make residents forget that they live in a global city and not a small town. Originally a part of the village of Washington Heights, Beverly was annexed to Chicago in 1890 and was regarded by its citizens as Beverly Hills (Skerrett); while the origin of the name is still up for debate, many believe it is due to the neighborhood sitting on an elevated strip of land that was once a glacial lake island ten thousand years ago (“Beverly”). The neighborhood’s early settlers included white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, Irish Roman Catholics, and German Lutherans who gave way to the construction of countless churches and religious institutions throughout Beverly. After the post-World War II baby boom, Beverly saw a massive increase in population during the development of nearby southside communities, leading to new church growth and a larger African American community. However, blockbusting by real estate agents attempted to profit off the fear instilled in White homeowners that property value would decline as diversity increased, and constructions of cul-de-sacs and blockades aimed to prevent neighboring Black Chicagoans from entering residential areas. Despite the scare tactics and discriminatory practices used to keep the neighborhood homogenous, Beverly maintains its status as a racially integrated middle-class residential district (Skerrett).

Two Mile Coffee

Just beside the Rock Island Metra line is Two Mile Coffee, a lively shop perfect for a cool autumn day. Two Mile Coffee is a rather new family-owned café that opened its doors a little over five years ago, and its owners are looking into expanding their business too (“About Us”)! The shop seemed to have a sizable variety of seasonal beverages and signature drinks, though I decided on a classic iced chai latte with macadamia milk—an alternative milk delicacy I found that not many stores offer. The macadamia milk was a velvety consistency and did not water down my drink like many alternatives seem to do, though I would have preferred more chai concentrate to get a richer flavor that did not rely so heavily on the cinnamon sprinkled on top of it. I paired my drink with the 103rd, a mouthwatering chicken sandwich that was gone shortly after it came out. All their sandwiches are made-to-order in-store with crispy bread and fresh vegetables, making this one of the tastiest café sandwiches I have ever had! The homemade cilantro lime dressing complimented the smokiness of the pollo asado perfectly, and while I could not taste the cheese as much as I would have liked, the crunchy sea salt kettle chips made up for it tenfold.

What initially caught my eye walking into Two Mile Coffee was the seemingly two different commercial spaces merged into one coffee shop; the left half of the café was painted in black paint and housed the coffee bar while the right side was illuminated with white paint and plenty of sunlight. Each space of the shop had its own entry door and gave its customers the option to work in a bright or moody setting, and as someone who changes their preferences often, I appreciated the two options! I enjoyed my meal basking in the autumn sun surrounded by abstract art and contemporary paintings, though I recommend sitting in the darker area of the café if you need to focus as groups of people seemed to socialize in the lighter area. Their high-speed free Wi-Fi and tranquil scene outside the store’s windows made it a comfortable place to spend a few hours working in.

Beverly Bakery and Café

The cutest family-owned business I have ever seen, Beverly Bakery and Café is a quaint little shop right on Western and 105th. The café was founded in 2005 by the Quigley family and has maintained its status as one of the friendliest shops down in Beverly (“About Our Family”)! From fluffy pancakes to flavorful pot pies to bags of roasted coffee beans, Beverly
Bakery and Café sells a variety of delicious pastries and meals at a more than affordable price. Stopping in early on a Saturday morning, I settled on a fresh cup of hot coffee—with cream and sugar of course—and an appealing pumpkin muffin from their wide array of baked goods. Standing out from most of the other coffee shops I have been to was the
exceptional table service they provided for dine-in customers! I was originally worried about the rather small cup of coffee I received in my initial order, but the staff checked in often to ask if I needed a refill at no additional cost! To top off my experience, the pumpkin muffin was moist and simply delectable.

While the name of the business states it is a bakery and café, I would almost classify it as a diner with its layout and service. Between the menus on every table, routine check-ins by the staff, and abundance of fully cooked meals, the shop had a similar vibe to a sit-down restaurant one could visit with their family; I found it awkward to work on my laptop with
this type of atmosphere, but being able to quietly enjoy my morning allowed me to appreciate the bakery even more. Regardless, the staff were beyond welcoming and seemed to know many of the customers personally! The store had a nostalgic feeling to it with its smell of warm pastries and quiet chatter among patrons and waiters. Overall, this may not be the ideal spot to work on a large device, but I would absolutely try their take-and-bake pot pie—I heard it was tasty!

Afro Joe’s Coffee and Tea

Tucked away near Two Mile Coffee was by far my favorite coffee shop in this edition: Afro Joe’s Coffee and Tea. Originally based in Auburn-Gresham before relocating to Beverly, the café is owned by Aisha and Kendall Griffin who advocate for children’s literacy, supporting artists, and Black maternal health; the store often partners with other organizations to
educate the community about minority healthcare discrimination and provide maternal-based support programs (Washington). Their rotating seasonal menu and attractive sandwiches provided options for virtually everybody, though I ended up ordering a yuzu peach green tea with honey and lemon, as well as a butter croissant later during my stay.
The honey and peach gave the tea a pleasant flavor without being overwhelmingly sweet, while the lemon balanced out the taste perfectly. The croissant was massive with a flaky exterior and soft inside, though the atmosphere was the prime selling point for this coffee shop.

I have never been to a coffee shop where everyone seemed to know one another! Aside from the usual regular and barista interaction, a vast majority of customers interacted with each other as if they were lifelong friends. Shortly after receiving my tea and grabbing a seat to start writing my review, a patron struck up a conversation with me that lasted over two
hours; time seemed to fly by as I met various small business owners, university students, community members, and even a DePaul alumni! They told me all about new restaurants opening nearby, the historical background of Givins Castle, and absurd neighbor stories. The co-owner himself even stopped by our table to ask about our experience and chat it up with my new acquaintances! Beautiful artwork of historical Black figures painted by local artists were displayed near huge garage-style windows that let in plenty of natural sunlight. All around patrons laughed and workers smiled as upbeat music played throughout the store. So while it may be difficult to focus on schoolwork here, it was a fantastic way to
connect with the community and learn about the wonders of Beverly.

Works Cited

“About Our Family.” Beverly Bakery & Cafe, http://www.beverlycoffeeroasters.com/about-cont. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

“About Us.” Two Mile Coffee, http://www.twomilecoffee.com/about-us. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

“Beverly.” WTTW Chicago, interactive.wttw.com/southside/far-southwest/beverly. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Skerrett, Ellen. “Beverly.” Encyclopedia of Chicago, 2005, http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/134.html. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

Washington, NaBeela. “How Coffee Shop Owner Aisha Griffin Is Brewing Change on the South Side in Black Maternal Health.” The Tribe, 26 Mar. 2024, thetriibe.com/2024/03/afrojoes-coffee-tea-and-black-maternal-health-on-chicagos-south-side/. Accessed 2 Nov. 2024.

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Hot off the French Press is an ongoing series by Elysa Valeriano in which she explores coffees shops in the Chicago area.