PiniPico Coffee & Empanadas

Everything about this cafe was great, quality of coffee, milk and Brazilian pastries. The only reason why I gave four stars is I wish there was more seating. I wish my empanada shell had been more flavorful but the baked texture was perfect. The Pao de Quiejo was excellent.

Nice Brazilian place in Lincoln Park for snacks and coffee. The cheese bread/ball (Pao De Queijo) is gluten free and for $2.25 it was good even if was small like 1.5” diameter. The beef empanada $5.75 was good but a bit salty, the dough was a bit thick (a bit much) although they had a good amount of meat but the dough overpowered the empanada. A bit pricey but the location is great. They have indoor and outdoor seating and the place has a lot of space. Right across the street from the Chicago history museum and the Latin School so it’s a nice location to go to after the museum.

This Brazilian cafe locates at the old street area in Chicago. The staff are nice and did ask me if I am allergic to pork before I ordered. The empanadas and cheese balls are delicious, I got a beef, a bean and a sweet one. There are some outdoor tables too and there are birds which stare at the leftover bakery.

Great little cafe by the beach. I got a hot chocolate and some pão de queijo. It’s a cool place and there aren’t enough non-steakhouse Brazilian joints around. I’ll be back.

Such amazing coffee and service. The empanadas are 10/10, workers are so sweet and I just wanted to hug them all. Especially the owner! I came on October 31 2022 @ 4 and she stood outside waiting for people to pass to give away candy and dog treats🥹🥹

Super cute cafe! Definitely paying a bit of a premium, but Brazilian pastries are a rare find! Everything was tasty - empanadas and coxinha were very good, I wish the pão de queijo had a little bit more melty cheese but they were still delicious. The small guava cookies are also so fun, a great purse snack.

The store is a great size with very lovely employees. The aroma inside is warm and lends to the great coffee beans used. Their menu is quite diverse for a local store and it’s clear from the many other customers that PiniPico is well loved for their coffee. I ordered a lavender oat milk latte and a breakfast empanada. The lavender oat milk latte was very strong in lavender, which I don’t mind but was surprised that the flavoring was so dense. Their coffee really hits the spot, it was one of the most potent lattes I’ve had from coffee shops in the surrounding area! I enjoyed their free WiFi and outdoor seating on a crisp morning. I couldn’t give 5 stars though, as the interior dough of my empanada felt raw. I’ve had many an empanada, so I was surprised, as the “chewy” texture upon more bites and investigation felt really too raw. One more thing to note, I would love to see recycling available in the store and/or more sustainable items provided.

Favorite place in the area! Great coffee, delicious empanadas and friendly staff!

Fantastic empanadas. And great coffee. Everyone should stop by. Definitely a go to when looking a quick and easy breakfast which is not your typical fast food.

Loved the coffee. So much. It's so different and you can really tell with the taste! It was just a tad bit more watery for my liking but really really enjoyed it. The huge painting inside is also lovely. I went on a Saturday and had a nice book with me - it was quiet enough to read in peace. I also got the cheese balls - quick little snack!

PiniPico Brazilian Café brings the warm spirit of Brazil to Chicago. It's a cute little cafe with an outdoor patio seating as well. Didn't try any food but the fresh guava juice was delicious and refreshing. My friend did try the food and were very pleased with the empanadas! It's a self service cafe with helpful staff.

Nice Brazilian place in Lincoln Park for snacks and coffee. The cheese bread/ball (Pao De Queijo) is gluten free and for $2.25 it was good even if was small like 1.5" diameter. The beef empanada $5.75 was good but a bit salty, the dough was a bit thick (a bit much) although they had a good amount of meat but the dough overpowered the empanada. A bit pricey but the location is great. They have indoor and outdoor seating and the place has a lot of space. Right across the street from the Chicago history museum and the Latin School so it's a nice location to go to after the museum.

The space is cute and there is a lot of seating but the coffee is not good. Got a 12 oz oat milk latte it was very milky with a slight burnt coffee flavor. Not at all what I would expect from a quality latte or from a latte I paid $7 for. Overall would skip if you're here for just the coffee.

The barista was very nice and I could tell he went out of his way to assist customers. They do have a decent amount of seating inside and outside.

Pretty good Brazilian cafe right by Lincoln Park! I passed by here on my way to meet a friend and stopped in to grab coffee and an empanada. The iced vanilla latte was not my favorite as it was a little watery and all the syrup was concentrated at the bottom, so it tasted very bland most of the time, with very small hits of sugar. The empanada was very good tho! I definitely want to come back to try a smoothie or açaí bowl. The server was also really nice and the space has plenty of indoor seating and a small patio space!

