Nice place with a hipstery vibe.They have a lot of teas, spices and coffee that you can buy by weight or drinks. The entrance area where you can order its pretty small so only a couple of customers (2-3) can fit there at a time. This makes a line form outside, especially during the mornings.I personally love the vast variety of caffeine-free tea. Tried the cranberry apple iced tea and loved it. Also ordered the banana walnut muffin and a chocolate croissant (both were great).

They have a great selection of teas, of all varieties. Now this may be because I had just got back from living in Washington for a while, but the teas didnt seem to produce as much flavor than what I was used to.I got Himalayan Honey (Green), Puer, Chamomile, Licorice, Ginger, Matte and a few others. I tried a few different methods of steeping but the only way I was able to get more flavour was by adding more tea while steeping. Compared to the teas I still had from Washington, the flavour was still less pronounced.But this again could be due to my pallet not used to Chicago again. Still, the selection and ability to get tea made there are good pluses.

Excellent options for coffee beans. And they will grind them for you if you want. BUT dont forget they also have a ton of dried herbs and spices. For instance I just got Herbs to Provence and it was less than $2 / oz where as the grocery store is a lot more than that. Perfect places for a spice you may only need a small amount of for a recipe etc.

The coffee is roasted very very well. Good variety, prices are reasonable, and even better during seasonal sales. Get on their mailing list for notification of sales. They take Covid super seriously here, and the wait to get in can be rather long. You can avoid this by calling in your order, prepaying, and then picking up at the prepay window.

This is such a cute coffee shop! 1st time here, & I had The Margo. It was awesome! Great fresh coffee 💜 They are going above & beyond with covid protection! Customer service was also awesome. Parking can be hard to find sometimes, so order ahead so you can just skip the line & pick up (:

I just tried for the first time and I liked the flavors I got. The price is super competitive, so Im for sure coming back and trying new flavors. The honey, halcyon, is one of the best ones Ive tried. So light I could eat it all in one day, I just dont because of the sugar lol

I had a huge shopping list ranging from teas, spices and coffee, so everyone in the store was so accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable on all their products. Highly recommended getting either a hot or cold beverage of the coffee and tea specials served on the premises. So delicious. I really hope you give them a visit and enjoy the aroma of the coffee and teas brewing in the back of the shop.

Amazing space, delicious coffee drinks and awesome service! The Pride menu offers flavor combinations that work soooo well together, definitely recommend trying them all!

They were able to create a special blend that I didnt think Id ever taste again from a cafe that closed. Im SO HAPPY - I didnt know how good coffee from home could be!

This is one of my absolute favorite coffee, tea & spice shops in Chicago. Ive ordered tons of their teas, and have never been disappointed. The service is always lovely and the people are so kind and friendly. If youre new to Chicago this is definitely a gem that is worth checking out!

The coffee is always fresh any time of day! My favorite by the pound is the Colombian Supreme, by the cup the Costa Rican which is a perfect well balanced cup with notes of gram cracker and what tastes like chocolate covers caramels. Super good to pair with one of there fresh packaged cookies!

Love the coffee/tea/spices. Love the people who work there. They are kind, helpful and really amazing. Even after moving out of East Lakeview, we still come back to stock up on coffee and tea.

Great variety of coffee🇺🇸🇧🇷🇨🇴🇫🇷🇪🇹 ☕️, and you can grab🥄 your own beans! With respect to tea🍵, amazing the amount of blends and types of tea they have! Best of all 🙌, you can buy and at the same time drink your coffee or tea!

CTX has a plethora of coffee flavors and teas. Fair prices and delicious coffee.

From now on, I’ll keep on coming back for more! There was this remarkable coffee shop near my house that truly served good quality taste and flavors of coffees. Out of curiosity, I visited the coffee shop and ordered a cappuccino. As the crew was serving me, I saw how passionate and motivated he was at his job. She did so well which made my heart beats so fast. Also, she served in a glamorous way. Because of their goodness, I would convince my friend to come to their shop.

It has been my coffee store place since 2007. Good selection of international coffee, great service and atmosphere is really awesome!

Typical coffee place where you get many types of coffee beans to select from. They do have a good collection of tea as well. Knowledgeable staffs.

I love to visit this place to buy ground spices. To try something new or replenish your spice rack. What a wonderful range of international spices and flavors.

Fantastic cafe/coffee & tea market! It reminds me of Tin Roof teas in Raleigh, NC, only bigger, and more laid back! The store is so fun, and stimulating with all of the diverse colors and smells! Plus the prices are to die for! I believe my 2 ounces of Earl Grey loose leaf came out to be around $3.98 before tax?!?! Much love!

