Botanical Cafe

Cozy neighborhood spot with great coffee, pastries, food, and atmosphere. Come for a latte, leave with some plants. Staff were super friendly, service was quick and the shop itself had a lot of great decor and feel to it on top of the plants for sale. Definitely worth stopping in!

Adorable coffee and plant shop with delicious pastries. So cozy with all the plants that I ended up staying for lunch and getting the tasty buffalo chicken salad. Excellent coffee and reasonable prices, I'd be here every other day if I lived in the area!

Easily one of my favorite places to go! I bring my laptop here and work for hours in the welcoming, safe, and bright atmosphere. I love to recommend this spot to friends and often try to set up coffee meetings to be here!

This shop is great! They’re so friendly and welcoming. When I had a question about their hours, they were quick to respond (and funny). Every coffee I’ve had there has been 5/5. The folks at the counter were so sweet to my blind dog and came around the counter to give him a pup cup. Bonus: lots of free oxygen from all the plants. Also, a good selection of house plants and directions for care.

First time here and I'm in love. Always tell my partner we will have a rainforest in our home. Botanical Cafe is setting the standard for that. Staff was very friendly and I met a friend from HS I'd not seen since 2010 here today. Wish I hadn't ate before coming, I'll be back with my partner soon. Botanical Cafe NEVER change (unless you are adding more plants <3)

Ive been to this coffee shop numerous times. The service has always been welcoming, respectful, and kind. I think it’s so cool that there are plants everywhere for purchase. I’ve also appreciated how they raise money for different philanthropic causes. Keep up the great work!

Botanical Cafe is hands down my favorite spot in Chicago! Delicious food and drink, super friendly staff, and a clean and welcoming environment. And not to mention - the gorgeous plants! I've been frequenting for the past 4 years and have never had a bad experience. No one does it like Botanical.

Adorable spot and well priced latte! Loved how welcoming the location and staff was. The plants make a very cozy atmosphere and the space is beautifully decorated. I love Pandan and loved their Pandan latte! Would recommend as a place to go chat with a friend :).

I love this spot. It is so cute and the staff is very friendly. The teas and sandwiches are really tasty. The plants are the best part

Admittedly I'm the only millennial not obsessed with plants, so I haven't made it a point to stop by this shop. What a mistake on my part!!! With Boss's Day coming up, I wanted to get a cute little plant for my boss. Naturally I thought of Botanical Cafe. When I walked in I was expecting a jungle, but it was actually contained. The space is bright and open with various seating options - small tables, a larger table, a bar area, and a comfy couch area. The bakery case immediately caught my eye with cinnamon rolls as big as my head, plus a variety of scones and croissants. Be still my heart! I also was eyeing the seasonal drink menu but HAD to get the Purple People Eater: ube, pistachio, and white chocolate. Sooooooo delicious. The staff couldn't have been sweeter!!! They made recommendations for me and together we picked out a great little desk buddy plant. They repotted it for me and bagged it up. They were so friendly and kind! Even as a self proclaimed non-plant-lady, I will be returning again and again to Botanical Cafe, and I recommend you check it out, too!

There's nothing better than plants and coffee, am I right? I love the vibe here and it's a great place to work/study + they have free wifi. I love the rotation of speciality drinks and the staff is super friendly. I got their Irish cold brew to be festive and it's pretty good but I wasn't super impressed with their turkey BLT. It was described to me as having a bacon jam and it just tasted like chopped up bacon to me. I spent $22 for a sandwich and a coffee which isn't bad. I'd come back since it's pretty close by but probably just for coffee.