We stopped here while walking around Chicago to take a break. Their patio is dog friendly which was nice since we were with our dog. We ordered the cold brew and it tasted great. It was pretty busy, but we didn't have to wait long. The indoor seating seemed nice too.

Scott D-can you please start serving: 1. Brazilian Potato Salad "to go"; and 2. Portuguese Pizza Slices Both are amazing!!!! I also like your upcoming "live" Brazilian Music Night on the 24th 6-8!!! Any Girl from Ipanema song journeys?

I've been wanting to try Brazilian food like pāo de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), they were warmed up and delicious! I also ordered a guava and cheese empanada, a very unique and delicious flavor combo. We ordered coffee, including an Americano, latte, and just black coffee, we all agreed that the coffee was delicious. I'll be back next time I'm in town.

This spot is so cute and they have some really unique and delicious options and this was no exception. I got the cardamom rose matcha latte. The cardamom and matcha actually went really well together and the hints of rose really took this drink to another level. They do have some seating and it's also conveniently located next to the lighthouse artspace which makes it the perfect place to grab a snack/drink either before or after checking that space out. Highly recommend!

Super cute cafe! Definitely paying a little bit of a premium, but Brazilian pastries are a rare find! Everything was tasty - empanadas and coxinha were very good, I wish the pão de queijo had a little bit more melty cheese but they were still fluffy and delicious. The small guava cookies are also so fun, a great purse snack.

This has to be one of my favorite coffee shops in all of Chicago! I've stopped several times on my way to North Ave beach. Even though it's getting chilly out now, and I don't have the excuse of the beach, I know I'll be going to PiniPico soon. The coffee is phenomenal. Any drink I've tried has been good. The empanada with cheese and guava is my absolute favorite and is definitely the reason I want to return. Check it out!

PiniPico is an under-the-radar gem serving up classic Brazilian foods made really, really well. They have a large and delicious variety of empanadas, empadas, and pao de queijo. Service was friendly and fast, and the quiet-casual atmosphere lends itself well to getting some serious work done in between bites of homemade deliciousness. My only regret is not trying one of their unique coffees, but I am already plotting a return. Cannot recommend PiniPico highly enough!

I LOVE the pao de queijo, with coffee it's the perfect afternoon snack, airy and chewy with a sharp cheese flavor. I've heard the hearts of palm empada is very good, and I'll definitely be back to try it out. This cafe is a great place to study. There's lots of seating and it doesn't seem too busy on weekday afternoons. Plus it's beautifully located in Old Town/Lincoln Park :) Unfortunately, I really didn't like my iced mocha. I think it needed twice the amount of syrup. It tasted like milk with a vague memory of chocolate syrup. It also needed another shot of espresso (I was told it was a single which was strange), it really just tasted like milk. Update: tried the hearts of palm empada and the spinach empanada--SO good. Subtle flavor but very rich and comforting. I love it :) and delicious dark roast!!

A tiny place that can have loud groups. But most importantly if I come to a place, look at the menu and decide on having or getting a number of their products/dishes, the last thing I want to hear is "We are out of that" or "We ran out of those " when asking for different things. Having a sign on the glass about Empanadas and not have a few im willing to try doesn't sit well with me. So I got what they had, wasn't impressed and won't come. Back. It's that easy. No hard feelings, just not the place for me.

A cute quiet spot perfect for morning coffee and treat! I stopped in here Sunday morning and got the Horchata latte and a ham and egg empanada. The drink was yummy but pretty sweet (and I usually love sweet things). The empanada dough was buttery and delicious. Overall, love coming here! The service is always quick and pleasant. Never too busy in here so can always grab a spot to sit! They have a nice outdoor patio with 4 tables as well.

I Love the pork empanadas here and It is also typically a quiet place to study or work!

I love that they serve dark matter on draft. The coffee is so creamy and delicious and taste like chocolate. It is a local run business and I love supporting them, but it is a bit pricey. They have fun empanadas, and happy hour for the empanadas.

