Nabala Cafe

I came here for the first time about a month ago for my birthday! Had a latte, a croissant, and a donut, all were super tasty!! The atmosphere was great. Smiles, everyone was friendly, and the person that checked us out on the counter was super nice and kept joking with me and my partner when we ordered the croissant (QUASSOONNN!) You don’t always find friendly people like that, and I appreciate that the staff was so nice!

The rainy July 4th morning has brought me here; get my feb decaf iced latte; trying to work a bit but mostly chilling. Nabala got everything for me- feb coffees, comfort atmosphere, soothing music! This a very friendly and welcoming place I often come. If you are around, or visiting Chicago- plz dont miss coffee here! 😊

I loved this place. It's not your fancy instagrammable place. It's a place where you feel home. I had pita with lebneh, and latte with almond milk. I thought coffee would not be great as it's with almond milk but it was excellent, exactly what I wanted. Servers were nice. I spent 3 hrs reading a book and sipping my coffee.

Nabala Cafe is everything a neighborhood coffee shop should be—warm, inviting, and full of soul. From the moment you walk in, you’re greeted with beautiful decor, the scent of fresh cardamom, and a sense of community that’s hard to find elsewhere. Their cardamom latte is easily one of the best I’ve ever had—fragrant, smooth, and not overly sweet. The spinach pies are tangy and fresh, and their pastry case is a treasure trove of Middle Eastern treats, including some amazing vegan options. Beyond the food and drinks, Nabala stands out for its atmosphere. It’s a space that uplifts local artists, hosts open mics, and invites you to slow down. You don’t just come here for coffee—you come for connection. Whether you’re catching up with friends or finding a quiet corner to reflect, Nabala Cafe is a place that truly nourishes the heart.

I’m so glad I stumbled upon this gem. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing support for the Palestinian cause. I am honored to spend my money here in a safe space where there is a community of like minded individuals. The coffee was delicious and the date mamoul was so soft and buttery. I will come back here again and again!

Was so cute on the inside and has a bunch of fun interesting palestine inspired drinks — chai, baklava latte, cardamom/rose infused drinks. we got the chai latte with oat milk and it was good for like the first 3 sips then tasted not so good (assuming the sweetner was in the bottom). would’ve been better if they had mixed the sweetner with the chai concentrate rather than adding it before. also $7.69 for a small chai is a little pricy i think.

I love this place! I’m allergic to cardamom but even just the plain latte is phenomenal. Love their seating and the board games available. Also their snacks and baklava are so good.

i've been to nabala about 5 times now! and each time I order something new. i've enjoyed the chai, a variety of their lattes, and many of their bites— all have been tasty and i've not yet been disappointed. every time i've been, it's pretty busy! the community seems to enjoy this spot as much as I do. even when it's busy, there are usually some communal table spots open, if not a high top available. considering how small the shop is, and the low staff, i've never been upset with the service or timing. eyad and his crew run a smooth ship!

Whether it's hanging out with friends/family or enjoying some time to yourself, Nabala Cafe is the perfect place to unwind. With the cozy atmosphere, vibrant decor, and ample natural light, the vibes here are immaculate. Nabala offers a nice variety of food - everything from savory za'atar bread to sweet baklava to numerous other baked goods - and of course they have a fine drink selection. Being a big milk tea fan, I'm personally fond of the Chai Karak. If you order a pot, it comes on a beautiful tray with cute little tea cups. Finally, huge shout-out to the staff here. They're all super friendly and this cafe has been through so much since they opened so if you're remotely near Uptown, swing by and show your support!

A Palestinian coffee shop located in Uptown. It serves coffee, baked goods, and some food items. The location is on the smaller side, so the limited seating when I showed up at noon was full. It is definitely a popular local spot. The staff was friendly when I asked questions on their specialty drinks and ended up ordering their Cardamom Cold Brew. It was pretty good and definitely has a unique flavor. The food looked pretty good, but I ate before I came so passed on it this time.

