Coffee: good
Good eats? Munno is nearby
WIFI: OK
Can you work or study? Easily
Music: eclectic and inobtrusive
Website: Ridman’s
(4.5 / 5)
It’s been years since I’ve had the time to review a cafe. I sort-of miss those days.
Ridman’s Coffee is on Chicago’s northside, either in the Uptown or Ravenswood neighborhoods. It is quintessentially a Chicago thing to not be able to agree on neighborhood boundaries. Ridman’s is on the corner of Lawrence and Clark; we can all at least agree to that. The best way to get here is via the 81 bus – which will literally drop you off at the doorstep – or the Divvy station a block to the south.
Ridman’s, in terms of space, is on the small side of medium. Simple, open layout. Beautiful, salvaged tile floor. Floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides, which is especially nice, considering that the walls are at least twelve feet high. Clean and bright. The decor is an accomplished interpretation of “hand-crafted.”
There are plugs along the walls. Not enough for everyone, but I’ve seen fewer. Free WiFi that seemed OK at first, but then cut out on me.
When I got here (11 AM on a Thursday), there were about a dozen customers spread about the place, all of us male … all of us looking like we were dressed by the same casting agent: tall, scruffy, broad-shouldered, toques, beards, flannel, jeans, workbooks. Only the occasional black fingernail polish, tiny nose studs, and man bun gave away the fact that after our coffee, were not going to walk outside and start busting up the concrete to lay a new sewer line.
A few women did wander in. One of them sat near me at the counter, and proceeded to have an animated conversation, either with herself or with someone via a connection to an unseen cell phone. This being Uptown, my money’s on the former.
The coffee’s good. The chai latte is spicier than I expected (in a good way). Their tea service is gorgeously minimalist. There’s not much available to eat, and nothing savory. I’ve heard that my experience this day was atypical, though.
Here are a couple interesting questions: if one person sits at a two-top, is the table occupied? Or is that other seat available? Would you ask someone if you could take the seat opposite one them and share the table? If the shoe were on the other foot, would you say no? Would you want to say no, but not have the nerve?
Well, get this: that woman I wrote about, who was having a conversation with herself? When she was finished, she moved to the seat across from the man at the two-top next to me … without saying anything. He acted as though he hadn’t even noticed. “Oh, so they’re friends,” I thought, in spite of neither of them ever uttering so much as a word to one another. I’m cool with it; sometimes, you don’t need words. But then, after about 45 minutes of their having never acknowledged one another in any obvious way, the guy got up and silently left. So, they were strangers? Telepathic? Something is afoot at Ridman’s Coffee, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it…
Ridman’s Coffee
Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! unless otherwise indicated. Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything.
Although I remain convinced that all the men in the coffee shop were missing relatives of mine, I lack solid evidence. Or is 2016’s “looking like a construction worker” fashion trend finally gaining the steam it deserves? Will all my Carhart gear, gently worn over the years to vintage perfection, none of which has ever so much as come near a construction site unless I drove past one in my Prius on the way to Williams-Sonoma, suddenly increase in value by factors of thousands? Do all the guys in the shop also own pickup trucks, in order to complete the look? Will I feel inadequate in my sweet little hybrid when they invite me out on bro-trips? Or will I eventually win them over with my baking skills? How long must these questions go unanswered?
Vocabulary Warning: I’m not Canadian. But I grew up in the snowy American hinterlands, close enough to our fair neighbors to the north to have developed a lifetime love of toques, ski-mitts, skating, and Tim Hortons.
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Though I don’t have a beard your words made feel like I was there! GREG
You California men don’t need face-warmers!
This reminds me that ‘coffee culture’ certainly has changed over the last 20 years or so. People used to go to these places to drink coffee and share conversation, now it’s to drink coffee and ‘share conversation’ with your electronic devices! Still, it looks like a fun place to go ‘man-watching’!
So true. When I lived in NYC, I used to haunt a tiny cafe in the West Village where the seats were as close together as they could possibly be, and you had no choice but to eventually become part of the conversations around you. I met so many interesting people and made so many friends. And also true, the man-watching as Ridman’s is fabulous!
Happy new year to you, Jeff!
Call me old school, but these people with animated conversation in coffee shops or in public places are very irritating.
Balvinder recently posted…Pan Fried leftover Idlis and Garlic Chard
Me too. It’s noise pollution, is what it is. And the things I’ve heard! People will often have what clearly ought to be private conversations!
HAHAHAHAHAHA! You’re very funny! Great write-up!