My experience has been that the empanada was really bad. I had the chicken empanada- because that's all they had ( although their fictional menu has other choices- on a theoretical basis). The empanada was dry, salty and obviously frozen- it probably came from a. grocery store super market. Pini Pico is priced above competing coffee houses - an empanada, a tasteless " cheese ball" and a bottle of water was $18- much higher than Starbucks - PiniPico - somehow - acquired my personal e-mail, even though I never gave it to them, which is kind of creepy- and it's been my experience -- that I receive unsolicited emails from them

Granted I only stopped in for a quick coffee just before they were about to close, this place is so cute and very proud of their Brazilian roots! The woman who made my coffee was very sweet and told me to come back earlier in the day to enjoy their in-house made empenadas. I'll be back for sure.

This was such a lovely spot! We came in on a rainy day and there was plenty of seating. We ordered the horchata oat latte and daybreak smoothie and both were delicious! There were some really interesting specialty drinks, and I wolove to come back again and try their other menu items

My love and I wanted to have a light lunch prior to enjoying the Immersive Van Gogh experience, so we wound up at PiniPico Brazilian Cafe. PiniPico happens to be in the same building as the Van Gogh show, so this was super convenient. This coffee and snack shop has two main spaces - you place your order in one room (you can see many of the products on display, even if you cannot pronounce some of them!), and you can enjoy your purchase in the corner room with colorful Brazil-themed artwork. Since most of the food is ready made, your order comes out in a hurry once you make your selections. We picked a variety of snacks with our beverages (Guarana - one of the most popular soft drinks from Brazil - and iced tea). The coxinha is a chicken croquette that is shaped like a huge Hershey's Kiss and is worth a try. We sampled a couple of Pão de Queijo, which are Munchkin-sized spheres of cheesy bread with various fillings (we tried the bacon and the guava). The empada is like a little hand-held pot pie, and is not to be confused with the empanadas (we ate empanadas with spinach and feta, beef and chorizo). I'd say that our taste buds were not blown away by any of these items, but they were certainly fun to try. Check out PiniPico if you are around the Clark and North area.

Delish!! Good coffee and good empanadas - win and win. Authentic. Cute. Clean. Seriously, you need to go. The frida empanada is spicy. But I like things with a kick, so I will get it again. The spinach and feta are great as are the pulled pork. The coffee is worth stopping on its own. The empanadas are worth stopping on their own. But for real...get both.

Stopped in for coffee this am and to meet with a couple colleagues. It such a great spot that I had never heard about! I ordered the horchata oat milk latte and bought a few empanadas to go. There is ample space to sit for a bit and drink your beverage. There's 2 great showcases for the food they have available. One is a refrigerated and one is on the counter. I'd love to come back and try their pastries. The staff is nice and they are pretty quick. They also asked for proof of vaccination.

Great coffee place and spacious! The acai, smoothie and the chicken coixinha was our favorite! And brigadeiro for dessert is always good idea!

Cute coffee shop with a flair. Horchata dirty Chai? Guava butter cookies? Yes please!

First time here. Had a cup of chicken noodle soup and an empanada. Not bad. Self serve which is okay. The biggest issue. They need to turn up the heat. It was freezing! Most tables are by drafty windows. I couldn't stop shivering. That really ruined my first visit. Food wasn't so bad. I'll wait for warmer weather to return.

Coffee was great and quickly served. Two servers were friendly and quick. Besides that it was a letdown. Breakfast Empanada was extremely average - eggs did not taste freshly made. Reminded me of an overpriced hot pocket. Muffins were 100% just from Costco. You can look up pictures of Costco muffins and they match exactly so I don't feel the price is worth it. Overall, extremely average and leaves a lot to be desired for the price.

We stopped in before the farmers market on a busy Saturday morning. I had the horchata oat latte, it was good but a little too sweet for my taste. I also tried the beef and chicken empanadas which were packeddd with meat and very well seasoned.

This tiny Brazilian Cafe is conveniently located on Clark Street adjacent to Lincoln Park and Carl Sandberg terrace. I've stopped by here several times and typically order a pao de quijo or pao de Nutella with an iced chai or iced horchata with oat milk This cafe has outside seating in the warmer months and it's fun to see everyone with their dogs outside in the front patio area. I used to sit outside with my dog too before she recently passed away this February. Today I relaxed outside enjoying the breezes with a chicken empanada, a hearts of palm Empada..and iced horchata. This is a very relaxing cafe to grab a sweet or savory pastry and well prepared beverage. The drinks are always well prepared and there's even a selection of juices and yogurt. The people here are extremely friendly and everything here is sparkling clean both inside and outside. Very relaxing especially in the summer! Bring your appetite and your canine companions

The food we ordered was good, but my date (the one who picked this place) had an expectation that it would be a bit more of an expanded menu. We ordered chai and empanadas, which were both good. We went to the Van Gogh exhibit next door, and it was great for a post show snack!

