Tala Coffee Roasters - Highwood Cafe — Restaurant in Highwood

This coffee shop is excellent!! Their mission is very prevalent in their drinks, their service and their style. The old firehouse is classy yet fun, relaxing and professional. Their baristas are very friendly and skilled, the owner is humble and is extremely open to talking about how his coffee tastes! First, I was served their interpretation of a macchiato, which was a 3oz drink presented super well, with a glass of sparkling water to cleanse the palate. The coffee was the right temperature to enjoy, very sweet and balances with lots of depth. Next, I was served a nitro cold brew, cold brew is something that if done right is absolutely lovely. Cold brews are one of the only drinks you can order that you can enjoy the same cup for an hour! I sat there for 30 minutes sipping and enjoying, combined with my blueberry pastry, it was a very lovely experience indeed! Great taste, light in the mouth, but the aftertaste just takes it home. I was in the car driving home still tasting the chocolaty notes of the coffee. My fiancé was served the miel latte which is pictured. Overall, this coffee shop’s environment is exceptional, their coffee is something they have clearly put a ton of time and effort into perfecting. It is roasted well and brewed even better; it has the power to change your mind on how strong or plain without milk/flavor you like your coffee. Their lattes and seasonal menus are so cool, very different! The reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is because there’s always room for improvement, each roaster is so different and there drinks can also be very different. With my macchiato I was looking for a piece of chocolate to aid in my experience, maybe. I’m crazy but I like to dip my chocolate in the crèma, something like a raspberry 70% cocoa would go well with their espresso profile. Along with that I would have liked to see more types of funky drinks on their menus like espresso con pana, Vienna style coffee or breve latte’s These things would elevate the average person’s coffee horizon and they’d learn something fantastic and walk away with a lasting impact. I would highly recommend everyone to come try Tala’s...

Don't Order a Dry Cappuccino

I am a fan of Tala, I love their specialty drinks and the vibe. But after today’s experience, I think I’ll skip the Highwood location and stick to Libertyville.

I ordered a dry cappuccino, and while waiting, I overheard one employee talking about how the drink was uncommon and went on to complain about a past customer who had ordered the same drink, explaining how he was unhappy with it and spoke badly about him. It was uncomfortable to listen to and unprofessional.

When my drink finally came out, I could tell right away it wasn’t a dry cappuccino. There was an awkward pause before confirming my order, to which the barista replied in a defensive tone that she knew, and that’s what she had made. She offered to remake it, but after hearing her previous complaints and realizing she didn’t know how to make the drink correctly, I declined.

I know that when I order a dry cappuccino, about 1 out of 10 times it will be made right. Typically, I don’t care, I just say thank you and move on with life. But today’s experience left me feeling uncomfortable and frankly annoyed enough to sit and write...

If you have ever lived in the city you probably know how hard it is to find a great coffee shop in the suburbs. Well, look no further because Tala Coffee Roasters is where it’s at! We found this coffee shop gem a little over a month ago and we make the 25 min drive from Wheeling almost every weekend just to get ourselves drinks. It’s located in an old Fire Station and the inside feels industrial modern. It’s definitely got plenty of space to sit down for a chat or to do some work. Their lattes are incredible - smooth, rich, and perfectly balanced every single time. It’s rare to find a place where the quality is this consistent, but Tala delivers with every visit. Whether it's your first time or your fiftieth, you know exactly what kind of delicious drink you’re going to get. Vibes are great and the baristas are friendly. I truly am what someone may consider a “coffee snob” and even I 10/10...