Specialty Espresso and Blue Sidewalk Tables on LaSalle

Kuro Kuma keeps its coffee corner on LaSalle Street refreshingly direct. Specialty espresso leads the menu, and the Big Problem brew brings nutty, caramel notes to the cup. Pair your coffee with a gourmet pastry from the counter, then take the slow route through that first sip. The appeal here sits in the drink and the welcome rather than a polished room.

Outside, blue folding chairs and round tables put you beside the sidewalk, with brick apartment buildings and fire escapes across the street. Inside, coffee in a brown ceramic cup and saucer keeps the focus on the drink, with the street beyond the windows. It is a neighborhood coffee pause with the city still close at hand.

For an early start, Kuro Kuma opens at seven AM on weekdays, moving to eight AM on weekends. Closing time is six PM every day. Head to 121 LaSalle Street for espresso, pastries, and a little time away from the next errand.