Warm, friendly, and serving delicious coffee, drinks and pastries- both vegan donuts from Beacon as well as Palestinian sweets, along with cardamom buns, muffins, cookies and croissants. They also have a selection of savory items I haven't tried (yet!) and packaged date and walnut mahmool cookies to take home (or eat the whole thing there, you do you). It is saddening and infuriating that they have been hit TWICE by hate crimes shattering their windows. Visit Nabala, treat yourself, and show support for a new local business that needs our love in return.

Nabala has become a go-to spot when I have visitors in town. It's the perfect setting to sit and chat (if you can get a seat - it gets pretty packed) over a pot of chai or some coffee. We tried some Turkish coffee and chai the last time I went. Love the vaguely herbal flavor in the Turkish coffee, and how the chai wasn't too sweet. Can't recommend this place enough!

Chai was soooo delicious! Cute cafe in a beautiful building and beautiful neighborhood. I've passed by it several times without knowing what it was and finally ended up checking it out. We ordered the karak chai with the spinach and chicken pastries, and loved everything. I will definitely be telling all my friends about this place and hope to be back soon.

The wait for this place is finally over...and the time to write this review is finally here! For context, I currently live in Buena Park/Uptown so I have been following the buzz around this place opening for the past 4-5 months now! As we're aware that there are more than plenty of awesome cafés that are operating in this neighborhood, I truly don't believe that there is one as special as Nabala, for more reasons than one. The interior has one of the most coziest set ups in any café I've been to in Chicago. Multiple long tables fit for large groups alongside some nice ez chairs to lounge about while sipping on some amazing drinks. This place is always packed so make sure you can come at a decent time to be able to enjoy your drink in-house and take in the incredible Palestinian-owned art plastered around the walls and the wonderfully curated playlists that are playing at all hours. Get the cardamom cold brew, get the cardamom latte, get the Turkish and the Arabic Coffee as well. Everything I've tried here has been spectacular and I will gladly spend my final dollar here to support this wonderful business and its employees. They're very active on IG so give their page a follow on updates on the store. They've been having game nights lately as well as watch parties in support of people attempting to be reprimanded by awful landlords (seriously). You won't regret your time at this café. Put the Starbucks away forever and have a seat at Nabala.

This is a small cafe with great coffee and little snacks. There is lots of good artwork on the walls. They're collecting winter clothes for the poor and books for prisoners. I tried the meat pie (excellent), the spinach and feta pie (sour, and no feta cheese detected,) and the cheese pie (where's the cheese??) I won't order that one again. The cardamom coffee was excellent, however. It's very relaxing, under the el tracks.

So glad this spot just opened! It's a wonderful Palestinian-owned cafe and community space with amazing staff, patrons, and books to borrow/browse. Their drink selection is tasty and unique (really enjoyed the cardamom cafe au lait), and the food is solid and affordable too. It's perfect for working remotely, as they have long hours (from 7am-7pm or 10pm on most days) and spacious seating. I only wish that I lived closer that I could frequent this spot more often!

Came here on their very first day of their soft opening and am just thrilled to have them in the neighborhood. They're a Palestinian coffee shop with options like Turkish and Arabic coffee plus the typical coffee stuff. I also saw pastries/food but did not partake as I was about to have lunch elsewhere. Will need to come back to try them! The employees I encountered were friendly and the vibe overall was nice. I'd imagine as the establishment works through any kinks and whatnot, this place will be a perfect place to come by and do work, read, or catch up with friends. Excited to have you in Uptown!

Nabala is a low-keyed, warm, welcoming and community-minded cafe. It also has bookshelves with a range of material and lots of helpful information about important local events. I'll definitely return.

I went here to get a latte which is really good it was about seven dollars I believe which is a typical price I pay but it was a nice lowkey coffee shop they were pretty busy inside. I did get my order right away. Most people that was inside was already sitting down working and talking to each other so I got service pretty quickly which is great. It was a lot of information about Palestine inside I believe this is a Palestinian business, so it was nice to see that they were doing well! Also, they had a really cool bookshelf and I wanted to take a lot of the books to read because I love reading books but I didn't so I'm definitely go back to sit and read at some point it was kind of loud in there only because it was a lot of people so I'll probably wouldn't come a day that they're not super busy on the inside so I have some silence but other than that it was very nice

Really enjoyed my experience at Nabala! Service was friendly, the drinks were good, and the coffee shop was well decorated and had a great ambiance!