I loved this little plant shop x cafe in North Center / West Lakeview. I used to live around this area and was familiar with the Trader Joe's plaza across the street, and was very happy to come back to the neighborhood and meet up with a friend for lunch. We sat outside on their patio at a small round table. There are small outdoor tables for maybe 3-4 small group of two to three people, so it's best for smaller groups if you want to sit outside. If you order food at the cashier and mention it's for dining in, they will hand you a metal stand with a number/marker so the staff can bring your food/drinks to you. There is wifi for working (and clear signs that wifi is for paying customers only) so if you need a spot to do some work on your laptop etc, you should be set with wifi. ORDER: * iced pumpkin pie latté with oak milk * turkey blt on white bread * pandan cookie by salamat! cookies I ordered an espresso drink from their seasonal menu (iced pumpkin pie latte) and they make all of their drinks hot or iced from the seasonal list. There are plenty of fall-inspired non-caffeine options too like ciders and lemonades. Botanical Café offers all the typical non-dairy milks of choice (almond, oat, soy, etc) with milk as their default. I chose oat; and my drink did not have much pumpkin flavor, but it had plenty of cinnamon and was perfect to sip on outside. I also ordered a Turkey BLT on white and snagged a pandan cookie made by "salamat!" I loved that they had Filipino flavors for dessert. The flavor of the cookie was called: "Buko Pan-Dayumm!" and it was so fun to try, packed with toaster coconut and white chocolate chips, and a subtle pandan flavor. The bread on the sandwich tasted homemade (such a treat!) and I loved how you could also shop for plants since it's a plant store - cafe combo. I love the concept and would come back here again if I were ever in the area. I love that it's locally owned and the staff was so nice! I gave it four stars since I went "all out" on an espresso drink, sandwich, and cookie, that rang up to be about $30 with tax and tip. It was a little pricier and more than i would anticipate for a cafe, but then again I was having a sit-down meal instead of a quick coffee and pastry on-the-go. We still bused our own table afterwards, but just a head ups if anyone is going to dine in here. It was worth it because everything was tasty and in any case, everything goes towards supporting a local business! I'm on IG: @gratuitousgourmande

Cutest little cafe! I love that you can buy plants here and the space is very homey. I ordered the gingerbread tea latte and my partner got the toffee nut latte. We both got stuffed croissants (goat cheese & herb and ham & cheese). Both were amazing and HUGE! The service was great and we hear they have seasonal latte flights so we want to come back for that. It's also fairly easy to find parking on the side streets.

Coffee and plants Peace full place I love the cappuchino. I try the croissant, great place sourround of good people and plants Earrings and pottery litle pricy

Such a cute shop. I went with a simple autumn tea and it was great! Can't wait to come back and try more of their specialty items

The cafe itself and kind employees are the selling point - to be honest I haven't had any drinks here that have blown my mind but I love the veggie bagel and my roommate is a big fan of the cold brew! Cute place to chill and study or work.

Any time my boyfriend and I visit Chicago we love to try out a new coffee shop. We were staying in an airbnb on Roscoe St & this was just a 15 minute walk away through a quiet neighborhood. My boyfriend ordered one of the specialty drinks, an iced s'mores latte & I ordered an iced french madeleine latte with oat milk. I came back the next day to order the same drink because it was so good. Baristas were super friendly and patient with me because I was very indecisive on what to order. The donut was sooooooo good and I also tried their vegan chocolate chip muffin (also amazing). On top of that the cafe/restroom was very clean.

Just stopped by for a latte after going to Trader Joe. Chill vibe, great atmosphere and people. Throw in some plants, what's not to love. I got the cookie craze latte. Surprising good without being to sweet.

I stopped in for a cup of coffee, and stayed for lunch. I got their S'mores iced coffee, and it was divine. I'm a sucker for croissants, and they had two that couldn't be passed up: a ham and cheese croissant and a goat cheese croissant. Neither disappointed. They also had an assortment of cookies: Pandan, Ube, and Pecan. Now, I know about Pandan and Ube from traveling in Asia, but I suppose most of their(Botanical Cafe's) market doesn't--and it was nice to see a mini-poster describing what the two are. I suppose their philosophy was that "if you don't know what a pecan is, we can't help you"--which I found amusing, yet not disagreeable. Anywho. The Pandan cookie was green and divine and, despite being half the size of my head, was gone within 2 minutes. Would definitely return here again. Thanks for a great experience!