Are you a coffee and tea aficionado?This is the spot!Perhaps the largest coffee and tea store in the whole midwestWith over 135 different kids of tea and over 35 different kids of beans constantly rotating o am sure you will find your favorite.Excellent service

Best place to buy coffee and tea by pound or hot cup. Definitely recommend for Uptown local individuals.

Decent prices, helpful staff!

Unnecessarily RUDE. There’s a woman in there who loves her power. And loves to boss people around. I’m sorry will never venture in your store again.

I always love visiting this shop. I am a tea drinker and their blends/quality of tea are great, and at reasonable prices. Service is always prompt and staff always amiable.

I used to live around the corner. Everyone is very pleasant. I still come here to support this great shop!! I like how you can Order online and pick up on the side door. They have all you need. Keep up the good work!!

Favorite coffee shop in Chicago - great for bulk coffee, tea & spices. Delicious lattes & iced tea too. Staff always friendly & knowledgeable. My go-to spot for gifts.

Great teas, coffee, and spices served by a friendly and knowledgeable staff. The best!

Good variety of options, knowledgeable. Slightly pricey when compared to alternative sources of tea.You may want to budget extra time, they have somewhat unreasonable covid restrictions, only 2 groups allowed in at a time with a maximum of 4 people. There was a line outside when we visited.

They were so thoughtful and patient and kind. The selection is amazing and they even have a little cafe to buy tea and coffee from for immediate consumption. I love this place!

This place still requires masks, requires people to stand in special spots lest they be yelled at, and is boarded up with plexiglass. It is literally the only store I know of in Chicago still doing all this theater. Who wants that sort of unpleasant customer experience? HARD PASS.

I treasure this place for their teas!! Love the smokey Russian Caravan black, oolong tea and the Violet Earl Grey, just to start...

Best coffee I had in Chicago. The place is very small and has an old world feel.

Its been 7 years since I have been here went there today the place is amazing very helpful and knowledgeable workers and their variety is huge

Reasonable prices (honestly great value with how good the coffee is) but the biggest draw is the Mayan Hot Chocolate, it’s unbeatable

Coffee lovers just go. Seriously, this is the place for you to set your nose working into overtime with the numerous smells and coffee types to be had. I havent even ran into these types on Amazon so you know the owners take their time to get it right. I went with two different types, the blueberry and the mint chocolate and omg they are soooooo good!

I love buying loose leaf tea here. I would recommend calling in your order and then picking it up rather than ordering online though. The price for shipping is over $12 even though the product is very light. Also the package wasnt shipped until a day after they printed the label, so the UPS shipping confirmation emails got my hopes up for nothing. I shouldve just driven across town to pick it up like I have in the past.

Great atmosphere! 2 people allowed at a time for social distancing. The employees were very helpful and knowledgeable! I will stop here again next time Im in town.

This places is beautiful! Great selection and great service

I used to go here to get tea quite sporadically. With COVID it came to be my regular place to get beans and leaves. I’d look through the online catalog, call in and place my order over the phone and then drive up and they pass it to you out the back door with no line and no wait. Best of all, NO COVID RISK! If restaurants did this then I’d likely have ordered out more through these times.

My go to local spot. Variety of coffee and tea. Forget the franchise and go to the experts.

Great place to grab bulk coffee, tea, and supplies! The staff are helpful and kind. Great COVID safety — they let only a few people in at a time and have closed off most of the store. You can order ahead as well.

Friendly staff who seem knowledgeable and want to help.

I was a little overwhelmed when I walked in. Thankfully, the young girl behind the counter was extremely helpful, sweet, and patient with all my questions.I purchased a chocolate cherry pour over, and 3 half pound bags to take home. The prices a very reasonable. I already looked into having this stuff shipped to Florida. So delicious!

Really friendly staff that is knowledgeable and attentive. We tried a couple of drinks off the menu as well as selected some teas and coffees to try at home. Fell completely in love. All the coffee barrels and tea jars made it feel very old world and unique, will definitely come back.

The pros: even though there was a long line to get in that stretched the entire length of the building, I didnt actually wait that long (less than 10 minutes) and told my order to an employee before I get inside so the barista could get started on it. Most importantly, my red tea latte was delicious - so good that its enough of a reason to go back.The cons: inside was a bit chaotic - they were only letting two customers in at a time, but the employees seemed utterly confused as to how to handle us. Both cashiers independently tried to help me and seemed to get in each others way (for example handing me the wrong drink at first, then after several minutes coming back and telling me it was the right drink after all - the cup was just mislabeled). I also bought a box of dried teas, which was way more expensive than I wouldve expected to pay elsewhere.

Value for money is fantastic and staff is always kind and helpful. Way better coffee that popular chains for like half the price. And you get properly brewed coffee from a daily selection of beans. They offer an incredible variety of beans that you can buy for the pound at around the same price (and less) of much lower quality grocery store coffee!!! Not a tea guy but they do also offer a large selection of tea.