Local cafe. Very cozy and comfy setting. Delicious chai served in pots and little cup. Bak lava was delicious as well. A must try for the experience.

I have stopped by a couple of times and it is always packed. It is definitely a cute place to study and work. I got the zaatar flatbread and it was amazing. I always get a cold brew on the go and they work quickly and are super friendly. I would recommend this place to anyone! Glad to see more Palestinian places!

Delicious cardamom coffee. Nice vibes, including kind and welcoming service. Yummy pastries. Free Palestine.

Very cute little coffee cafe. Went in and got two iced lattes one with vanilla and one with rose. The rose syrup is made in house which was a nice touch! I really enjoyed the rose latte. We got baklava which was good not great. The service was quick and friendly. They quickly refilled the half and half upon asking and were very thankful that I let them know. I enjoyed the art

Love this cafe! The chai latte was so flavorful and just what I needed. Highly recommend!

New to the Uptown neighborhood is the wonderful and quaint Nabala Cafe. Owned by Palestinian, Eyad Zeid, who was born in the suburbs of Burbank. Offering a wide variety of specialized middle eastern coffee and teas (Chai) this safe space is a wonderful addition to the north side of Chicago. In the months following its opening Nabala has been twice struck by vandals who have destroyed 5 windows in total. This past weekend a GoFundMe covered the cost of the repairs with the rest of the donations going to charity. So I encourage you and everyone who enjoys great coffee, tea or a good book to go support this small business. Resources: https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/07/10/nabala-cafe-serving-middle-eastern-inspired-drinks-is-coming-to-uptown/ https://abc7chicago.com/amp/post/chicago-crime-palestinian-owned-nabala-cafe-vandalized-north-broadway-uptown-owner-police-say/15471011/

Came in on a friday morning before work, and definitely made me want to come back in the evening because it has the perfect Third place ambiance. You should be coming here to unwind, hang out with friends, or even educate yourself with the books that are available to read/borrow! I ordered the Karak Chai and Za'atar mini bread. food was amazing, but i feel like would try another drink on the menu next time. All in all, i'd come back because of the people and ambiance! Palestinian owned too!!

The service was great. Friendly staff. It was packed and full of good vibes. The cardamom iced coffee is so delicious. Can't wait to go back and try the chai and some pastries.

Ahh! This used to be Verizon, remember that? This is a Middle Eastern Cafe. I had some of the pastries. The staff and service are wonderful.

Fantastic! They also serve coffee out of cute little pots. Makes a great coffee date with friends! The owners really nice too

Heard there was a new Palestinian-owned coffee shop opening up in Uptown right near the train line and I KNEW I had to check it out. The barista was so friendly and lovely to chat with and they made me an awesome cardamom latte. The vibes were very positive. Will definitely be back to try their delectable-looking pastries, and will be recommending it to all of my colleagues who work/study a few blocks away at Truman College.

Cardamom cold brew - need I say more?! For all the time I spent at the Buddhist temple around the corner I wish this place opened years earlier (before I retired). Staff is super friendly and pastry selection is wow! Nice to see diverse people hanging out here in low key ambiance.

Great food at reasonable prices. Atmosphere is very nice as well. The knafeh was amazing. Will definitely be coming back to this place. Service was impeccable too.

Went here for this first time today, but Its a great mew addition to my neighborhood! It smells heavily upon entering the cafe and is a very cute vibe. I tried a couple of the Palestinian pastries and they were delicious! The spiced latte was divine. Definitely a great spot to work, chat and enjoy!

Lovely staff and service. Chai in the glass pot and warm chocolate croissant was the perfect start to the day! Also love that they have shelves filled with a diverse selection of books so you can look at something other than your phone while you enjoy the ambiance!

Loved this cozy coffee shop and will be back! Try the date mamoula cookie, it's so good. Enjoyed my chai, but it was served super hot so it took some time to cool down.