I was looking for some new plant varietals and came across Botanical Cafe. The plants are priced on the higher end than most but I randomly ended up talking with the owner who said they get their plants from a local nursery. So for that, I will support paying a little more. During my visit I didn't grab any food or drinks but on my next visit will consider doing so. I found the idea of selling plants and food in the same place to be a neat one. For some people who visit Botantical Cafe for the first time just for food or drinks might not be aware that the plants are actually for sale rather than just being a part of the background.

Love this place just across from Trader Joe's. I always see it when I'm getting groceries and the plants in the window always catch my eye. I'm so glad I stopped in last week bc the food and the coffee were so good! I was shook by the prices bc I got a coffee for under $3 and the servers were kind. They have tons of different plants, great big windows for good vibes, and lots of seating so you can be social or tucked away depending on your mission. I would def take a friend or a family member here :)

I came into botanical on a Friday with my best friend so we could grab a light bite to eat and some tea while we waited for our dinner reservation elsewhere later in the evening.. The staff is approachable, service is quick, and they do a great job explaining all the items on the menu. For example, prior to ordering my gingerbread latte the man behind the counter made sure to let me know that it wasn't caffeinated, which I think was very kind of him. The grilled cheese sandwich was delicious by the way! I'd never had pickles in one before and now I think that's how I'll be making them at home going forward. When you enter into the cafe there's plenty of seating and so many plants! I can see this place being packed if you're going at a busier time, so eventually they may need to consider a slightly larger space. I plan to come back soon and can't wait to see what else they have to offer.

Got a mango mojito it was good. Just the right amount of sweet and the seltzer water not overpowering. Everyone at the counter was really nice and personable. Even mid day during the week it was pretty busy. It would be a good place to work at.

Nice coffee spot on the north side. Place is small and super nice inside. They offer a lot of different drinks and coffee options. The workers provided great service and helped with any questions we had. Would definitely recommend to just grab a coffee and chill out.

I moved 2 blocks away from this place 5 months ago and had yet to come here until today ANNNDD now it's dangerous haha great drip coffee and if you get it for dine-in then you get one refill for no extra charge. I also had a blueberry lemon scone which was delicious I'll definitely be back soon. And don't even get me started on all the beautiful plants !!

Went with my family and we were looking at the menu about to order and my cousin had got Starbucks prior to us walking in and she had one sip left, the lady watched as we walked in and didn't say anything until about 5 min later with attitude she instructed her to leave the café because it was an outside drink, I have never experienced that before.

I love plants and camping out at coffee shops with my laptop; this place satisfied both of those! The iced latte was great, but the ham and cheese croissant sandwich was no more than average.

I stop here often and the staff is always pleasant. Very consistent with still wearing their masks regardless of the city mandate. I've gotten all of my plants from here and they are still healthy and growing. Staff is very knowledgeable about their plants and take very good care of them. Coffee and food has always been satisfactory too. Winter warm-up sandwich is my favorite, really wish it were a permanent menu item.

My wife and I have been coming here for several years now and it is one of our favorite places in the neighborhood. They have high quality drinks and food. The salads and sandwiches are made from hand and the baked goods are from west town, which are really good as well. It is easy to order online for pick up or walk-in. The staff is extremely friendly and easy going and the atmosphere inside is great. It is kid friendly (not a day care but if the kids know how to behave in public, this is a nice spot). I highly recommend this place to visit for anyone in the neighborhood!

Lovely cafe I stumbled upon during a business trip. The staff was friendly and welcoming. I had the matcha latte which had a smooth and sweet taste. Highly recommend this place.

This is a lovely cafe and I have had very pleasant experiences in the past and recommend the cafe very often. Today was not the case (although the iced melon tea was delicious) and I will not go back, will not recommend, and have called family and friends to ask them to stop going there. Extremely rude manager as well as both associates behind the counter - I was a paying customer!!!! I bought an iced tea and my friend purchased a drink and a sandwich - spend $17. Because of dietary restrictions, I brought my own yogurt from home . The manager said since we sell food you can't bring in your own. I told him my situation and thought we were good - far from it - he approached me again - this time quite rude. It would be different if I did not order anything. I have gone to many Cafe all over the city and brought a small yogurt with me and there has never been an issue. The manager said something about it being illegal from the health department and what I found on line was this: "It's not illegal but a restaurant can ask you to stop eating your food." And Botanical Cafe decided to give a paying customer a very uncomfortable experience. I also found this: The American Disabilities Act clearly stats that if this is a working meal that said person can bring their own food if it is due to an allergy or auto immune disease that is protected by the ADA. Places of public accommodation that have policies prohibiting customers from bringing in outside food may need to make modifications to allow allergic individuals equal access and take steps to ensure individuals with a disability are not excluded from participation and access. See 42 U.S.C. §12181(b)(2).

