“Little Italy” by Elysa Valeriano
Home to University of Illinois Chicago and neighboring one of the state’s most influential medical districts, Little Italy is quite a big deal! Despite less than 300 Italians reported in the 1870 U.S. Census, the following century saw a massive increase in Italian immigration. By 1900, over 16,000 Italians were reported living in Chicago and comprised about 72% of
Little Italy. Various mom-and-pop stores helped immigrant families create new jobs, connect with neighbors, and thrive in the new environment. Following the construction of UIC in the 1960s, the mass demolition of homes and increase in housing investors dramatically shifted the neighborhood’s demographic. Many Italian Americans still feel connected to the rich history of their community, though many younger college students are proud to call the neighborhood home as well (1). My good friend and I dedicated a day to explore Taylor Street, a popular strip lined with bustling cafes, unique restaurants, and delicious bakeries. Thank you Brian Wang for providing me with the opportunity to review twice as many products in this edition!
Two Shades Café
The first stop on our café crawl was Two Shades Café right on the corner of Racine Avenue and Taylor Street. According to their website, the café prioritizes fair wages for small farmers and supporting our natural environment (2). The shop was rather busy for an early Thursday afternoon and seemed to have a regular flow of customers. Despite visiting the shop at the end of March, they still had Valentine’s Day specialty drinks displayed on their menu—though not available for order. Warm-toned fairy and track lights provided cozy mood lighting that complimented the stunning hand-painted murals, charming exposed brick, and elegant seating. The noise volume was surprisingly controlled, and the music was played at a comfortable level that did not impair on concentration.
The menu had all the classic café beverages with fun spins on popular items, such as
flavored matcha blends and unique latte concoctions. After perusing their options, I
decided to go with a hot raspberry matcha latte and Brian chose an iced decaf oat milk
tiramisu latte. Finding tasty flavored matcha has proven difficult as many factors go into
creating the perfect cup: the syrup cannot be too strong, the powder must be high quality, and the preparation should not be rushed.
My matcha was the ideal temperature that allowed me to enjoy its flavor without scorching my tongue, and the sweetness balanced the tea’s earthy flavor. The raspberry syrup was lighter than expected and did not overwhelm the drink, creating the perfect beverage for a mellow spring day. The tiramisu latte had an even lighter flavor where Brian reported that he could not “really taste the tiramisu, so it just [tasted] like a sweet iced coffee.” Because of the decaf espresso used, I felt as if the coffee flavor was not as present as I had hoped, so the drink tasted more like a sweetened cinnamon milk if anything. Despite the mixed interpretations of the flavor pallet, the latte was still delicious and gone within minutes.
Gathers Tea Bar
Right across Racine from Two Shades Café is Gathers Tea Bar, one of the most popular boba shops in the area. Inspired by “other major cities with vibrant boba scenes,” founder Peter Li spent years taste testing, sourcing, and cultivating the perfect tea for his now wildly successful business (3). Gathers’s interior was a sharp contrast to Two Shades, where cool-toned lighting and minimalist décor fill the space. Due to the limited seating and absence of Wi-Fi, the shop was geared more towards grab-and-go service rather than an in- dining experience. Admittedly, this is the third time we have visited Gathers in the past week, though the three kiosks and well-staffed bar kept the wait time short with every visit. Having tried the ube-taro monster, Hong Kong-style milk tea, and matcha latte with kinako cream, we decided to mix up our usual orders.
Already familiar with their extensive menu, we took little time in deciding our beverages: Brian would try the banana milk while I ventured out of my comfort zone with the mint green Thai tea. The banana milk had a delicious milkshake consistency and was compared the taste to “drinking the milk after eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.”
Surprisingly, the milk was not overbearingly sweet and had a strong ripe banana flavor that made it addicting to drink. On the other hand, the mint green Thai tea had an acquired taste that I was on the fence about—I love traditional Thai tea, but the added mint flavor altered its taste too much for my own preference. While I thought the mint flavor was the forefront of the drink, Brian claimed that the mint was more subtle and sweet. Both of us agreed that the drink tasted familiar, but we could not pinpoint what it exactly resembled. Ultimately, we preferred the flavor of the other person’s drink and ended up switching our beverages shortly after taking the photo.
Tous Les Jours
Rather than stopping at another coffee or tea shop, we decided to visit Tous les Jours bakery for some mouthwatering pastries. Originating in South Korea in 1997, Tous les Jours established its American market in 2004 and has opened over 1,650 stores across the globe (4). I typically try to highlight smaller businesses with only a handful of shops, but I
simply could not resist the recent opening of Tous les Jours’s Little Italy location! Like Gathers’s interior, Tous les Jours had simple décor with beautiful splashes of yellow and green accents. All the pastries were neatly displayed in gorgeous glass cases and the cakes were arranged perfectly at the front of the bakery. Tall ceilings and white walls opened the space beautifully to give a light, airy feel. The shop was almost silent relative to the previous two cafes, and Brian claimed it was far less busy than their Chinatown location.
Tous les Jours had a variety of single-serve pastries, loafs of bread, and cakes that may be ordered by the slice or whole. To pair with their baked goods, the shop also offers basic espresso and tea drinks. Wanting a savory pastry to counterbalance the sweetness of the earlier drinks, I chose the sweet frank roll from the hot case and Brian purchased the curry
croquette from the general display. The sweet frank roll had an almost maple syrupy taste that paired well with the salted hotdog, and its breaded exterior was pleasantly fluffy. The herbed cheese crust on top was slightly crunchy and added the small boost of flavor needed to tie the pastry together. While the roll was warmed, both of us agreed that the croquette would have tasted better heated as well. The croquette tasted like a “savory brioche bun” that stuffed with potato and carrot curry. For around $3 a pastry, the quality and service were exceptional for the price.
Resources
(1) https://connecting4communities.org/our-community/little-italy/
(2) https://www.twoshadescafe.com/about-3
(3) https://www.gathersteabar.com/about
(4) https://www.worldcoffeeportal.com/Latest/News/2022/June/Promising-TOUS-les-
JOURS-sales-lays-foundation-for
About the Author
Elysa Valeriano (she/they) is double majoring in political science and economics. Elysa is a freshman and is excited to share their recommendations for local Chicago coffee shops with Honors students!
Hot off the French Press is an ongoing series by Elysa Valeriano in which she explores coffees shops in the Chicago area.
Leave a Reply