Elaine’s Coffee Call, Chicago
Executive chef Paul Virant and pastry chef Elissa Narrow
An intimate, European-style café that brews La Colombe coffee and offers individual-sized sweet and savory pastries. Elaine’s pays homage to Hotel Lincoln’s early operator, Elaine, who would make a nightly call to Pulitzer Prize-winner David Mamet’s room to see whether he preferred coffee or tea for his evening beverage.
Notable menu items:
• PBJ with pecan butter, blueberry and raspberry jam, honey wheat toast
• House smoked pastrami with mustard and mustard greens on a whole wheat wrap
• Housemade coffee cake with cinnamon streusel and whipped crème fraiche
Superba Food & Bread, Venice, CA
Executive chef Jason Travi, head baker Jonathan Eng, executive pastry chef Lincoln Carson, head of coffee Tyler Wells
A multifaceted all-day eatery with a detailed coffee program where each bean and batch is hand sourced, reviewed and roasted. Superba focuses on handcrafted comfort foods with eclectic ethnic influences, executed with seasonal ingredients.
Notable menu items:
• Warm grain bowls with pulled rotisserie chicken, soft egg and pickled greens
• Fried egg sandwich on a biscuit with braised kale and optional add-ons like avocado or bacon
• Pastrami Pretzel Croissant with housemade mustard
Joule Coffee, Raleigh, NC
Chef Ashley Christensen
A spacious café featuring an extensive coffee menu that highlights Counter Culture organic beans in espresso drinks and pour-overs. Joule offers a casual all-day food menu and a full-service bar.
Notable menu items:
• North Carolina sweet potato hotcake with whipped local cream and Virginia maple syrup
• Carolina shrimp and grits with smoked tomatoes, scallions, mushrooms and sherry over coarse-ground grits
• Short rib milk gravy over buttermilk biscuits
C+M, Los Angeles
Chef Carlos Enriquez
C+M is located at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and is an artisanal craft coffeehouse featuring Intelligentsia coffee and espresso with fresh pastries and signature milk sorbet treats. C+M's signature organic milk sorbet is shaken into frothy Milk Handshakes, some with artisanal spirits, or sandwiched between freshly baked cookies.
Notable menu items:
• Nostalgic pastries, such as hand pies, “Pop Tarts” and Elvis Cake
• Farm-to-table sandwiches on baguettes
Little Goat Bread, Chicago
Executive chef Stephanie Izard
Izard sources her coffee from Stumptown and offers inventive blends, highlighting single farm coffees to show the difference that 100 miles can make when growing and harvesting beans.
Notable menu items:
• Fresh breads and bagels made in-house daily
• Unique schmears, soups and sandwiches