Charming plant shop and cafe with surprisingly good food. They have seating for probably 25-30, with many people camped out working on their laptops amid the plants (what a lovely work space!). Most tables seat two, so I wouldn't bring a huge group. I ordered the Winter Warm Up sandwich and it was delicious - warmed ciabatta, chicken, onions, greens, and a delightful fruity jam. It was filling and truly what I needed on a cold day. The hot chocolate flavored tea was also delicious, and they graciously provided a hot water refill for a second filling. On Mondays and Fridays they also sell kolaches (think Texas-style bao) which were also delicious - I particularly loved the chorizo special. I'd definitely make this a regular hangout/working spot if I lived in the area!

Everyone working there was so nice and the food was amazing. My friend and I split the grilled cheese and the Tomozz. Both were great! Will definitely be going again!

such a great concept ,having a great space to have coffee and buy plants . There is ample seating and the music is nice and most importantly the coffee is strong . Easy street parking Great wifi Really good bagels I have had their cold brew and it is smooth and not bitter . The matcha is also delicious and so are their lattes .

It seems like cafes are the popping up in this city faster than I can try them! Located right across from the Trader Joes in Lakeview, Botanical Cafe is a unique spot that is part plant shop, part coffee shop. I don't know much about plants, but they've got a ton, and more than a few that I would bring home if I had the space. A nice variety of drink options - we had an iced coffee and a tea. Both were enjoyable, but not necessarily anything I couldn't get anywhere else for a lesser price. Still, an easy one-two stop next time I'm at Trader Joes.

Such a cute cafe and a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. The vibe in here is amazing - every inch of free space is covered in plants that you can purchase or just enjoy. The owners themselves were working behind the counter making everything from scratch. Like, chopping up carrots for every individual salad order and slicing thick mozzarella for my sandwich. I had the Tomato Moz sandwich on fresh bread - delicious and super filling. I am definitely coming back to try the grilled cheese with jalapeño cheddar and pickles. I just wish they served soup to go with it! My only complaint is there is very limited seating, so I unfortunately had to take my lunch to go rather than stay and enjoy the botanicals. But I will definitely be back for the food!

Such a welcomed retreat from the city hustle. Love being surrounded by the plants. Have loved everything I've ordered so far. Pastries are sourced locally and the sandwiches I've had have been great. I've tried hot, iced, blended coffees, tea, and lemonade and all have been awesome. Greatly appreciate all the steps they took to keep their employees, guests, and community safe during covid. The owners maintain a standard of how their staff should be treated (which I think more businesses should take note of) and will tell you like it is if you are disrespecting their staff, space, or plants. Be cautious because they make keeping plants alive look effortless and you will be inspired to get a new one every time you go.

This is such a cute place! My friend found it on Chicago Bucketlist Cafe!!! I had the Ginger Dream Tea Latte!!!

I was so sad that there was no cafe by me anymore and then I down the street and find a new café is open. So me and my friend go in and we try and it's so cute. I love it so much. I totally recommend it. The food is amazing. All the workers are super nice and they work so hard. The plants are so cute. I might even buy one they have candles pots and it's a dream café for me, so if you're looking for a new café or new place to go to, go here botanical Café. They also have a cute seating arrangement so you can work there during the day me and my friend got the Italian soda it is amazing. I will definitely be going back soon.

We always pass this place when we go to trader joe decided to stop by after shopping. Cute and cozy atmosphere. They have outside seating (limited). I got the matcha (house blend) so it turns blue mixed with coconut milk. My husband got the cold brew with oat milk. They had a bunch of cute plant to purchase inside. Will definitely be back to purchase some plants in the summer!

