A lot of Chicagoans think of everything in between Uptown and Rogers Park[1] as Edgewater, but those in the know subdivide that area into six neighborhoods, one of which – the one that borders the lake – is Edgewater Beach.
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Coffee and Wi-Fi in Edgewater Beach
Hotspots-a-Go-Joe, edition XII
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Work: Kitchen Sink, Starbucks Edgewater ChicagoEat: Francesca’s
Kitchen Sink
1107 W Berwyn Ave
(4 / 5)
Pros:
- First coffee refill is free
- Outdoor seating with shade (except in winter, obviously), on a relatively quiet side street
- Understated neo-hippie charm
- “The Fall,” by Rhye is turned down to a level that lets you hear it, while also letting you think clearly and/or have a conversation
- Internet speed is impressive
- Spitting distance from the Red Line Berwyn stop
Cons:
- Their pastries would be more at home in a backpack than a tea cloth-lined wicker basket
- Seating is acceptable, but not as comfortable as a place like Next Door
Wi-Fi: excellent, but limited to two hours with purchase
Can you work or study here? Yes
Plugs: a decent but not incredible number of them
Bathrooms: didn’t check’m out
Can you work or study here? Yes
Plugs: a decent but not incredible number of them
Bathrooms: didn’t check’m out
Starbucks Edgewater Chicago
1070 W Bryn Mawr Ave
(5 / 5)
Pros:
- Nice neighborhood
- Diverse crowd; there seems to be one or two of everybody
- They play old recordings from the 30’s and 40’s
- Lots of seating: two-tops near the windows, lounge area, long communal table
- Adorable old guys in sweaters, nodding off or fumbling with iPads
- Half a block from the Red Line Bryn Mawr stop
Cons: None. I don’t see a downside to this Starbucks.
Wi-Fi: ok
Can you work or study here? Yes
Plugs: Yes
Bathrooms: excellent
Can you work or study here? Yes
Plugs: Yes
Bathrooms: excellent
Hungry?
Francesca’s Bryn Mawr
1039 W Bryn Mawr Ave
(4 / 5)
Pros:
- Open for lunch
- Rustic, zesty, earthy, inexpensive
- I can’t pinpoint why, but it feels good to walk in to this Francesca’s
Cons:
- Can be loud
Notes:
[1] Rogers Park: To be honest, a lot of Chicagoans probably think that Chicago ends somewhere just north of Wrigley Field, unless they’re under 25, in which case they’re aware of Uptown (because of the Riv and the Aragon, and probably that’s where their dealer lives) and some kind of grey fog between there and Evanston (because college).
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Other places to log on: Archer Heights, Boystown, Fulton River District, Gold Coast, Lake View, Pilsen, Ravenswood, Rogers Park, West Loop, Wicker Park, Uptown
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Thank you for mentioning Kitchen Sink. I take it you didn’t care for the pastries?
They seemed like the kind of pastries you’d get in a health food store.
And it that a good thing, or a bad thing?
I’m going to say good thing. You just have to have the right set of expectations. Health food pastries have a certain hearty style.