Coffee Lab's DNA
In 2010, Coffee Lab was founded by Garrett Seminary in Evanston, IL as a non-profit Coffee Shop for the north Evanston community of locals and students. Three years later, Chris took over the business. Eventually, he opened up a second location in Lakeview in 2018. In 2019, the original northern Evanston Coffee Lab location was sold to our current co-owner, Daniel, who with the help of Jason, maintained our welcoming environment and got us to where we are today. The Lakeview and the Evanston Coffee Labs are independently owned and are separate entities with totally different identities and vibes but use the same coffee beans roasted by Chris.
We are proud to be a part of the strong Asian American community in the North Shore and enjoy celebrating our culture through our Southeast Asian inspired beverages and treats.
Fresh & Locally Roasted Beans
Our delicious coffee beans are roasted weekly by Chris in Chicago, and are never on the shelf for more than two weeks to ensure quality and freshness. These beans are the basis to our perfect brew, crafting your delicious lattes and filling The Lab with a lively aroma.
Asian-Influenced Pastries
Daniel and Jason introduced Coffee Lab to pastries with a tasty fusion of Southeast Asian flavors. One of our bakers, Carrie Park, bakes a majority of our goods like croissants, milk breads, and filled buns. We also have many other traditional Filipino and Korean pastries and Filipino inspired ice creams to celebrate the owners’ heritage and childhood memories.
Ube: "That Purple Drink"
Ube put us on the map when a student asked one of our employees about “that purple drink.” We kept receiving questions from all customers about the purple mystery until orders for the ube latte took off, making it one of our signature drinks and bestsellers.
WELCOMING
We create a friendly environment that encourages customers to stay and study without pressure of leaving
OUR VALUES
MULTICULTURAL
We draw inspiration from a diverse range of cultural influences in order to innovate
COMMUNITY-ORIENTED
We proudly serve coffee and pastries from local providers and share community stories on our blog