FAT MIILK COFFEE

A Pandemic-Born Vietnamese Coffee Brand to Open Its First Cafe in Chicago | Eater Chicago

"I found that Fat Miilk began as a mail-order Vietnamese coffee brand in September 2020 during the pandemic and will open its first permanent cafe in Chicago’s Uptown at 5018 N. Broadway before Thanksgiving (scheduled for October or November). Rooted in Vietnam’s coffee culture, owner Lan Ho sources robusta beans directly from specialty farmers to highlight a bold, nutty, chocolate profile often dismissed in the U.S., and the brand distinguished itself through well-attended pop-ups—especially in Uptown—where residents would travel across the city for phin-brewed slow-drip coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk and for hands-on education about the brewing and presentation. Ho chose the location because of the longstanding community of Vietnamese-owned restaurants and an active board of commerce, and she plans service that resembles a cocktail bar, with baristas approaching customers, handheld ordering devices, and a prominent phin brewing station visible through a large window; the 1,900-square-foot space will dedicate only 500–600 square feet to the storefront and will include a commissary and test kitchen in the area formerly occupied by T’oui Macaron and Patisserie. If the cafe is successful, Ho envisions measured expansion with Uptown as the Chicago flagship." - Naomi Waxman