Quaint place. More of a coffee shop for those who want coffee to go. Probably better to visit outside of Covid restrictions. Only one customer allowed at a time, which is great and safe! But for someone looking to browse the tea, it creates a backup in the line. I will probably visit another time and edit the review then. But if you are looking for loose leaf tea.... there are places nearby that isnt crowded with no wait.

I forgot to get her name, but the girl who helped me earlier today was beyond phenomenal and awesome. There was a lot going on and could tell it just wasn’t her day, but she still made my visit there perfect. She deserves a Christmas bonus for sure!

Great local coffee shop with a ton of specialty coffees and teas, plus a large selection of herbs and spices. They also make coffee and latest plus teas to go. Good covid safety measures and reasonable prices.

Independently owned and locally roasted makes this the best little coffee shop in Lakeview, hands down. Theyre so much more than just a coffee shop though; spices, teas, and all the drink related equipment you need. Need a new French press? An herbal tea to help a sore throat? 2lbs of black peppercorns? Theyve got it.

Great selection of fresh coffees and whole beans. Place has about ever essential thing you need to make a good cup of real coffee.

Great selection and great prices

Very good place to buy fresh beans coffee or tea

Excellent place for a pick me up in the afternoon. The staff are very nice and inviting.

Fantastic array of goods and polite and pleasant service.

They are so good! And love their seasonal drinks. If you live in East Lakeview, you need to check them out!!

Good atmosphere, friendly and no nonsense.

Love this spot! Great coffee and food! I like the The Coffee & Tea Exchange.

This place is terrific. Great bulk coffee at great prices. You can buy a pound of some of the best coffees from around the world for $9-12. A POUND. None of these tiny bags of coffee for $12.00.In fact, they have so many cofees from around the world it can be intimidating. So heres the trick: figure out what you like, dark, light, spicy, mild, low acid, etc. And ASK the folks working there for what they recommend.Also, the place has an incredible array of bulk spices. They are fresh and cheap. You know those tiny bottles of spices you buy in the store for $7? You buy a bag of spice here for half that price and get the same amount. And I wont even get into their huge number of teas. Or the coffees, expressos, lattes drinks you can order. Great place. My favorite in the neighborhood.

Great coffee and tea options! Our go-to spot.

Amazing coffee and great service. Theres normally a line outside but its definitely worth the wait

This place is really cool! The retail section showcases fantastic coffee/tea equipment to use at home. Grinders, scales, pour overs, french presses, filters, mugs/cups, etc. Its a fun coffee shop for those who like darker roasted coffee. Even the lighter roasts are dark compared to what you might find at higher end coffee shops around the city (big shoulders, purple llama, etc).

Super helpful staff that will walk you through their extensive tea and coffee selection. Great service, great teas, highly recommend checking them out.

My absolute favorite coffee place! Great selection of coffees and teas, plus extensive array of herbs and spices. During the “stay in place” period I was able to call ahead and order my coffee beans, pay for them and they were ground and ready when I got there. Their Peruvian light roast is heavenly and I’m glad I can enjoy it while stuck at home! Great job!

Just a great store! They have a wide range of teas and coffee, great lattes, and a wonderful staff. So happy to have this local business in my neighborhood.

I usually have a good experience here and the drinks are good, but todays visit bothered me. There was a couple in line in front of me and when one person came out the female went in and the male waited until two more people came out (meaning 3 people were inside) so I figured it was one in, one out and since 2 people came out that meant me and the male could go in. As soon as I stepped in a worker said only 2 people were allowed inside and that there was a line, as if implying I had cut or not noticed the line even though I had just waited in it. I went back outside and by then another couple was in line and I told them only 2 people were allowed inside. Not even 30 seconds later a guy walks up to go in and I said theres a line and only 2 people at a time and he said he was just picking up and walked right in. Me and the couple gave each other a look like okay but theres still a line to get in but I thought whatever the workers will tell him he has to wait outside. Apparently it wasnt an issue as he was in there for a couple of minutes getting his drinks even though theres again now 3 people in there. The guy leaves, but I wait until the couple inside leave because you know only 2 people inside at a time and I go in to order. The female of the second couple comes in and the worker indicated that the male could come in too so now there are again 3 people inside. Im not sure why I was singled out and made to wait outside when it was clearly okay for 3 people to be in there, but it made me feel uncomfortable and unwelcomed. Im all for following the rules of an establishment but they should apply to everyone.

So many options! Love the current Twilight menue for fall, best puns of the most silly quotes

Wonderful cappuccino. Exceptional foam.