Finally popped in yesterday after eyeing this cafe for awhile. To start, I didn't feel warmly welcomed, the guy working at the register was pretty cold. I was then bummed to see that there are no pastries offered on Mondays. I chose a prepackaged dessert instead to satisfy my sweet tooth. I enjoyed walking around looking at the plants offered while my Harvest tea latte was being made... Picked a seat on the patio, the tea was ok, the dessert tasted like it had old pecans on it. Went back inside to use the restroom and they said I can go across the street to use one of the other business toilets! How do you not offer a the bathroom to your customers? Because of the cold cashier and no bathroom, I won't be back.

I will keep this short and sweet. We got the coffee flight with seasonal drinks and personally I was not a fan of the tea, but I was just trying something I hadn't had before. The normal coffee was a good cup of coffee and the breakfast food was pretty good as well. It's a cute space that's a nice place to enjoy a peaceful breakfast.

It pains me to review local cafes like this so poorly as these have potential to give so much character to our neighborhood. I give them a 3 stars because when Botanical Cafe is available to order from, they offer a killer product and a neat atmosphere. It's just hard to come by- there's always a road block that prevents us from ordering from here. They seem to be closed during normal hours, they at times require people to order food through the Joe app, the Joe app is either down or they're not accepting orders from Joe, or most often than not they are out of an item that prevents us from ordering what we want. We've been here maybe 8-10 times and maybe twice have we been able to order everything we wanted. Then there's the mask rule. The ban has been far from lifted (its July 2022) and although they allow people to sit/socialize with their masks off, you cannot walk in and quickly grab food without getting attitude for not having a mask. I personally don't see the logic. Oh then there's there general friendliness, they're not the most pleasant people. Kinda like Ray from the show Girls running a coffee shop. Maybe that's their appeal? All in all, could be an excellent establishment if managed properly.

A bright spot full of luscious plants, delicious coffee, a great tea selection, and a case of yummy pastries. A really comfy place to work and I don't feel winter as much surrounded by all this light and plants, so a great place to get your vitamin D while you work :) I didn't try any of the sandwiches or the more substantial food options they offer, but you better believe I'll be back for them.

JanuFeb can be rough. Between the frigid temps and gloomy skies (plus potholes and icy sidewalks), it's hard to shake off those winter blues. You know what helps? Indoor plants. So having a coffee shop in Chiberia that also doubles as a plant shop is a total godsend. Not only does it help with S.A.D., studies show that plants also help improve productivity and concentration ;) If you're coming here to do work, they have outlets and reliable WiFi (must purchase something). I wanted a latte to sip on while I was there and was told that I must order at least 16oz if it's "for here"). Ordered that plus a chocolate donut from West Town Bakery. The donut was so good we wanted a 2nd one... but we waited too late and another couple snatched it up (insert crying emoji). The plants are available for purchase with succulents priced at $4 and medium-sized plants starting at around $7? Bigger plants are also on display. There's free street parking right outside along Lincoln Ave!

First time in but definitely not the last! The staff were so friendly and kind and made the ordering process super easy. Their syrup selection is huge -- my friend and I got the French Madeleine in our lattes and it was exactly what we didn't know we needed! Pastries are fresh and flaky via West Town and they have Cinnamon Croissants on Sundays that are to die for. I would've snapped a picture but it was admittedly gone before we got home! They're taking a wide range of COVID precautions including masks for all staff, signage that tells you to only touch the plants if you intend on buying them, and hand sanitizer throughout! TL;DR -- I didn't know how I missed this place before but it's absolutely going to become our Sunday spot!

Cute coffee shop + plant shop. I ordered the s'mores latte and it was great - there's quite a few syrup options to choose from for a latte. There's not much options for breakfast foods, but they do have some lunch options. No indoor seating when I went, but they had some tables outside.

