Spoke & Bird Cafe (South Loop)

"Located a block away from picturesque "Millionaire’s Row," the main draw at Spoke & Bird is their excellent patio and the park next door where you can forget that you’re a block away from freight train tracks. But this coffee shop is open year-round, and there’s a surprisingly extensive food menu. Breakfast (served until 5pm) has options like cheesy grits with vegetables, challah french toast, and biscuits and gravy. There are salads, soups, and sandwiches for lunch and dinner, plus booze to numb the pain of not investing in Bitcoin in 2014 and becoming a millionaire yourself." - veda kilaru, adrian kane, john ringor

"This cafe and bistro’s expansive patio is the main draw, while traditional cafe items like baked goods, soups and sandwiches accompany the atmosphere. There’s a large beer list to round out the spot, making it a place to hang out with a brew in hand. The pastries are wonderful." - Ashok Selvam

"Chicago has a lot of great bakeries, and Spoke & Bird is among them. Decadent cinnamon rolls, breakfast sandwiches, and more. They’re a great choice for delivery, too. Ignore the chain coffee churn and opt for Spoke & Bird." - Ashok Selvam

"Spoke & Bird’s pastries are legendary. Fun, craveable, and creative in the morning. But this cafe also serves an outstanding smash burger that shows they’re about more than baked goods." - Ashok Selvam

"If you would like to visit a neighborhood coffee shop that doesn’t have its own app or an entire pumpkin spice agenda, go to The Spoke & Bird. This place has a nice outdoor patio and a short food menu that includes sandwiches and salads. You’re probably not going to miss this place as soon as you land back in Newark, but you’re not going to leave here with a stale cake pop or a tin of mints you don’t need, either." - adrian kane, veda kilaru