44 Best Cafes near Highwood

“There’s a certain quiet magic in Tala Coffee, Highwood. The flavor here isn’t just good — it has depth, like a story unfolding with every sip. You can taste the attention, the patience, the care.

The space is soaked in soft, voluminous light that feels almost three-dimensional — it moves through the café like air, shaping shadows, warming wood, making everything glow just a little more than you’d expect.

And the atmosphere… calm but alive. Like a Sunday morning that forgot to end. A place where time slows down just enough to let you notice it.

Highly recommended — not just for coffee, but for the feeling it leaves behind.“

“I travel to the area for work and always love coming here! ♥️♥️“

“Non-sweetened almond milk for my lattes, unlike Starbucks.“

“What an awesome addition to the North Side! Beautiful place to have breakfast, delicious eggs with crème fraiche, chives, parmesan fluff, griddled country bread, we got our son the grilled cheese & I ate most of it. Great ambience, it has a very open feel. We would def come back, thank you 🙏“

“Excellent service, very clean. Too many choices of sandwiches. Great coffee. Love, love this place.“

“GREAT ATMOSPHERE- GREAT COFFEE & that Ham & Cheese Roll was amazing“

“the food is one of a kind I love this place so much can't wait to go back and have their chicken pesto pannini“

“Amazing food and atmosphere! Of course, the tea is great too!“

“Great, authentic Italian cuisine. Never disappoints.“

“Great, but pricey pastry. Good breakfast and light lunch in a very pleasant setting.“

“Wonder French pastries and the best chicken and mushroom quiche“

“🩷🩷 amazing place to work!“

“Food is always fantastic. The avocado toast, the breakfast burritos, and the lunch paninis are bangers, not to mention the brownies (we always grab one to-go).

The owner and employees are all very sweet and the space is vibrant—in the summer the full windows open and it's just a really pleasant spot to grab breakfast or lunch. Would love to see more authentic, small places like this open up and thrive in the North Shore.“

“Great food and great service!“

“Best scones! Excited to visit in February!“

“First time going there after trying to find some different places to eat in the area. I ordered the California turkey wrap and a cookie, and both were amazing! It’s probably not somewhere I’d go to sit down and eat with friends, I don’t think it’s meant for that. But it’s a great place to go and pick up from if you’re looking for good, fresh food. I took one star away because after I got home and saw the email of my receipt I noticed it was a couple dollars more than what I was told as I was checking out. Sure enough there was a $2 tip added. Not upset about a couple extra dollars, but I would’ve appreciated the transparency and the choice to leave a tip. There was no screen that gave me an option to tip so it felt a little shady to me.
Good to note: The office building itself was easy enough to find, but there aren’t any signs to point you in the direction of the actual cafe. You have to go into the west entrance.“

“Delicious food. Good service. Great people. Very reasonable prices. I’m very glad I stumbled upon this spot and will be coming back again and again. I loved the southwest style salad with blackened chicken. Their specials are also fun and different. Check this place out - you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!“

“The best coffee shop in Highland Park/Deerfield area! Best customer service and perfect atmosphere for work meeting, reading a book or grabbing coffee with a friend!“

“The crepes were delectable! The service was prompt, and the food was fresh.“

“It is very pleasant sitting at an outdoor table enjoying their delish ish food!“

“I work with many chambers and I must say The Winnetka-Northfield Chamber is the best. The ladies who work in the Chamber are so upbeat and always friendly. Terry has a very unique gift of guiding shoppers with retailers and connecting people with both Winnetka and Northfield.“

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Outdoor Café absolutely blew me away!

I ordered a custom boba tea with Coconut Matcha and Strawberry, and it was an instant favorite. The flavors were perfectly balanced, creamy, and refreshing, with just the right sweetness. You can tell they use fresh ingredients, and the tapioca pearls were perfectly chewy. The staff was friendly, fast, and genuinely passionate about their drinks. This place is a hidden gem for anyone who loves creative, high-quality boba. I’ll definitely be coming back for more!“

“Absolutely the best pancakes that I have tasted in a very long time.
If you are like me, and steer away from pancakes because they just don't taste as good as your great-grandmother's, you have to eat a stack at this cafe.

The first bite literally took me to my grandmother's table. I could not be happier with my breakfast today.

The service is consistent, the atmosphere is cozy, and.... well you know what I think about the food.

5/5 all around.“

“Stopped here on our way through town. Friendly service and delicious food in a cute little town.“

“I have been dining at LePeep for good 7+ years. Delicious food, decent portions, servers are great, owner is kind, always recognizes and greets his customers. Highly recommend this place. Enjoy good food, good drinks and accommodating servers.“

“Very good food and reasonably priced“

“Try em all.………………………………….“

“Friendly atmosphere! Nice outdoor patio to eat and sit! Food tasted great!“

“tried this place because I was around the area I usually go to liquid fusion in linconshire a bit further but always great, it was friday around 230pm walked in said hi nothing the guy took my order I said thank you nothing I mean I don’t want people to be extra friendly but okay wow ordered a almond milk tea with boba it was delicious but the customer service is lacking I felt like I was asking for a favor and bothering the worker there I don’t know if I will be going back“

“Amazing place! Delicious onion soup!!!!l love it 😍“

“Thank you so very much for the amazing experience“

“I visited here on a sunny Sunday afternoon and it was quite busy! They posted wait times for how long was needed for their various menu offerings. I only had a smoothie, which was quite tasty, but the menu had many options that were quite appealing for the next time that I visit.“

“I often buy my lunches here, and mostly I pick something below $10. Guys are fast, attentive, and nice. My food is always ready in 10 minutes, and it's always fresh and hot. Meals are tasty and most of them are healthy. God bless you, guys, for feeding me ❤️“

“This Panera Bread in Vernon Hills is hands down the best! Every time I come here, my salad is fresh and my order is spot-on. Even when I placed a carry-out order just 30 minutes before closing, everything was perfectly made and super fresh. Consistently excellent!“

“The soup wasn't as rich as I expected. I had to remind the manager I was supposed to get a treat because I was overcharged on my last order. My breakfast sandwich was good last
Saturday except they forgot the cheese.
I understand why people use the kiosk“

“The pancakes are delicious 😋“

“Great staff, good dirty chai, always a nice vibe and hash browns!“

“My neighborhood meeting place. Great food, drinks, people, and atmosphere“

“The delivery driver forgot to give me my latte. When I called to complain, the manager (Caitlyn) was extremely apologetic and really went above and beyond to make up for the inconvenience. It says a lot when a manager cares that much about the customer’s experience.“

“Between Covid and other obstacles it has been years since I've been to Hackney's. Wishing I'd have gone back sooner. The burgers were great, just as I remembered and their prices are very reasonable. We also had their signature fried onions as well as their cheese curds. Both were very tasty, though I thought the quantity on the curds was a tad light. Service was friendly and good. We were able to make a reservation online for an outside table. Really annoyed by restaurants that won't let you do that so yay for Hackney's! Their patio is also dog friendly so our mini bernedoodle was able to join us on a lovely summer night which we really appreciate. A+ Hackney's“

“my God the egg roll and bi col express..you'll miss the half miles of your life..pag di no Natikman...believe me....“