Great cafe! Met the owner, she was awesome. Clearly a welcome addition to this corner of North Center-- it was packed midday. Couldn't get a seat, so I took my latte and sandwich to go. It's a bright and lovely space that I enjoyed wandering- the plants are healthy and their variety is nice! I thought the pricing overall was very affordable- both for food and plants! My chai latte and BLT sandwich were both very good. My only feedback would be to possibly consider adding a wingback or comfy chair and side table to the rear portion of the space for just a littleeeee but more seating. Looking forward to returning. PS- the people who wrote the earlier reviews honestly seem cranky to me. Unfair reviews based on my experience and what I viewed.

Awesome bagel egg sandwiches! I deduct one star because there is no table inside and I need an outlet to plug in my laptop for work so I place my laptop on low battery on a cart. One of the workers came and took it away WHILE I was in a business meeting (on Zoom). I thought that was very rude but won't subtract another star because they do have outdoor seatings (no outlet, though) and their bagels were very good.

Best almond milk latte ever! Super creamy, well-balanced, and rich. The vibe is adorable, the plants are cute, and the whole concept is wonderful. I also liked their local artist section, and ability to support small businesses and creators.

Super friendly staff, space filled with beautiful plants. Just a lovely place to peruse and pick up a coffee, even if you're boring like me and don't get fancy lattes. :)

Super nice folks at the counter, great selection of plants, good coffee, and tasty sandwiches. It's Trader-Joes-neighborhood prices, but their fun drinks are worth it. Try the sandwich on toasted focaccia! Plus a big ups to the barista who let me in while I was on rollerskates that one time. :)

Appreciated their dedication to the mask mandate, which made it possible for me to spend time in their lovely space. Staff was great and loved being surrounded by plants. Will definitely be back.

Me and my husband got food poisoning after eating there today. We both had the ham & cheddar sandwich and it was awful, only ate 1/4 of it and had to throw away. Ordered a hot Chai Latte and it was room temperature and to add to the unpleasant experience there was no seating available either.

Walking into this cafe reminds me of walking into a little slice of greenery heaven. I love the mix of coffee and plant aroma in the air. The coffee is delicious and the botanical matcha is a work of art. Love having this local business nearby!

Soooooo cute! The baristas were very friendly and very helpful! I went with a friend who had recently gotten their tongue pierced and so could not have citrus or hot drinks. The barista who helped us gave a GREAT recommendation for a very tasty iced tea. I got a violet iced latte and it was super interesting and delicious. I love how many floral syrups they offer, it really drives the theme home! The scones are VERY strong, but in a good way. The plant shop side offers a great selection for how small it is. Not all the plants were doing fantastic, but that's to be expected anywhere really. It was busy when we went(on a Wednesday, around 11am) and we got the last open table. The music was mostly aughts indie hits, which was well-suited for this place.

such a cute place! matcha and snacks were pretty cheap and yummy! I'm a big matcha fan and this is the best one I've found in the city so far. Their house lavender is so good.

I was excited to see this concept come to such an awesome corner of North Center. I've been to the Botanical Cafe a couple of times now with my plant loving friends and was hoping to make this place a regular stop for me. The first two times I went I had a normal experience--good coffee and I even purchased a bunch of their plant stickers. However, I went in this last Sunday with a friend and while we waited in line we poked through the stickers they have up by the register but since I had already bought 4 of them the last time I was there I put them down. My friend ordered her coffee and as we walked around to wait for her drink the owner immediately came up to me and sternly asked, "Excuse me, can you empty your pockets. I just saw on my camera that you just stole a sticker." I obliged, emptied my pockets and showed her that I hadn't. She let me go and my friend and I went to sit down. 10 minutes pass and she comes over to thank me for being so willing to empty my pockets and prove that I hadn't stolen one of the stickers, which still felt accusatory and not much like an apology. She shared that their had been thefts of pots earlier in the week which caused her to be overly cautious. I'm disheartened that an assumption was made the way it was and ultimately, was handled brashly-- I left feeling unsettled and unwelcomed. I wholeheartedly hope that this is an isolated incident but I thought I'd share in case it isn't. P.S. Stop stealing from small businesses. It ruins the experience for actual patrons.