The best oat chai! And the team working are always welcoming. Love how they now have a loyalty stamp card :)

Great addition to our Uptown neighborhood! The cafe is beautifully decorated: stylish, modern, ample seating and great local art on the walls. Everyone who works here is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Service is fast yet thoughtful. I got an iced tea the first time I went there again and got the house coffee. Also got the cardamom bun and it does not disappoint. So delicious, and soft, and perfectly sweet! FYI the blend is a very light roast, with a ton of cardamom in it. Just be prepared that this is not your "typical" western style coffee. It's truly Palestinian/"eastern" styles of coffee and tea. So delicious, and much needed in a world w crappy burnt coffee!

Lovely addition to the neighborhood! Carries the spirit of Uptown loudly and proudly, and for that alone deserves a 5 star rating. Also serves damn good cardamom lattes, Turkish coffee, and baklava. The space is very clean and bright, in case you want to take a long sip, read a book, or chat with a fellow human being caught in the middle of this crazy life. Highly recommended!

Good people! Good addition to the community. Free Palestine. Support them and enjoy the delicious coffee & food.

This place is filthy! My kids had to use the toilet, and there were lots of flies in the bathroom, and an uncleaned toilet bowl. The service was brusque, and felt rude, and there were weird, kinda violent anti Jewish messages on posters outside the store front, and a few more inside. If we were Jewish, there's no way we would feel accepted or safe there. We felt uncomfortable being there surrounded by all of it. The place has an alienating, hyper political atmosphere. I don't think they welcome Jewish or Christian people, or clean the toilet! It seems like the owners don't care. The coffee was pretty good, though. Kind of thick and gritty, like Turkish coffee. But the vibe was scary and very off putting. Save your money, and go to a different cafe without all the bathroom flies and weird violent posters.

i wish i lived here so i could visit this cafe on a more relaxed day bc it was packed inside!! good coffee and great resources for the community available as well :)) this would definitely be my go to hang out cafe if i wasnt on vacation

I am lovvvving this new cafe! The atmosphere and people working are both lovely. The beverages are delectable ~ I look forward to trying the food! So glad to have you here!!

Right when you walk in you feel the cosy vibes! I tried this place today during soft opening hours and got the Karak chai. Very fragrant and sweet, will definitely be returning! Im excited to have a new neighborhood spot

Some of the best coffee and pastries in the city. Very nice staff and reasonable price. Would def come back again?

Lovely cafe. Great atmosphere and friendly staff. The coffee is nice and reasonably priced. This place is a neighborhood gem.

DELICIOUS Pastries and amazing cold brew coffee. The taste is amazing. It's very rich and full without being burnt or overdone. They have great coffee beans. The staff is very friendly and accommodating and have wonderful suggestions. It's a great classic neighborhood café for the neighborhood

Great coffee! Only a couple other places open this late in the whole neighborhood. Nice to have somewhere to go to hang out past 4pm

Got vandalized and they are staying positive. I love the owners. Amazing coffee and pastries too.

An amazing place. Cozy and great tea and coffee. The Arabic coffee was on point. Support locals

i think this is definitely a five-star, but you've gotta have the right expectations! this is not a coffee bar, per se, so if you're someone who wants endless espresso-based options, know that this is not that. i had originally wanted to get a turkish coffee, but it was waaaay hot when i went, so i got a cardamom cold brew, instead. im not usually a cold brew guy, but this was really good! because im not usually a cold brew guy, i totally forgot to ask for any milk or anything. luckily, the barista double-checked if i wanted it black, so that was super appreciated. i also got a muffin, which was huge! dense like a proper muffin, too, and not the more cupcake-y kind you sometimes find. the space is great for being a third place. there's a couple of two-person tables and a couple of chairs with a side table in-between, but most of the seating is in the form of group tables. there were a lot of people hanging out when i went. only downside to this was that the only seat open was one of the side-table ones, and there was no way for me to eat my muffin without making a huge mess. i didn't end up hanging out for long because of that. it was pretty lively (read: noisy) when i went, but this isn't one of those places where it echoes and makes your ears hurt. overall, looking forward to coming back when its a little cooler out!

amazing people! delicious chai! loved their community bookshelf and local art! definitely will be coming here more often