PROJECT ChicaGO: FILTER Cafe
A coffee shop in Wicker Park you can burry yourself in for hours
The day was cold and cloudy. Walking down the streets from Division station, a vibrant graffiti art that shouted “Wicker Park” on the streets didn’t convince my friends and I exploring the neighborhood for the first time — three suburban newbs — that we were at the right place. We shoved our clenched fists in jacket pockets and kept walking through the mad Chicago winds only to find used-furniture stores and nothing much else. Finally, then and there, the oasis of the day: FILTER Cafe. Once we stepped inside the coffee shop, the wasp of warm air that smells like coffee held my blushed cheeks to quickly thaw.
That was fall of 2011 during one of the first times I came out to the city. I knew only a few things about Chicago back then and Wicher park, even fewer. In fact, if I remember correctly, it probably was the first time I visited a neighborhood outside the Loop (well, not counting the random mid-night Chinatown dimsum runs I’ve gone on before then). All that to say, FILTER Cafe holds a bit of history of who I used to be. And every once in a while when I visit back, I am reminded that you never know what gems you can find out there unless you step in and go for it yourself.
No Yelp or other similar app searches are necessary — when you own up to your curiosity and “newb-ness,” the city seems to await you with even more charming places than you’d have expected.
I visited FILTER the other day in the afternoon to crank up on my workload and deadlines for my writings (Here’s an Instagram post I took from FILTER the other day if you want to check out). There is a good mix of people doing different things there. Some are on casual dates, others are in study-groups, and as always, lot’s of solo-comers who came to catch up on some reading and work. During day-time there’s a good lighting through the glass-wall, bright enough to shine through almost all of the entire long and open space. The place is perfect to get done with some serious work.
The high ceiling with pipelines going through, chalkboard writings, art works, eclectic collection of lamps and standing lights, brick walls, couches, and armchairs make the coffee shop look cozier during evening time. Trust me, time flies by at this place. Before you know it, it’ll be dinner time. But don’t worry. Unlike other coffee shops where you normally would have to bounce when you get hungry, they got lot’s of good food on their menu, starting sweets, baked goods, sandwiches, salads, and small bites. Oh yea, dinners on the side — they serve breakfasts as well! And if you go in the morning, the croissants and other pastries are fresh and warm.
One another perks about FILTER Cafe is that they have a printer you can use through Wi-Fi connection. And I can attest, they got pretty decent and fast wifi. I never had trouble with it regardless of the number of people on laptops swarming in the place.
So, hop on over people — alone or with friends, with or without work. Chiberia weather can’t bother you inside this place.
FILTER Cafe
1373 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL