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Happy New Year! Sorry I’ve missed a few of your posts, it’s been busy since our return from Arizona. Personally, I prefer the non-chain, local coffee houses, better coffee and personable service. Re the two-top, if the place is busy, I’d definitely sit next to a stranger at a two-top, but I would probably ask if they’d mind first!
Eva Taylor recently posted…Gluten-Free Reese’s Peanut Butter Squares
I envy your Arizona time! Nice to have a bit of warm weather. I do like Starbucks if what I’m after is coffee to go. But if I’m spending time there, I prefer a mom and pop shop like Ridman’s. Like you, I would also ask and then sit. That’s exactly why I’m not sure what I saw go down.
Nice place, nice coffee…sounds wonderful!
angiesrecipes recently posted…Red Cabbage Persimmon Salad with Serrano Ham
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Hello! Very funny review, I loved it! Have a nice day 🙂
Not parisienne recently posted…Spécialité thaïlandaise : soupe Tom Kha Gai
Thank you!
There’s been great celebration in my area, as a new, independent coffee shop has opened. Oddly, it’s at one end of an old shopping mall that’s been scooped up by a hospital chain, and is scheduled for demolition, and no one I know has figured out the business sense in that — unless they might have a deal with the hospital corporation to serve that community once it emerges.
But for the time being, it’s much like the one you describe here. I just found it, and have only had a latte, but it was quite good. There are baked goods available, but apparently you have to get there at the right time; the morning offerings were sold out when I arrived. They’ll brew in different ways, too, so I can try out aeropress coffee without buying the gizmo.
shoreacres recently posted…Still Grandma’s Girl
I hope it’s able to survive!
Dear Jeff, sounds like a fun coffee shop to visit and spent some time while sipping a chai or a nice cup of coffee. There are so many new coffee roasting companies/coffee shops/local cafés around here that I have not had a chance to visit yet but would love to…this is a nice reminder to go there and support our local coffee masters 😉
Andrea recently posted…Red Beet Hummus & Comfort Food
Absolutely! We should support locally-owned businesses!
I love a good neighborhood coffee shop! But, I don’t really love sharing a table. Unless that’s what’s expected at that location.
lisaiscooking recently posted…Spicy Carrot-Grapefruit Juice
I don’t blame for not wanting to share a two-top. If the place were crowded, I would expect to. Otherwise, no. But what does that say about our interconnectedness to others?
That made me laugh! Very funny. Have a great week!
Thanks, Diane!
Sounds like a fun place! More reviews this year, please. 🙂
John / Kitchen Riffs recently posted…The Hot Toddy Cocktail
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Great fun, who needs the worlds biggest Starbucks when you have a cafe like Ridman’s Coffee.
Ron recently posted…Happy Saint Lucia and let the Jullov begin…
True!
I love the weirdness of the coffee culture. I often feel like I need to get at least one tattoo and a piercing or two to be accepted. I love sitting and watching…
One tattoo? No, an entire armful! 😉
Great write up, Jeff, you should definitely review cafes more often! I miss the times when people went out and actually spoke to each other! At least the coffee was good.
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Hilarious! I somehow missed this post last week, but that handy-dandy little box in the corner of your site did it’s job. I was like “Ridman’s Coffee? Say what?” I remember the time you reviewed the McDonald’s…it was epic. And this review is right up there as well. Now on to the burning question of the day – if someone is sitting at a table, then that table is occupied. Straight up. Although I have to give that dude some credit for lasting 45 minutes with Crazy Cat Lady. <– How do we know she owns cats? Let's just call it a gut feeling.
David @ Spiced recently posted…Blue Heat Baked Chicken Wings
I hadn’t pegged her as a cat lady, but now that you mention it, I can’t believe I didn’t!
This was very entertaining to read. Loved it, and love coffee. Great, fun review. If I were in Chicago, I’d get their spicy chai you mentioned. Sounds delicious. 🙂 ~Valentina
If you ever are in Chicago, the chai latte will be on me.
Sounds like a fun coffee shop to visit and spent some time while sipping a cup of coffee.
Great review, Jeff. Several LOLs were had 🙂 I think it would be OK for someone to sit at the other end of the table if there were no other seats (tables) left in the place. But I must say that those tables didn’t look very big… I’m off to check out the review of the McDonald’s you did that David mentioned above 😉
Marty recently posted…Fellow Prismo attachment for AeroPress
They are small tables. If you sat with someone at one, you’d definitely be “with” them.
Great writing!! Keep sharing the good stuff. Wish you all the best.
Thank you!
Mr. Jeff, keep it going!
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