New Naperville cafe: Where coffee can taste like lemons
A place where a “beautiful” cup of coffee can taste like lemons, raspberries, or like a regular cup of joe, only better, is coming to downtown Naperville.
Sparrow Coffee, a Chicago roastery and supplier to many chefs, is set to launch a cafe in January next to the entrance to the Hotel Indigo that's opening in October, said Chris Chacko, Sparrow's founder and CEO. Both are part of the city's upscale Water Street District, which includes numerous eateries and shops.
The 2,000-square-foot space for Sparrow Coffee on the first floor will have a vibrant atmosphere — nothing like a “study hall” or a quiet spot to sit on a laptop all day, Chacko said. And it will feature more than $100,000 of specialized brewing equipment so trained baristas can concoct personalized drinks based on the tastes of each customer.
“I'd imagine that there will be a lot of people who are interested in learning more about coffee, which is part of our goal,” Chacko said.
With pastries from DeEtta's Bakery in Naperville, the new cafe will be “a coffee bar like Naperville has never seen before,” said Kevin Tyschper, co-owner of DeEtta's.
The bakery plans to sell liege Belgian waffles, croissants, macaroons and French caneles.
“It's nothing too, too different, but it's flavors everyone can relate to in a nice, modern atmosphere,” Tyschper said.
Sparrow offers 94 varieties of single-origin coffee and plans to rotate them into the Naperville cafe once they're roasted in Chicago, Chacko said. Commuters stopping in for a quick cup can get a custom coffee brewed in about three minutes, but those wanting to linger and experience a new style can try techniques like a Japanese drip that takes 15 minutes.
No matter the brewing style, Chacko said the price will remain the same, starting at about $3 to $5 for a small cup.
Sparrow joins other restaurants coming into the $93 million hospitality development including SixtyFour — A Wine Bar; Quiubo, Mexican fine dining; Santo Cielo, farm-to-table; Blue Sushi Sake Grill, upscale Japanese; and State & Main, a British-style pub.