The selection of coffee and teas is incredible. We went in looking for a specific tea we couldnt find anywhere else and there it was on the shelf. Not to mention the prices are very reasonable and affordable. The staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. We will definitely be going back

It was the worst coffee Ive ever bought. This is definitely not fresh product, the smell of a musty cellar and the taste of dust and mold. I definitely recommend being vigilant before buying coffee beans at this store. Im still looking for a Coffee Roastery in this neighborhood.

I didn’t feel welcome here, the man made me feel like I was bothering him

Fabulous selection of coffee and tea. Very helpful staff. Support a local business !!

Best place for coffee and loose leaf tea

Best coffee shop in East Lakeview.

Such a great place with super friendly and helpful staff. Very knowledgeable and they have the most fresh and best teas and coffee you can buy here in Chicago. Wont go anywhere else but here!

Great selection of beans, teas, and spices. Staff is always friendly and knowledgeable. Have done a great job figuring things out throughout quarantine. Id recommend the Golden Sumatra

My favorite italian espresso in the city

I could make better coffee at home!

Stopped here for a quick coffee and morning snack. It was so good! The two people working around 9:30AM on 8/14/19 made excellent recommendations. The croissants (specifically the ham and cheddar) are amazing!! The flavor and texture is great. My light roast coffee was also the perfect touch. I’ll definitely be back when I’m in town.They also have a very wide variety of tea and coffee to buy for you to take home. Thanks!

I LOVE the Coffee & Tea Exchange!! I feel like a kid in a candy store every-time I am in here!! This place is incredible!!! The coffee is delicious and the selection is amazing!!! They will even grind up the coffee for you! The staff is super friendly, knowledgable, and eager to help with making a great coffee or tea selection! They literally have coffee from like every where in the world!! It is AWESOME!! It smells so good in here!! This is my favorite coffee shop in Chicago!!! Highly recommend!!! So glad this place exists!! Please never close!!

The best golden harvest latte I have had so far, for a very reasonable price.

The Coffee and tea exchange is one of my favorite places to get coffee in the city. They have so many delicious and flavorful options to pick from and none of them disappoint. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and eager to help. I totally recommend the amaretto whole bean coffee. Its my favorite!

Cool place with lots of coffee. Pour overs aren’t great here.

This is my favorite coffee shop in the city hands down. Best coffee around and also somehow the cheapest.

The best teas in the city. Youll wait but its worth it!

Great tea and coffee. Helpful and friendly staff 👌

Best local coffee shop in lake view.

If you love coffee and want to try from all over the world this is your place

This shop has very good Covid safety accommodations with pickup options as well as limiting the number of customers in the store. I especially liked the backdoor pickup where they can leave your order on a table so you can keep good separation (as opposed to a handoff). I ordered over the phone from the street and they were very helpful with giving advice for my selections. I got a handful of different loose leaf teas Im trying the earl grey now at home and its great, exactly what Im looking for. also the earl grey price per pound was on par or cheaper than most Amazon options.

Really amazing coffee. Lines take forever though.

I’m a coffee drinker, and you can’t get better coffee than this. I live on my French/Italian roast beans, ground to perfection. But if you’re out and about, and need a great cup of coffee, you should make your way here! Excellent assortment of bakery items too.

A great place to get any type of coffee you can imagine! They have delicious drinks they can make for you, too, and all sorts of syrups, spices, tea, and equipment. They’re happy to help, give suggestions, and let you know when something you need will be back in stock. They’re very reasonably priced too!

Amazing coffee selections. Choose from barrels and barrels of uniquely flavored coffee— take some home or have it brewed for you there! My favorite coffee place in Chicago.

This place is such an awesome neighborhood gem. They have such a wide variety of tea and coffee and its a great price too. The staff is wonderful and very helpful with recommendations. You can even bring your own container for the tea or coffee beans!

Well stocked with teas and knowledgeable staff. A super relaxed and cozy feel. The only place Ill get loose leaf tea anymore. They also have a ton of coffee and tea accessories that arent overpriced.

Great little coffee shop. The blend I got (Blue Mountain) is delicious and was cheaper than some gourmet bags at the supermarket

The selection is top notch and the woman who helped us (whose name, unfortunately, we did not catch) was pleasant and helpful. The next time we come back to Chicago we will do our best to make time to stop by again!

Great place in East Lakeview to get coffee or tea. Parking is a little difficult, public transit is recommended. Decently priced.

Excellent selection of products, offering both traditional coffees and teas as well as unique options you cant find many other places. We come here every time we visit Chicago!The service staff however can be a bit hit or miss - some of the associates are very friendly and helpful, while others are very aloof and even a bit rude. Depending on who we get, it definitely effects the quality of our experience.

Tea lovers rejoice! They have so many options, its beautiful. Although I do not drink coffee often, they have great bean options and a small little cafe stand where you can order selections to go. The staff is friendly and very willing to help each time. Happy to have them on Broadway!