Would like to throw some love to independent shops but after my 2nd visit I'm still not fully feeling it. First of all, with all the trouble restaurants are currently experiencing staffing their places,PiniPico seems not to be suffering. There were 2 people at the counter, 1 of whom was literally sitting back watching TV. When I went in to throw my garbage away after we ate there were maybe 3-5 people working behind the counter. Good for them for employing so many people! This has little to do with my review. We ordered 3 food items and 3 drinks. The food items are so small- it is literally a teeny tiny snack. Not much to be said of the canned soft drink. Our coffees, an espresso and a cardamom rose matcha latte were excellent. My problem is that both the food and drinks are terribly expensive. Obviously affords them the ability to have so many employees. Ugh, feeling bad saying this as I'm all for employment opportunities and fair wages- just wish the food and drink weren't so damn high priced.

A lovely spot with super friendly staff, interesting coffee drinks and delicious empanadas. Seriously, they're so good! There are lots of tables and seats both inside and outside so you can bring a book or catch up with a friend.

This place is so cute & welcoming!! Can't wait to go back post covid and sit inside with a book! The service was out of this world!! The woman at the register took the time to explain what each of the pastries were. She explained flavor, texture and compared it to things I'd be familiar with! The empadas were bomb! Both the chicken and Heart of palm were delicious! I didn't think I'd be much of a fan of the Heart of Palm since I'm not a huge artichoke person, but wow! It blew my socks off! The coffee is also excellent! I had the Cafe de Olla chai latte. It was perfect!! It was served at the perfect drinking temperature.

The food was just very bland. And the people working there seemed not totally with it. It was a thing to try to be able to say you had Brazilian breakfast items, but not a place I'd go back to.

There are posters around the restaurant and a big mural of Rio showing Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer Statue). The atmosphere is really chill and I loved the interaction between the staff. The founder of PiniPico Lou was there and it made my day when he pronounced my name correctly as he handed over the food I ordered to me. I wanted to get the juice but it seems like they are pre-made (stored in the fridge) so I got the cortado coffee instead. It is a little sour for me. They also have the Brazilian soda - Guaraná, which I used to love drinking. When I was in Brazil, I have never tried/seen the different flavours of pão de queijo like bacon or jalapeño that they have it here. We got the classic pão de queijo and another one after we finished everything we ordered from the first round. They have a selection of pastries and we also got the coxinha (Brazilian chicken croquette), empada (mini pie), empanada de carne (beef empanada). When we finished our food, we got a brigadeiro (chocolate-condensed milk dessert ball). It melts in your mouth and is a perfect little treat as dessert for when you have a sweet tooth but already full from the meal.

Not your standard coffee shop - it's got amazing selection of coffees, teas and pastries. There's unique options - I tried the Iced Cardamom Rose Matcha Latte. It was so unique the flavors of cardamom and rose balanced the matcha. The food options lean on Brazilian influence. The empanadas are super delicious - I enjoyed most the breakfast version. Definitely check out if your near Lincoln Park. You can grab coffee and light lunch for an amazing picnic in park!

Interesting, okay little cafe bites of Brazilian pastries and empanada suitable for breakfast or a light lunch. Espresso, Cortado, Cappuccino also. However if seated (cashier asks "for here or to go?") drinks should be served in ceramic instead of a paper cup. My drink was barely warm. This cafe is convenient if attending an event at the Germania Club Chicago next door. Public covered parking at the end of the cul-de-sac for $20 (cash only) if validated at Germania Club.

PiniPico brings the warm spirit of Brazil to Chicago's Old Town by serving up delicious Pão de Queijo (Brazilian cheese bread), croquettes, lattes, and tons of other great pastries. I tried out a Pistachio Orange latte, chorizo empanada, coxinha (chicken croquette), and a Nutella filled pão de queijo. The latte was great, but by far the stars of the show were all the food options - absolutely amazing flavor. Be sure to check this place out whine hungry, because there's tons to try!

PINKY! Best coffee and empanadas, my boyfriend and I have a slight addiction to this place both the coffee food and vibes. It breaks my heart reading some of these reviews! My personal favorites: Iced lavender oat latte Egg, ham and cheese empanada Nutella ball thing (say it, they will know) I've been told beef empanadas are good, they have little hot sauce packets to add over by the water/sugar station. Music is cute Brazilian usually and perfect volume to still have a nice conversation or get some work done. Hard to find authentic & high quality places like this :)

I've been here TWO TIMES. The first time I got coffee and no complaints. It was a solid cup of coffee. The second time I got a Mocha and it was quite literally THE WORST MOCHA I'VE EVER HAD. The service was timely however no amount of timeliness can make up for a horrible Mocha.

