Big Shoulders Coffee

Big Shoulders Coffee began with a chef. Tim Coonan worked in restaurants in New York, France, Italy and Chicago, studied roasting on origin trips, and started by roasting beans in his garage before building a Chicago roasting business and a small group of cafes. The West Town cafe on Chicago Avenue is one of them, set in a tall brick corner building on a busy street.

The coffee is fresh roasted from beans the company buys through relationships with farmers, and it is brewed with close attention to timing. The company says it is guided by sustainability, supply chain diversity and a sense of belonging for its team. Mobile ordering is available, and the cafe opens at seven every day, closing at four from Monday to Thursday and at five from Friday to Sunday.