After the Van Gogh exhibit, we were excited to check out this cute Brazilian cafe. Unfortunately we were disappointed. They could be having an off day, and if so Ill come back another day to try again and update my review. We ordered the pao de queijo, the banana/nutella empanadas and spinach/feta empanadas. The bananas were almost black :( I was not able to taste the feta cheese. The pao de queijo did not taste fresh and they were quite heavy/chewy. My caramel latte was okay.

Fantastic service and amazing food. I live close by and have been a few times now so can make recommendations - mini empanadas (variety, the egg and ham one is my fav but all are great) so cute and perfect for sharing a little snack or a nice hearty breakfast - heat of palm empada - better than any meat, so savoury and fantastic vegetarian options -iced vanilla creams red eye - iced coffee but better The outdoor seating is nice with a stellar location by the Lincoln park zoo and Latin school. I'll be a regular at this rate!

What a ripoff!! Ordered 2 10$ each sandwiches from their online menu - the picture of the ham& cheese is false and deceiving (see picture) - they advertise a large and plentiful baguette ... we got the saddest and most disappointing sandwich I've ever seen. 2 plain, thin and bad quality ham + 2 slices of KRAFT SINGLES!!! The Caprese was very greasy , tasteless , soggy, totally unappealing...Not worth 1$ each. They did refund them once I called. I want to support local, but you need to step up your quality.

Some places loose their soul in an attempt to make a profit and the food here reflects that. Wins: Juice Opps: Empanadas

Latte, Macadamia Chai Latte, & the Po de Queijo totaled up to around $20 - a bit pricey but totally worth it in the grand scheme of the visit. The service was friendly and the owner(?) introduced us to the different Brazilian treats that were on the menu. The music is much better than most other cafes I've been to. Proper social distancing protocols were being followed. The inside looked clean and spacious, friendly and a great place to have a morning coffee. The Latte was spot on, but the Macademia Chai Latte didn't taste as nutty as I usually prefer it to be - still good though! Now, for the highlight - the Po de Queijo. They were bomb.com.co.uk! Loved how doughy they were when I bit into them, they were warm and delicious - something I wasn't originally anticipating. The guava ones were our favorite, followed by the Nutella. The bacon was good, but it was missing the doughiness that made the other ones so delicious. Definitely get these little treats when you come! I'm glad I stumbled on this place, it was an amazing place to have a relaxing morning!

Went in after the Immersion VanGogh event., excited for Brazilian fare. Disappointed. All we ended up having was coffee. Why? Because at least it was fresh brewed. I was considering a juice or lemonade until I saw workers pouring Kirkland branded (aka from Costco!!) lemonade into a to-go cup and put in the cooler!! That made me question where all the other "Brazilian " juices would be from. Surely Brazil is not the only place passion fruit (maracujá) comes from and, hence, its juice is accessible anywhere! It made me question their truffles too. Their pão de queijo (cheese bread) was overpriced for size or quantity. If they're going to be that small, at least offer 2. Otherwise make them bigger. They were $2.25 for a ball barely 2" in diameter. Their empanadas and other Brazilian items seemed a bit overpriced for size too. Perhaps they were catering to the upper middle class neighborhood? Service was perfunctory. No greeting, no smiles. Even the two workers pouring the Kirkland's juice didn't acknowledge the customers. It wasn't as if the barista was tending to a mile-long line, too frazzled to greet. We were the only ones at her counter until another person popped in a few minutes later. Don't waste your money, folks, on non-coffee items folks...unless they can show it's legitimacy.

This is a cute spot located in old town/Gold Coast area! I had been dying to try this spot as someone who loves Brazilian culture and cuisines! I met up with friends and arrived on a Saturday morning and it was pretty busy, they have outdoor and indoor seating so we were only able to get a table inside. We ordered the breakfast empanadas, pao de queijo, and an iced horchata oat latte! The empanadas were just ok. A bit salty and doughy, so I'd skip on this next time. The iced horchata latte was good! A bit more sweet than I'd like but still tasty and a nice treat. I also got it decaf. The absolute best part was the pao de queijo! So tasty and we all went back to fry the jalapeño one and the guava. If you love guava pastries you must get the guava one, so delicious! I'll be back for those :)